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Millers Falls 07 vs Stanley 140

779 Views 9 Replies 5 Participants Last post by donwilwol, Apr 20, 2022

Thedustydutchman

Discussion Starter · Apr 18, 2022 (Edited by Moderator)

I have looked on the Google and can't seem to find an answer to this probably arbitrary question. I have both a 07 and a 140. They are strikingly similar. Although admittedly the millers falls seems much nicer (hard to admit as a stanley guy). Do they have a connection or just similar design? Who made it first? Just curious is all.

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KYtoolsmith

· #2 · Apr 18, 2022

Looking through my references, (John Walter's Stanley Tools, and Roger Smith's PTMPIA, the Stanley 140 was made from 1895 thru 1943. Millers Falls did not manufacture planes at all until 1929… Many of the Millers Falls special purpose planes appear to be copies of the Stanley planes. Hope this helps…
Regards, The Kentucky Toolsmith!

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Thedustydutchman

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 18, 2022

Thats great information! Thank you. I will have to try to find the date of manufacture on mine. I had no idea the 140 was made that far back.

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KYtoolsmith

· #4 · Apr 18, 2022

The page in John Walter's "Stanley Tools" describing the 140 is here:

Font Material property Book Publication Paper

Regards, The Kentucky Toolsmith!

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corelz125

· #5 · Apr 18, 2022

Now you had to go and give Kenny something more to get all giddy about saying the MF is better than the Stanley

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Thedustydutchman

Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 18, 2022 (Edited by Moderator)

It was hard for me to admit honestly! Although I almost feel bad for the millers falls being so lonely under my bench

I really need to buy a copy of that book. Looking on ebay now….

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corelz125

· #7 · Apr 18, 2022

DonW might have one for sale on timetestedtools

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HokieKen

· #8 · Apr 18, 2022

Millers Falls planes in general are nearly identical copies of the Stanley equivalent. By the time Millers Falls entered the race, the relevant Stanley patents had expired. But, in a lot of cases, Millers Falls made small improvements to design or materials and spent more effort on the fit an finish of their casting and machining processes that made them a viable competitor in the market space. Even though they were essentially selling the same thing that Stanley had been making for decades.

I have owned a Stanley 140 and I currently own a Millers Falls 07. No surprise which one I favor ;-) However, I will say in this particular case I don't think that either one has a particular functional advantage. I like the 07 because it's Millers Falls. The casting and cosmetics are cleaner. But they dropped the ball IMO by copying the crappy depth adjuster that Stanley used and which is easily subject to stripped threads. Had they just changed the pot metal piece to steel, I think it would be an objectively superior plane rather than just subjectively better depending on who's hands it's in.

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