Tongue and groove cutting

[Jason Buresh]

Does anyone have experience cutting tongue and groove joints using hand planes? What is the best and easiest tool for a beginner? I Have been looking into the lie Nielsen no48, but see Stanley makes a #48 as well. I am using 3/4 stock, and see the vintage Stanley's are for 7/8" stock, but if you reference the same face I heard it's not a huge deal, but the joint will be off center. I have seen videos of people making their own planes but I am pretty intimidated by that. Thanks for the guidance!

[steven c newman]

Been using my Stanley #45....

[David Eisenhauer]

I have successfully used both the 45 and a LN 1/2" material thickness T&G planes. Both worked just fine, but I do preferer the LN dedicated plane. As it is a dedicated T&G plane, IMO, it should perform better than a "one tool does several things" plane at the task. I would buy a 45 able to do several tasks before I bought the LN dedicated T&G plane, but I tend to use T&G for cabinet backs and bottoms fairly regularly so I treated myself after a while.

[Derek Cohen]

Does anyone have experience cutting tongue and groove joints using hand planes? What is the best and easiest tool for a beginner? I Have been looking into the lie Nielsen no48, but see Stanley makes a #48 as well. I am using 3/4 stock, and see the vintage Stanley's are for 7/8" stock, but if you reference the same face I heard it's not a huge deal, but the joint will be off center. I have seen videos of people making their own planes but I am pretty intimidated by that. Thanks for the guidance!

This is the LN #49 (1/2") ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/TheCompletedChests_html_57e72fc2.jpg

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/TheCompletedChests_html_247242f.jpg


And Veritas Small Plow ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/AccessoryBladesfortheVeritasSmallPlow_html_m287f15 29.jpg

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/AccessoryBladesfortheVeritasSmallPlow_html_m4ffe15 b0.jpg

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/AccessoryBladesfortheVeritasSmallPlow_html_m5e97f7 59.jpg

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

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jason Buresh]

Thanks guys. Are the no 45's easy to set up? I see them listed for sale every once in a while but I never really gave much thought to buying one. Are there common parts missing from these I should look for before buying one?

[Nicholas Lawrence]

No experience with the 45.

The Sargent equivalent is the 1080 (one listed for sale in the classifieds now as a matter of fact). I have a 1080, and it was a learning process getting it up and running. From what I can tell that is true for any of the combination planes.

[lowell holmes]

As Derek stated, Lee Valley can help.

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/Page.aspx?p=75781&cat=1,230,41182,43698,75781

I have their plow plane and it works really well.

[Jason Buresh]

I was able to find a #45 on Craigslist for $150. It looks to be in nice shape and has a full set of cutters and a few extra. Does this look like a good deal or should I keep looking?

[steven c newman]

Hmmm. takes 2 set ups...one to plough a groove, the other to cut the tongue...
416267Set up to cut the groove

Make sure the groove cutter matches the Tongue cutter
416268
make sure the skates have something to ride on, and support the match cutter. Match Cutters have their own depth stops.
416269
Can be set up either to make a panel..
416270
Or, as a corner joint..
416271
Make sure the FeeBay one has the match cutters..3/16" and 1/4", AND the straight cutters to match...That $115 is about the going rate for a 45...compare to a Veritas where you also have to buy the cutters needed.....as extras.

A 3/16" Match cutter seems to work best on 3/4" thick stock....the 1/4" one is hard to get centered...then lay out where the groove needs to be, and cut that.

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks guys. Are the no 45's easy to set up? I see them listed for sale every once in a while but I never really gave much thought to buying one. Are there common parts missing from these I should look for before buying one?


I was able to find a #45 on Craigslist for $150. It looks to be in nice shape and has a full set of cutters and a few extra. Does this look like a good deal or should I keep looking?

Jason, here is an old post of mine with some information about the Stanley #45:

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?116419-Planes-and-a-Few-Things-to-Look-For

The post on the #45 is post #27 if you are viewing in sequential mode.

As far as pricing goes not much of my time has been used to follow tool prices lately. Check ebay for completed auctions to get an idea. The plane in your picture was made before the micro adjuster on the fence was introduced. This is always a welcome feature.

For more information on what a #45 can do look at this thread:

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?121761

Post #11 is the one on using the #45.

As mentioned before, a plane or pair of planes made for a single task will likely be easier to use to accomplish a task than a plane that is made to do many tasks. So far most of my tongue and groove work has been done with a #45.

jtk

[Warren Mickley]

I wonder what kind of work you are doing. I just about never use 3/4 stock.

[Jim Koepke]

I wonder what kind of work you are doing. I just about never use 3/4 stock.

When one works Fir of the Borg, it is labeled as one by and measures three quarters.

jtk

[Mike Brady]

I wonder what kind of work you are doing. I just about never use 3/4 stock.

We mortals often use 4/4 (3/4") stock, since that is what is available in most of the US; and the next increment is 5/4 which dresses to 1" but is more expensive. I read that the large lumber producers have recently requested that the 3/4 " stock be reduced slightly in thickness for common lumber purposes..

[Jim Koepke]

I read that the large lumber producers have recently requested that the 3/4 " stock be reduced slightly in thickness for common lumber purposes.

They have done it by the metrification of plywood, if it makes them a little more profit they will do it to construction lumber.

jtk

[Jason Buresh]

If pieces are missing I'm going to pass. I don't want to spend that kind of money on something incomplete

[steven c newman]

That "fine adjust" on the fence was not on all the 45s....just the later models....it is not a deal breaker if it isn't part of the fence....just means it is an earlier model.

Count the number of cutters included in a deal....usually the 45's "standard" package was 24 cutters. The 3/16" match cutter was an "option", the 1/4" was a Standard.

I find the all wood bodied planes..
416297
This is a set of Match planes...$30 each....tend to be one size, hard to adjust, way over priced. And hard to use....and sharpen.

Note: to find a "Complete" Stanley 45 with all it's cutters ( good luck..) would mean you have about...130 different cutters, extra bases, extra depth stops...

Just look for a "Basic" 45...can always add a cutter when the need for THAT cutter arises. Some of the basic set, are rarely even used...

[Jason Buresh]

Thanks for the info Steven. It comes with the cutters in the pictures above plus 3 others. I think the total is like 21 if I counted properly. It is an early plane, like 1910-1914. It comes with a metal box as well with really old Stanley stickers. Not sure if it's original, but different from the other ones I have seen

[Pete Taran]

Jason,

I have the identical plane also in the tin box. From what I see, your plane is only missing two parts. One is the little wood handled screwdriver which is almost always missing but certainly not a deal breaker. The other which I don't see is the slitter. It may be on the plane and again, don't know anyone who actually uses the slitter cutter.

Personally, I think a plane in that condition is full retail. I'd offer $110 and go to $125. I recently bought the one I'm describing at a tool meet for $175 and it is never used and complete in the tin box like yours.