STANLEY 45 or 55? your preference?

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks to your good advice, I bought the Stanley 45 set today....Thanks again.

Are you willing to tell us how much it was?

Can you post pictures?

It is always fun to see if it can be determined when it was made.

jtk

[Jerry Olexa]

To show "it actually happened" here are pics:

Along with tool , cutters and accessories came 2 wooden STANLEY boxes for storage of cutters and a master box (homemade I believe) to hold everything.
Asking price was $175 and I paid slightly less...I'm looking forward to trying these out later today..thanks for your help.

[Jim Koepke]

If my memory is working that is an early type 11 from about 1910. The fence lock bolt is above the adjustment screw.

It was later changed to the side. Having never used one of these it is impossible for me to say if the fence is solid with this arrangement.

Looks like you also have all the cutters. Usually the 1/8" and the slitter are missing.

Looks like you also received a fence for a #78.

jtk

[Patrick Chase]

If my memory is working that is an early type 11 from about 1910. The fence lock bolt is above the adjustment screw.

Also, it appears to have the old-style sliding nicker, which likewise dates it to that period. It's about the same age as my 55.

[Jim Koepke]

Also, it appears to have the old-style sliding nicker, which likewise dates it to that period. It's about the same age as my 55.

My eyes must be bad or something. None of the knickers are visible on my screen.

My memory must also be fading. Have to look in the shop later as my recollection is of my type 4 #45 having cloverleaf style nickers.

jtk

[Jerry Olexa]

Looks like you also received a fence for a #78.

jtk

Thought that fence looked familiar...I have a #78 without a fence, so...Thanks Jim..

[Patrick Chase]

My eyes must be bad or something. None of the knickers are visible on my screen.

My memory must also be fading. Have to look in the shop later as my recollection is of my type 4 #45 having cloverleaf style nickers.

jtk

Hmm, I may have misidentified it. I admittedly had to zoom way in and "interpolate" a bit in the first photo to find the nicker.

Looks at type study... You're right, I hallucinated from staring too much at zoomed-in images. The 45 *always* had the cloverleaf. It was the 55 that started with the sliding nicker and then switched just after that time period.

[Jerry Olexa]

Do you guys see any missing parts noticeable in the pictures? I had to take a leap of faith and move quickly..
Felt it was reasonable price for that quality..
Most STANLEY 45's I've seen for sale have fair amount of rust, chipped nickel plating and incomplete set of cutters...Not surprising considering age of the tool..Many are also missing the wooden Stanley boxes for cutter storage..
So I pulled the trigger.....As the saying goes " act in haste, repent at leisure"..

[steven c newman]

Looks good to me....might hunt around for a set of the long rods....There is also a depth stop for the 78 sitting by the fence. Sharpen them up, and put it to work!

Hmmm...depth stops? Looks like one on the main stock. Can't tell if there is one for the slitter. There should be one one the moving stock....might be because the beading stop was used?

[lowell holmes]

Unless I stumble across one that is available and reasonable, I'll be content with my Veritas plow plane with all of the cutters.

[ken hatch]

Our local Woodcraft is having a parking lot tool exchange tomorrow. I expect I will set up a table with a boat load of unused and unneeded tools. One of which is a Stanley 45 with all the cutters and in the original wood box. I've been toting that thing around for close to 40 years and I'm tired of the toting. BTW, I just added another wood stock plow and it sure is pretty.

ken

[Erik Manchester]

I had several 45, a 46 and a 55 with all cutters, etc.

Sold the 46 and 55 to collectors and bought the Veritas plow plane instead.

Very happy with that decision.

[Jim Koepke]

Okay Jerry you have had that plane for more than a week now, have you had any fun with it?

jtk

[Jerry Olexa]

Okay Jerry you have had that plane for more than a week now, have you had any fun with it?

jtk

Jim, Sadly, no....Been busy with non-woodworking tasks that keep getting in the way...I'm very itchy though..

[Jim Koepke]

Jim, Sadly, no....Been busy with non-woodworking tasks that keep getting in the way...I'm very itchy though..

Sometimes my feelings get all itchy too when everything else gets in the way of having some fun in the shop?

jtk