Woodstock were an early 1950’s tool brand in Australia.
About the Brand (with thanks to Trevor Semmens for the information)
Early 1950’s – approx. 1955
Woodstock Products, 94 Barkers Road, Coburg Vic
Made by Mr Stan Johns who started making tools whilst working as a pattern maker and teaching at Collingwood Technical School. Initially he made wooden patterns of small spokeshaves, having them cast by local foundries. They included, Magnet Foundry, Superior Castings and Bell Iron Foundry. His blades were made by Gregory Steel Products Pty. Ltd. (Gregsteel), who operated nearby. The name ‘Woodstock’ was the name of Stan Johns grandfathers house in Gippsland Victoria.
The tools we know he manufactured were: –
PLANES – Block plane having variously cast iron knobs or turned aluminium knobs of various profiles and a raised map of Australia on the body behind the blade. Some were also nickel plated (similar to a Stanley No. 110); Squirrel tail mini black plane (similar to a Stanley No. 100); Mini block plane (similar to a Stanley No. 101); Bullnose plane (similar to a Stanley No. 75); Router No. 5 – ‘natural’ and nickel plated; Router No. 6 ‘natural’ and nickel plated (similar to a Stanley No. 71);
SPOKESHAVES – Spokeshave with flat face and straight handles (similar to a St. No. 52); with flat face (similar to a Stanley No. 51); with flat face (similar to a Stanley No. 64); with round face (similar to a Stanley No. 63); with round face (similar to a Stanley No. 51R).
Semmens, Trevor. Australian Woodworking Planemakers (p. 45). crowpublishing.com. Kindle Edition.
Router No.6
While it seems there were quite few different Woodstock planes & spokeshaves, I only have the No.6 Router.
Trevor Semmens says that this is the equivalent of a Stanley No.71, but it is more like the 71 1/2.
Mr. Johns was a pattern maker and I suspect he used either a Stanley or a Record router as the starting point. The raised surround around the holes for fastening a base make me lean more toward the Record version.
Mine is in excellent condition but is painted black. According to Trevor Semmens, it should be ‘natural’ or nickel plated. Not sure what ‘natural’ means – it might be that black is natural! However I found an advertised No.5 that also appears to be painted black.
