Specialty Planes - for "Neanderthal Wisdom"

[Brian Kent]

There have been some excellent posts recently on "Specialty Planes". I asked Zahid Naqvi if we could do a thread for the "Neanderthal Wisdom" section.

Can we build this post together, using excellent Sawmill Creek threads and our collective wisdom about these planes?

Please chime in on …
Plough Planes,
Dado Planes,
Router Planes,
Shoulder Planes,
Rabbet Planes,
Scraper Planes,
Edge Trimming,
Bullnose,
Edge Trimming,
Side Rabbet,
etc, etc, etc.

Descriptions, usage, pictures, sources, recommendations, comparisons, problems and all other wisdom is invited.

Brian Kent

[Jim Koepke]

Here is a link to my post on shoulder planes:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=119301

jim

[Brian Kent]

Thank you Jim. That's one I had in mind, along with this one:

"Planes to Replace my Router"

http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=121101&highlight=dado+plane

[Zahid Naqvi]

I will link this thread up at the FAQs section, so if you can reply to this thread and post your favorite threads related to specialty planes we can get quiet a collection going.

[Matt Stiegler]

Here are two pretty helpful general discussions of scraper planes:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=48471
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=43406

LN's discussed further here:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=55886

[Brian Kent]

Here is Harry Strasil's tutorial on making a wooden router plane, called an Old Woman's Tooth:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=119557&highlight=woman%27s+tooth

Derek Cohen's review of the Lee Valley Small Router Plane

http://70.169.135.35/showthread.php?t=65463

[Derek Cohen]

If it is seen to be desirable, and if permitted, youare welcome to download any of the (25+)tool reviews from my website for inclusion in the FAQ.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/index.html

Also, there are articles on joint making using handtools at http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/index.html More on the way soon.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

The Stanley Circular Plane, #113, is useful if you work on curved or round work. There are many other offerings for this type of plane, but both of mine are of this model. The early #113 has what is known as a side wheel adjuster. This uses a piece moving on an incline to set the blade depth. This was quickly changed to the well known Bailey adjuster with a brass knob and a yoke. One thing to be aware of on this according to Patrick Leach is the cap iron on this plane is unique. Though it is the same size as a #3 cap iron, the position of the hole for the adjusting yoke is placed a bit different. If you can not get your #113 to work properly, this may be the problem. If it was not for Patrick Leach mentioning this on his site, I may have never realized why mine would not work correctly.

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While making a round base for a lamp, this plane came in very handy to smooth the edges.

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With a Circular Plane, one thing to consider is that skewing the plane not only lowers the effective blade angle, it also makes the diameter of the sole setting effectively smaller.

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Of course, everything has its limits. It is also important to be able to figure which way the grain is "running downhill." The work may need to be flipped or the user switch to left hand planing to produce a smooth surface.

This plane can be used without a handle at the back. They are often broken off. This is a bit of a delicate plane. It is a little more comfortable to use with the handle. On the early types, there was not much hope fixing a broken handle. The later types have a removable handle and can be replaced as long as the top of the frog has not been snapped off. The early models also do not have a lock screw for the sole adjusting mechanism.

Though it is possible to clean the edge of an outside curve with a block plane, this plane is actually easier to use and is faster than a block plane at this task. For an inside curve, a block plane can not compete where this plane excels.

jim

[Brian Kent]

Jim, that's beautiful. Where in the world did you find that plane?

Brian

[Jim Koepke]

Jim, that's beautiful. Where in the world did you find that plane?

Brian

eBay of course!

Actually, it is amazing how common they really are.

My wife and I call it "The Doodle Bug Plane."

jim

[Jim Koepke]

The Stanley 45 was touted as "Seven Planes In One."

1) beading plane
2) plow plane
3) dado plane
4) rabbet & filletster plane
5) match plane
6) sash plane
7) slitting plane

It is likely one of the most common specialty planes owned by woodworkers and collectors.

It may also be the most cussed at plane owned by woodworkers. As with so many things that try to be all things to all people, this plane is not as easy to set up and use as the tools it was designed to replace. With a bit of patience and care, the Stanley 45 and the many other planes like it can be made to do fine work. The Stanley 45 is not a molding plane, but can make some simple moldings. For more complex moldings, a Stanley 55 is in order. If you can get a Stanley 45 to work smoothly, then a #55 should not be much more difficult.

