New 55--NEW--to use or not?

[Jeffrey Larsen]

I enjoy nice mechanical things and have been fascinated with old ww tools for some time. Have gotten into it in the past few months. Have become aware that there is such a thing as collecting planes. I don't see myself as a collector--I just want a shop with good useful tools to work with.

With all this in mind, I rescently compulsively bid on and won a stanley 55--all the blades present and most of the blades unopened. The plane is all there and is as new. Apparently it rescently won a best tool in show award somewhere.

I have been looking at the clifton multiplane that is available on one of the sites--1200$; with that in mind, I don't feel quite as bad about the exorbitant price I payed for the 55...

The question is, should I use this tool or is it rare enough that I should sell it to someone who will appreciate it as a collectors piece and get user tool to play with?

Just interested to know--I collect guns also and am not into the concept of keeping guns unfired. Just looking for advice here--

Jeff

[Ryan Cathey]

If you can sell it for more than you paid then do so but otherwise use it IMHO

[James Mittlefehldt]

I suspect that if you moniter ebay over the next few weeks you will find that there are a goodly number of 55's that turn up in new or near new condition, I don't think they are all that rare though wiith the prices they command you have to wonder don't you.

Look at it this way, use it and you will have the privelege of being the first to use the cutters, I would use with no hesitation.

[David Carroll]

Lot's of guys bought that plane thinking they could get rid of every molding plane, dado plane, fillester, plow, beading, h & r and rabbet plane they owned and use just one. It was a terrific idea.

What they found was a steep learning curve and a lot of fussing to get it to work right on all but the most simple cuts. While they were diddling around with fence screws and skate adjustments, planing mills sprung up everywhere and moldings in common profiles became available.

So they packed them away in the boxes and there they sat until their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren discovered them out in the shed and sold them on Ebay.

All this is to say that very nice examples come on the market regularly. If yours has never been used and the box is in good shape and all the parts are there you could try to sell it at a profit and buy a user (then spend all your profit buying the missing bits) or you could just use it, I would.

But, if you are like many guys, you too will realize the confounded, dadblame, cussed, overly-complicated, over-engineered, cantankerous nickle-plated and rosewood demon is just too much fuss and bother to put up with, you can always sell it and get your money back and buy a decent 45 and a 78 and a peach basket full of old woodies that you can spend rainy afternoons fussing with and be ahead of the game.

DAMHIKT!

;) :rolleyes: :(

David C

[Jeffrey Larsen]

Thanks for the input. I have a 45 and 78. I think both are neat. I have certainly heard the 55 is complex, but on the other hand, have noted a lot of folks who seem to be coming up with some cool posts utilizing them.

Will the 45 do everything the 55 is supposed to? I'll post some photos when the machine arrives. I payed way too much for it, so selling it would almost certainly be a losing proposition--If there are a lot of as new and unopened or essentially so 1902 55s, I will go ahead and use it and probably learn to love or hate it. Doesn't seem to be much middle ground. However, I thoroughly enjoy messing with the 45, and enjoy complicated mechanical items, so messing with it will be half the fun for me.

Over and out, j.

PS, if anyone knows some posts that go to threads on the 55 or 45, please let me know. Thanks, Jeff

[Al Mock MD]

Lot's of guys bought that plane thinking they could get rid of every molding plane, dado plane, fillester, plow, beading, h & r and rabbet plane they owned and use just one.
David C
And How! I went from a beat-up No4 worker to obsessing over obscure offerings in a short amount of time. That being said, I use them all. I'll even cobble together expensive early types for a better bedding. I wouldn't hesitate to use your new 55 but I'd do so not expecting to retire my molders. I've had custom shaper knives cut just to avoid fighting with my combos. When it comes to the 45/55, I spend a good deal of time admiring the mechanism and very little time making shavings. But I wouldn't sell them:D