Montgomery Wards #45 Plane worth having?

[Tri Hoang]

I have the option of getting one in mint condition (complete, never used). Apparently, it's made by Stanley.

I already have a few wooden dado/rabbet/plow planes. I've never used a combination plane before so I am asking for your wisdom & experience. Pattrick's Blood & Gore does not have very nice words for the #45.

Is it difficult to use? How often do you use yours?

[Steve Dallas]

I have the option of getting one in mint condition (complete, never used). Apparently, it's made by Stanley.

I already have a few wooden dado/rabbet/plow planes. I've never used a combination plane before so I am asking for your wisdom & experience. Pattrick's Blood & Gore does not have very nice words for the #45.

Is it difficult to use? How often do you use yours?

I use mine all the time. I like Patrick Leach's compilation of information but his editorial comments often miss the mark IMO. When forming mouldings with the plane, select mild grained stock, make sure the cutter is sharp, and take very thin shavings. This is necessary when making mouldings by hand with ANY plane - not just a 45 or 55.

If the price is good I wouldn't let it get away. Use it though - it's not worth a damn sitting on a shelf.

[John Powers]

consider the cost, what is does and what you do. Dirt cheap with some cutters, no brainer...buy it. Otherwise its going to sit. Bet you don't need it.

[Jonathan McCullough]

Yeah. I like them. They're useful. Moreover they're fun. If you don't like it, there's always a market for them.

[Rob Young]

I have the option of getting one in mint condition (complete, never used). Apparently, it's made by Stanley.

I already have a few wooden dado/rabbet/plow planes. I've never used a combination plane before so I am asking for your wisdom & experience. Pattrick's Blood & Gore does not have very nice words for the #45.

Is it difficult to use? How often do you use yours?

Yes, they are made by Stanley. I had one collector mention to me he has seen Monkey-Ward planes where you could see how identifying Stanley stampings were ground away.

The 45 (and 55) take more coordination and patience to use than say a #4 smoother. Sharp, sharp, sharp cutters and light, light, light passes seem to do the trick. I've only just started playing with mine (also a Wards) and I'm really enjoying it. I will probably be using it more, especially the tongue and groove feature plus beads. I like the look of T&G backboards on furniture. Just because Mr. Leach doesn't like it, doesn't mean you won't like it either.

As to price, that is really up to you. If you feel comfortable with the price and feel you will use the plane then pull the trigger and get it. If you change you mind in a year you can always sell it.

[Tri Hoang]

I think I'll probably keep it for a while to see if I could use it. Otherwise, I'll just sell it back for whatever. The only problem now is that none of the cutters were sharpened. It looks like I just got myself a boat load of work.

I played a little with it plowing a 1/4" groove into a piece of poplar. It takes a little more set up time compared to my LV plow plane. I wonder how well it could cut dados as compared to the wooden ones.

[Bruce Page]

If that's the one from yesterday's CL, it looks like you got him down from $150. Nice score.

[Martin Cash]

Sharpen the blades as you need them. You may find that you may never use some of them.

[Jonathan McCullough]

Really nice condition too. I was using a #46 to make some Dadoes today. Nothing says "serious woodworker" like a combination plane. At least it makes me look like one. But you can spend as much as that on just a router, not including bits. And this is so much quieter and more pleasant to use. It just looks intimidating, but once you get to using them, you'll see that it's no more fiddly than powered equipment, and actually takes a little less time to set up (at least I think so). You also will never take your finger off with one of these.

[Jim Koepke]

Tri,

I would say you got a good score. The #45 is a bit difficult to get used to at first, but it is a good plane for making rabbets and even dados. My experience with dados has been it is easier to cut the out side of the dado with a knife first, then use the plane with a batten on the work piece to guide it.

The beading cutters can be sharpened like a regular cutter on the flat areas and then just hone the back.

As others have said, setting up for as light a cut as possible is the key to getting it to work.

Here is a thread with me actually using a Wards Master #45:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=127826

One thing you may also like is my out board hand hold. Very easy to make and a vast improvement on the usability.

Here is another with some information on the #45:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=1176704#poststop

jim

[Jim Koepke]

Just looking at the pictures again, it is hard to determine if there is a screw missing at the front of the fence piece to lock the adjustable fence in place. It looks like the adjustment screw that should be in the middle of the fence is in the box.

jim

[Tri Hoang]

Everyone...thanks for nice comments & advice.

Bruce..yes, that's the one on CL yesterday. It took a few calls to seal the deal.

Jim...thanks for the links. The hand hold is a nice touch. It helps pushing the fence close to the wood. That's how I hold my LV plow plane. The front knob is just for show. The other hand screw is in the box. Do you sharpen the front nickers, if at all?

[Jim Koepke]

Everyone...thanks for nice comments & advice.

Bruce..yes, that's the one on CL yesterday. It took a few calls to seal the deal.

Jim...thanks for the links. The hand hold is a nice touch. It helps pushing the fence close to the wood. That's how I hold my LV plow plane. The front knob is just for show. The other hand screw is in the box. Do you sharpen the front nickers, if at all?

For the hand hold, I have played around with a few different set ups. what ever works.

Good to hear you have the other hand screw. Those are some of the hardest parts to find.

The knickers do need to have a sharp edge if you are going to use them. I find it easier to just use a marking knife to do the work. But, I have not spent a lot of time trying to sharpen a knicker. Finding a way to hold it would be the hard part.

jim

[Richard Niemiec]

Good price, bought well. Get ready to do a lot of fiddling with it to get results; it does work, but for me the journey was just a too long and winding road. I ended up leaving it set up as a beading plane and just used it for that. Eventually I sold it and bought dedicated plough, beading and rabbeting planes and that suits me better. Often, when you combine significantly different functions into one tool or device, whether tailed (i.e., Shopsmith, I mean, how many folks just use them as dedicated lathes or drill presses) or neander, there are compromises, and IMHO the 45 and 55 fall into that category. I think Leach commented that this is why you find so many of them in very good condition still in the box, especially the 55 which was a royal PITA to use. While they are fun to fiddle with I'd rather spend the time making something.

[Kirk Amidon]

I recently inherited a pair of 45's and a 55 and have found them a lot of fun to use, but so far have only found the tip of the iceberg. Beading and some rabbits/datos have been pretty easy thus far.

This site may be helpful with getting started: http://www.cornishworkshop.co.uk/combihow.html

Dive in, the water's nice!

[Steve Dallas]

Good price, bought well. Get ready to do a lot of fiddling with it to get results; it does work, but for me the journey was just a too long and winding road. I ended up leaving it set up as a beading plane and just used it for that. Eventually I sold it and bought dedicated plough, beading and rabbeting planes and that suits me better. Often, when you combine significantly different functions into one tool or device, whether tailed (i.e., Shopsmith, I mean, how many folks just use them as dedicated lathes or drill presses) or neander, there are compromises, and IMHO the 45 and 55 fall into that category. I think Leach commented that this is why you find so many of them in very good condition still in the box, especially the 55 which was a royal PITA to use. While they are fun to fiddle with I'd rather spend the time making something.

It's interesting you quoted Leach. I was looking for a 55 some time ago and he was unable to locate one for me in the kind of pristine condition his comments would have led one to believe would be readily available. I think it's called hyperbole to make one's point but perhaps he went a little too far. I ultimately found one in good, but not collectible shape through another dealer. Every single cutter in the box had had its back flattened and polished and many of the profiles had their profiles touched up as well. Not a spot of rust on any cutter. Somebody had really used it. A lot. Not abused though.

That said, I have to admit I would rather have a wall of molding planes 'a la Gene Landon.