For one of my projects (honey do's) I felt tongue and groove would be an easy strong joint to use on some pine to make deep shelves, ~18 inches. It is easy to set up the plane using a scrap piece of wood.

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The blade is a little finicky to set up. The blade hold down has to be tight in use, but loose to adjust. When the blade is set for a light cut with the hold down bolt loose, it always seems tightening the bolt increases the cut. That can drive one nuts until you get the feel for it.

It is also necessary to have both skates riding on the work. This is especially tricky with the #55 and its adjustable skate. When cutting rabbets, a wide blade with the skates set close together makes work a lot easier. The fence has two sets of holes to allow the fence to ride under the blade for this kind of setup.

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I saw a woman in a video using a stick in place of the auxiliary depth stop. This can be helpful to visually aid in keeping the plane from rocking side to side. I usually do not use one. If you do, you may want to put a ball or a block on top to keep from poking you in the forehead if you lean into your planing.

Notice the "wild wood" at the grain reversal near the knot. This is why straight grained wood is suggested in all the writings on this kind of plane. There is no mouth to adjust to keep this from happening. I usually trim it with a sharp knife.

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Here is an image from the other side to show one way of holding a #45. The fingers of my left hand are pushing against the fence to hold it vertical on the side of the work. The work needs to be held secure. In this case, it is being held not only by a vice, there is also a hold fast doubling as a dead man and a second vice. My left thumb is steadying the plane and applying downward pressure. My right hand is mostly guiding the plane. Notice the rods. Previous to type 7, the rods threaded into the body. Type 7 and later have the rods held into the body by screws. This allows the excess rod to go out the right side of the plane to make the left hand more comfortable.

Instead of putting the plane down on the wood and pushing, it is important to consider what is being done. The plane's skates and fence need to be "registered" to the work before the cutting stroke is started. After a while, this becomes natural and does not slow down the process.

Tongue and grove does not have to be perfectly centered. Even if it is, it is still best to mark the fence side of boards to prevent steps where they are joined. Here a plane is turned around on the tongue to see that it is centered.


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The depth stops on the #45 Are not needed with the tongue or sash cutters. They are equipped with depth stop incorporated into the blades. Older blades have a cast depth stop that comes off with the screw and stop together. Newer blades have a threaded hole in the blade and a stamped stop. The screw has to be removed from the blade before the stop can be removed. I have seen a lot of blades for sale with missing stops. They will still work, but be aware of how deep you are cutting.

The last Stanley 45s sold came with a blade set of 23 cutters. Earlier models came with less blades. Another 23 special cutters, 4 hollows, 4 rounds and a nosing tool were available by special order.
I see the hollows and rounds for sale more often than the two boxes of "special cutters."

Shown are a few blades used with a Stanley 45.


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From left to right the cutters are beading, fluting, tongue (match), reverse sash and reeding. Not shown are a dado/rabbet/plow blade or the slitter.

The straight edged blades can be sharpened with a blade holder, but the curved areas of blades will require slip stones and hand sharpening for best results.

For an instruction sheet try this link:

http://www.toolemera.com/pampdf/stanley%2045%20clapp.pdf

Jake Darvall has not posted on SMC for a while, but he did some interesting things with Stanley 45 & 55s. Search his name here on the Creek to find them if you are interested.

jim

[Frank Drew]

I've used both the Stanley and Record circular planes; when you need one there's nothing else quite like it, and, of course, they'll do both concave and convex curves.

A side rabbet plane is another tool you won't use much, but when you've got to trim the side of a groove it's just the ticket.

[Jim Koepke]

A side rabbet plane is another tool you won't use much, but when you've got to trim the side of a groove it's just the ticket.

Next time I have a real need for a side rabbet plane, I was thinking about taking pictures and posting it in this thread.

If someone beats me too it, that would also be good.

While laying awake this morning listening to the rain, the side rabbet plane came to mind. Then the bedding angle came to mind. This train of thought made me think about someone recently asking a question about the lowest angle for bedding a plane iron. It may be the side rabbet plane that has the lowest bed angle.

jim

[Jim Koepke]

Here is a link to the post of this title:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?196347-Stanley-45-Skate-Mismatch

jtk