Stanley 45 as a rabbet plane?

[Bill Miltner]

Attended a handtool workshop with Ernie Conover and I have gotten the bug. We used a Stanley 45 combination plane for beading and cutting grooves. I have one on the way to me now. But I was thinking, can I use it for the occasional handcut rabbet, or do I need a dedicated rabbet plane like the 78?

[Jim Koepke]

Attended a handtool workshop with Ernie Conover and I have gotten the bug. We used a Stanley 45 combination plane for beading and cutting grooves. I have one on the way to me now. But I was thinking, can I use it for the occasional handcut rabbet, or do I need a dedicated rabbet plane like the 78?

I have both and use the 45 for rabbets with the grain.
I have a Record 778 that I hardly use, but used it today just to check it out since I had not used it in a long time.

I was comparing it to a shoulder plane for cleaning up some lap joints on an outside chair in progress.

For a rabbet with the grain, a #45 combination works great. Getting the feel of keeping the plane square to the work takes a little learning, but once you are there, it works fine. Just don't try to take off too much with each stroke. Use a wide blade and keep both skates on the work.

jim

[willie sobat]

A 45 will work. However a 78 is much better. Additionally a 78 or 778 can be found at very reasonable prices.

[Joel Moskowitz]

works fine as a rabbet plane (it's what I use) the trick is to make sure the left skate is on the wood with the blade over hanging it. This gives a lot of support and works well. Otherwise everything is balanced on the right skate which doesn't work very well.

[Erwin Graween]

Hi.

I always wondered almost the same question, but slightly different though.
But not between the 45 or other combination plane and the 78 kind, but more between a 78 and a classic rabet/shoulder plane like a stanley 92 or LV shoulder equivalent.

For me the combination plane have not a lot of support for the plane neither realy a sole. I really use them only for grooves and beadings, or rabbet across the grain, because they have a spur on each sides.

The shoulder is able also to do the 78 job, but it lacks the the fence and depth guides.

[Jim Koepke]

For me the combination plane have not a lot of support for the plane neither realy a sole. I really use them only for grooves and beadings, or rabbet across the grain, because they have a spur on each sides.



I have found it more effective to score the wood with a marking knife than to rely on the knickers when cutting cross grain.

jim

[Dave Matson]

Just to add to what has already been said, the 78 is a bit easier to set up and to use since it is quite a bit lighter than the 45. Its better to just get both and try them out for yourself :)
If you are looking on ebay for one you can also search for a Millers Falls 85 or Sargent 79 as they are equivalent. The stanley has the most comfortable handle though IMHO and one can still get parts for it if needed.

[Jim Koepke]

For doing rabbets, I am more used to the 45 and like the fence and all.

For someone who has not used the 45, the 78 may have less of a learning curve.

This got me to thinking while out in the shop today and some of my other rabbet planes came off the shelf. One is an old Stanley #90, not to be confused with the bull nose shoulder plane, it is a skewed blade wood body plane with an iron wrap around sole.

The others were Ohio tools skew bladed wooden bodied rabbet planes. The Stanley #90 and the 2 inch Ohio tools rabbet were both quite impressive with just a clean up and honing of the blade.

The 1 inch Ohio tools skew bladed wooden bodied rabbet seems to have the skew angle on the blade slightly off.

These were originally acquired with the thought of using them as panel raisers. Tried some free hand panel raising and it looks promising.

But for cutting rabbets, they seem to be my new best go to planes.

jim