Stanley 45 with 17 cutters

[Tony Kennick]

I found a Stanley 45 in good shape with 17 cutters (no box for the plane or the blades. The seller wants $50.00. Does this seem reasonable? Attached is the picture he sent me. I'm still a power cord kind of guy but am looking to go cordless sometime and thought this might be a good deal. Thanks! Tony

[Ken Werner]

I don't think it's a good deal.

I think it's a really great deal. I'd be all over it, like a bad suit.

Just my $.02

Ken

[Steve Beadle]

It's a reasonable price, but you need to see more pictures of the plane. Is it complete? Does it have the fence and the sliding rods, etc.? You can buy more blades off the 'Bay, I have heard.
I bought my 45 about four years ago, complete with about 21 blades, I think, for $80--and I considered that a very reasonable price.

Steve

[Jim Koepke]

Looks like a great deal to me. The picture is a little hard to see all the detail.
If what you see is what you get, my judgement would be take a chance.

Most of the time, the knob is not on the fence.
The metal from the skate is also visible.
If one of those parts is broken or missing screws, the price is still pretty good. The slitter is missing, but that is the part most often missing.

From the picture, it is next to impossible to figure out what type or date it may be other than it is from type 7 - type 10. About 1896 - 1909.

These usually go on eBay like this for $75 - $100+ in this shape.

jim

[Tony Kennick]

Looks like I missed out as I believe it is sold. It was listed on my local craigslist. I guess the "you snooze, you lose" statement is appropriate in this case. Thanks for the responses. I'll be quicker next time. Tony

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Tony

It was a steal at the price.

Nevertheless, the question I would ask you is whether you need one? I have had a #45 for decades and used it a dozen or more times in all those years. It makes a good plough plane, and I can even use it for dados since it have a nicker on both sides of the blade, but I avoid it for grooving. It is not an easy plane to use since it does not have a mouth.

So I am curious, since you are new to handplanes, why did you want it?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Brian Ashton]

Hi Tony

It was a steal at the price.

Nevertheless, the question I would ask you is whether you need one? I have had a #45 for decades and used it a dozen or more times in all those years. It makes a good plough plane, and I can even use it for dados since it have a nicker on both sides of the blade, but I avoid it for grooving. It is not an easy plane to use since it does not have a mouth.

So I am curious, since you are new to handplanes, why did you want it?

Regards from Perth

Derek

Having had a peak at the many pics and such you've posted it could be easily argued that much of what you and many other (including myself) have isn't even remotely needed, especially for the price payed, but we still have them simply because we can... Often it's chalked up to a learning exercise to find a better way of doing things. My wife is in canada right now and I've had her go to Lee Valley and pick up a few things that I most likely won't touch for at least a year but when it's needed it's there and I can afford it so I buy it. We're just doing our parts to keep the economy going.

On a related note if Rob Lee ever reads these posts. When I sent my wife to the store it was a bit risky in the same way if she sends me to the grocery store - will always come back with the wrong item(s). What I figure could help many is if you had a computer station at each store so people or their errand runners could access their wish lists and print them off right at the store... just a thought.

[Derek Cohen]

Ahh yes .... Brian I totally agree with you that many tools are bought because we can and ... well ... just because ... :)

I am interested in why Tony thought to buy the #45 ... really this is just to understand how a newby to handtools perceives the #45.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Tony Kennick]

I agree with Brian's economic answer for wanting it as well as adding that I just like the old Stanley planes. I have amassed quite a few of the common # 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and even an 8. I like restoring the rusty ones to make good users. I also collect old Stanley tools although you won't find any #1 or #2 planes. Nothing very expensive - not even a Bedrock although I did get a bedrock lever cap on a regular #4 at a garage sale if that counts for anything! I do use handplanes just not exclusively. I still use my power tools for quite a bit of my woodworking. I have not graduated to the Lie-Nielsen or Lee-Valley. That will happen later probably. There are limits to my spur of the moment tool buys. I would have a hard time justifying several hundred dollars for a tool that I use very infrequently currently even though I recognize the value and craftsmanship the tool provides.

Bottom line is that $50 didn't seem like much to put out for a good buy on a tool I find interesting as well as possibly having a use for.

Thanks for all the input and discussion. On to the next good buy!

Tony

[Brian Ashton]

Ahh yes .... Brian I totally agree with you that many tools are bought because we can and ... well ... just because ... :)

Derek

Don't ya just love that... Just because we can. It's like christmas all year long sometimes... Confessions from a budding (tool) shop-aholic and pack rat... Getting older does have some benefits... :D I just got off the phone with my wife and she's gonna also pick up a camera for me over there also...

[Brian Ashton]

I agree with Brian's economic answer for wanting it as well as adding that I just like the old Stanley planes. I have amassed quite a few of the common # 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and even an 8. I like restoring the rusty ones to make good users. I also collect old Stanley tools although you won't find any #1 or #2 planes. Nothing very expensive - not even a Bedrock although I did get a bedrock lever cap on a regular #4 at a garage sale if that counts for anything! I do use handplanes just not exclusively. I still use my power tools for quite a bit of my woodworking. I have not graduated to the Lie-Nielsen or Lee-Valley. That will happen later probably. There are limits to my spur of the moment tool buys. I would have a hard time justifying several hundred dollars for a tool that I use very infrequently currently even though I recognize the value and craftsmanship the tool provides.

Bottom line is that $50 didn't seem like much to put out for a good buy on a tool I find interesting as well as possibly having a use for.

Thanks for all the input and discussion. On to the next good buy!

Tony


Tony! you've got to look at it the "right" way. Justification is a relative term. If what I said confuses you that's good! as that's the idea - at least it works for me. When I'm confused it makes my buying decisions much easier... Shoudl I or shouldn't I - oh what he heck I'll get it anyways... ;)