[Tiny]

Hi guys!
Finaly people here in our corner of northen Europe are crawling up to start living again after winter and a long and cold spring. That means "Get ready!".
Often its easyer to do some task with hand tools and not with a router or other electric tool. A typical example would be the lowest part of a window frame.
The dimensiones of the part with S-shaped profile is about 1x1". If I have to make one or two new frames its a waste of time to start to put up the router. A sufficent hand tool would be perfect for that. Is there a plane I could do the molding? Any other suggestions?
As it happens my wife is going to Madison in may and she thought she could bring me a tool that either is expensive here (all tools) or you wont find it here. A stupid question is there tool shops in madison?

 

[Stick486]

Stanley 45 or a 55 plane...

 

[DaninVan]

Hey, Esko; Madison, Wisconsin?
https://www.northerntool.com/stores/madison-wisconsin.htm
https://www.woodcraft.com/stores/madison

https://www.google.com/search?q=Mad...;tbs:lrf:!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:10

 

[JOAT]

Hi Esko. Don't say this is the answer you are looking for, but I do believe it is a good option. And, you can create custom moldings. Make your own. That's what they used to do, because that was the only option. The wood part, should be no major problem. Getting the profile you want in the metal, that would take some tme, and likely your first one or so would need to be redone. But, I figure it is worth a shot. I know if I wanted a molding plane I would try making one.
https://videos.popularwoodworking.com/courses/making-a-custom-ogee-moulding-plane-with-tod-herrli

Oh yeah, looking at the video is enough for me to start I figure. I personally wouldn't buy all the videos. Likely would buy a book or two tho, used books work as well as new.

 

[DesertRatTom]

Interesting article on the Stanley 45 here.

Stanley 45 Combination Plane

And information about the 55 here, including address to get an instruction manual, which also shows cutting irons. Not sure on availability at this time.

https://www.woodcraft.com/blog_entries/the-stanley-no-55-king-of-combination-planes

Practice moldings with a 55

On sharpening

 

[Tiny]

Wow! The Stanleys look good! That would be a good option.

Iwe thought of making one and I know Ill get the advise from you 😊

Yes Dan Madison Wisconsin.

Ill check all the links later. Thanks for all the tips and advise.

 

[DesertRatTom]

@Tiny You might also consider making a wooden version. I think a good or repairable 45 or 55 will not be cheap and may be pretty hard to find. After searching for awhile, I can't find any interchangable cutters out there. You could probably make your own or contact someone such as Paul Sellers in the UK, who has a formidable collection of hand planes. https://paulsellers.com. Well tuned hand planes are a pleasure to use.

 

[Terry Q]

The Stanley 45 and 54 were very complicated and as such, never received much use, which is why you can still find them with complete and with rarely, if ever used, cutters. They are not the solution to your problem, or hardly any other problem. They are worth far more as a collectors item than as a useful tool,

Now if you had a selection of molding planes, which are generally separate hollow and rounds, you would be all set. You need a molding plane for every size of round and hollow you wanted to use. Generally, molders owned at least 2 dozen molding planes.

If you could find the one or two you needed at a flea market or online, you would be lucky. If you wanted to take the time to learn how to make your own you would be set for life. Kind of like teaching someone how to fish.

There are people who make modern molding planes for sale, but they can cost up to $200 for each profile.


In woodworking there is always more then one way to accomplish something.

 

[JOAT]

I would love to have one of the combination planes. But if I did, I would never use it, and would likely just turn around and sell it to a collector. Tools and guns, I collect them to be able to use them, not just to look at.

My vote is make your own. You can make whatever profile you want, and if you don't like the way one turned out, you made it, so you won't feel bad about modifying it. But, your call, not mine. Good luck.

 

[Job and Knock]

As Terry Q says, a selection of hollows and rounds and judicious use of a black plane, bull nose plane and sanding was often the preferred way to go. In listed (heritage) building restoration when short runs of moulding needs to be worked on site I generally resort to using a router with a selection of straight, rebate and core box bits to hog away the waste, then finish to the desired profile using a block plane and a shoulder rebate plane or bull nose rebate plane with an assortment of wood rasps, wood files, shaped bits of MDF with sanding paper wrapped round them (P40 grit cuts very quickly), spoke shave and even a Shinto (Japanese) rasp used as required. The OP has started the right way by drawing a profile on the end, a cardboard template cut to match is a useful aid when doing this sort of work, too, but buying and learning to use a #45 is just not worth the effort or price for a one off and neither in my opinion is making your own moulding planes (an art form in its; own right As an apprentice we had a Record #405 (Stanley #45 copy) in the shop and whilst I learned to use it it was not a "tool of choice" for any of the 20 or so cards-in joiners who worked there because it was heavy and awkward as well as difficult to use. It has no sole, only a couple of narrow "skates" to run on, which makes it hard work as it tends to dig-in on softwoods in particular. The #45/405 is also limited to mouldings which have a flat area on either side - ogees like the OP's example require a plane with one skate that mioves in the vertical plane (e.g. a #55). The range of mouldings available were also more of the size you use for cabinet work as opposed to joinery, so when one offs were worked if it wasn't possible to grind a French cutter for the spindle moulder then rounds and hollows were used instead - lighter and easier to push. In use the #55 was even more unwieldy the #45 despite the greater range of cutters. I have owned one in the past. It's for that reason that so many of these tools turn up in auction houses and antique tool dealer sites with a complete or near complete set of unused or almost unused cutters. Boat anchors the lot of them!

 

[Tiny]

Thanks guys!
Now Im a whole lot wiser in planeing profiles. I think I stick on what Im good at and not trying to pick the moon from the sky that is not wanting the perfect solution but the easyest to achieve and use it professionaly.
Howabout finding a plane with a 20-25mm U-shaped blade?

 

[Tiny]

I think I follow Joats suggestion. Even the Stanleys seams to be the final solution I think that my way of working doesnt accept that kind of tool since it takes to much time to set it up.
Thanks guys for all the information!

...maby I could one day find that 55 with a whole set of blades 😉

 

[Nickp]

I am actually surprised at your response...very rarely have any of the members made a recommendation without having experience behind it. It certainly sounds like you have had many years of experience in woodworking to have formed an opinion about certain tools. To that I would say "good"...a variety of opinions is what makes this forum valuable to all, especially the "newbies".

I, for example, have an opinion also...as well as several people I know that use a 45 or 55 and we all love it for the work it provides when other resources just simply can't or the work might be a quick one-off.

Certainly anybody can make all 55 versions of the cutters in molding planes over a lifetime...and then some. However, as you can tell by reading the initial post, the OP indicated a fresh start in the use of hand planes. I'm guessing you may have left him a bit confused by attacking another responding member. See...I just voiced an opinion that may or may not have any value to anybody.

The use of any dedicated tool is, of course, depending on the need it can satisfy. If the 45/55 does not have the right profile it might not be the go-to tool...however, with a bit of creativity and "imagineering" one could easily satisfy non-standard profiles by combining portions of available cutters.

Understand that what you said certainly makes sense...it's just that it's value was overwhelmed by the personal reference.

But that's just one person's opinion...

 

[1paooo]

thanks for this info,guys)

 

[reuelt]

More Info

thanks for this info,guys)

Lee Valley Veritas sells a "Small Plow Plane" based on Stanley #45 design idea. They have discontinued their larger plow plane.

If you have a Stanley #45 (I have one) or a #55 or the Record #44 you can get new cutters from Veritas to use on them too.

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=74089&cat=1,230,41182