Anyone using a Record 050 combination plane?

[Bill Kapinski]

I am looking to get a plough plane and as much as the Veritas looks nice it is a little out of my price range. I was looking for a Record 044 and started thinking about the 050. For those of you that have one how good is it as a plough plane? Would I be better off staying with the 044? I know there are wood ploughs but I really don't want to mess with them that much and I thought the extra profiles would be of a benefit. Would I be better off looking for the Stanley 50?
Thanks for input.

[Andy Hsieh]

I have the 043 and LOVE it - Great for smaller boxes and drawers
I also have the 044 which is also nice - a bit more versatile.

I don't think you could go wrong with either - but the 044 would get you more mileage while the 043 is a nice to have.

I cannot comment on the 050 but a 044 will run you anywhere from 60-125 with all the blades. I pretty much paid top dollar for mine at 125 but I have been happy with it so I have no regrets. Of course I still want the Veritas plow but, I will have to wait.

andy

[Jim Koepke]

My experience is with the Stanley 45 & 55. Have also used an older wood bodied plow.

Plow planes can be a little tricky to use, but are not hard to learn if one is persistent.

Once the mechanics of the beast are learned, they become a very handy tool in the shop.

jim

[Bill Houghton]

I've never seen, much less held, a Record 044 or Stanley 50. I will comment that the Veritas Small Plow Plane uses a clamping mechanism similar to that on the Record 044 (though with what appears to be a superior depth adjustment), and that it is quick to set up and easy to use. Thus, if I were looking now, I'd look for an 044 - although I suspect if I found a Stanley 50 first at a good price, it might find its way into my toolbox.

I own and have used a moderate amount a Stanley 45, and find the Veritas much quicker to set up than the 45, although, of course, the 45 will do all kinds of stupid pet tricks that the Veritas, which is a dedicated tool, cannot.

[Pedro Reyes]

I got one in very good condition, in it's original box and all.

I am not familiar with the 44 so I can't make comparative arguments. I do love my little 50, at first glance it seems that the 44 is almost the same sans the hollow cutters, am I correct?

I have used my 50 succesfully to make boxes as well as my plane till (the grooves needed for the panels), it was a delight to use.

I have never used the profiled cutters, so I can't make comments on those, but my guess is that a dedicated pair of H&R would outperform this plane.

Is there a particular need you see this plane fulfilling over your 44?

/p

[Bill Kapinski]

Pedro, I don't own a 044 yet came close but that's another story. I mostly want it for making the groves for box and draw bottoms. The 044 will mostly likely be ideal if the price is reasonable ( otherwise I would get the Veritas ) I thought the 050 might give me a little more flexibility in the future and they don't seem to go for to much more money. Really I am a user not a collector, (repeat 100 times and I might start believing it) I am working towards a building a basic Neander kit and I am getting closer. This would be one more piece of the puzzle

Bill

[Bill Houghton]

Really I am a user not a collector, (repeat 100 times and I might start believing it)
There is, I have realized, an intermediate category known as "gatherer" (the rude synonym being "hoarder"), for those of us who use the tools but are happiest when we have too many of them.

[Raney Nelson]

I have owned (and used) Record 043, 044, and 050s. All are very good plows, albeit for different tasks. The 043 is outstanding for quick, small grooves - think drawer bottom slots. The 044 is a better general-use plow, with a much broader range of cutters.

I ended up with a Veritas small plow, though, that frankly made the 043 and 044 superfluous. The two records are very good planes, but the Veritas is a little better - better fence lock mechanism, better overall tolerances.

The 050, though, stayed - I use it for beading mostly. Personally, this is the best combi pane I've used - nowhere near as finicky as the 45 and 55 in my experience.

As a straight plow, I think the 050 for general work is as good as anything else out there excepting the Veritas. If you have no need of the profiling cutters it includes, the 044 is just as good, IMO.

If you want a simple combi - with just a few profile cutters - I think the 050 gets top marks.

Hope that helps

[Casey Gooding]

I have the 044 and use it pretty frequently. It's easy to use and adjust. I find the irons are a bit too flexible. It's easy to bend one while tightening it down. It does get very hot during use. Don't know if the Veritas version does that.

[Bill Houghton]

It does get very hot during use. Don't know if the Veritas version does that.

I haven't experienced that yet - maybe I just don't plane as fast as you.