Loved, but Seldom Used Stanley 45

[Stew Denton]

Hi All,

I have owned my Stanley 45 for very close to 50 years, and have hardly used it. However, I used it again the other day, and really like using it. I haven't used it much because I have not had a place to do much woodworking, other than carpentry projects, for most of those years.

When I did woodworking projects, I seldom, if ever, did anything that needed the 45. I used other tools primarily. I only used the 45 when it was the only way I could figure out to do a particular task on a project. When I did use it, it was always as a fillister plane, and that was the use I put it to Monday.

I needed to cut a rabbet on a threshold I was making for our back door, and needed to add a rabbet to one side to compensate for a difference in floor height. The rabbet had to be about 7/16" inch deep, but had to vary in width from about 1/4" on one end and 9/16" on the other, and it had to taper that way because if I had cut the rabbet 9/16" wide for the length of the rabbet, it would have made the part of the threshold very weak at the 1/4" end. I had previously cut the rabbet to a constant width of 1/4", but soon figured out it needed to be wider at one end.

I was having trouble figuring out a good way of doing that. I thought about using my table saw, or other power tools, but thought about the 45 and decided that it would be the simplest set up. I used a batten to set the width of the rabbet, retracted the nickers, set up the tool with a 3/8" iron and went at it. I had trouble keeping the plane riding on the shelf it was cutting at the narrow end because the width there was almost zero, so I cut that end with a sharp chisel, but the 45 cut the rest of the rabbet cut extremely easily. I have enjoyed using the 45 a lot, but just never needed it much, and again only used it when I could not figure out an easier, or any other way in fact, to do a step in a project than to get out the 45.

At any rate I really like using it, and look forward to using it a lot more once a shop is built and I have most of the remodeling of our current house is basically done.

How about you, what projects have you used it for when no other good solution to a woodworking problem showed up? On the other hand, what type of woodworking task do you use your Stanley 45 for?

Thanks and regards,

Stew

[Jim Koepke]

Until finally taking the time to figure out how to get my Record #778 to behave my #45 was used for all of my rabbeting.

It was always used for cutting slots for the tops and bottoms of boxes before acquiring a #50. It still is used sometimes for cutting bigger slots and bigger work.

It has been used for making some simple moldings, tongue & groove and reeding or beading on various projects.

It is also used when stopped plowing is wanted:

Groove Stopped Cut.jpg

This is also handy when making drawers or boxes and you do not want the slot to show through the ends.

jtk

[James Pallas]

Since the 45 is multi use it’s not ideal for everything. Groves, beading, rabbets, tongue and grove, dados it does a creditable job. For me it is also a problem solver. Whenever it comes down to, how can I cut that?, my mind goes to the 45. You can buy some tool steel and grind irons for it with just normal shop tools, bench grinder and a Dremel. Since you’re not in a production environment you don’t necessarily need to harden the irons but you can with a torch. After you get over the plane looking complicated it’s an easy tool to use. If I did not have a 45 I would buy the Lee Valley one. I definitely would not be without one.
Jim

[Jack Dover]

How about you, what projects have you used it for when no other good solution to a woodworking problem showed up? On the other hand, what type of woodworking task do you use your Stanley 45 for?

I own a 13-045, a "modern" variation. It's killer feature for me is crossgrain dadoes (which this particular instance of a tool can't properly do because of a factory defect in a body casting).
I think people never complained about 45 being bad at its functions, just that a setup is long and fiddly, but once set up it works wonders.

[Jack Dover]

For the price LV wants for their combo plane one could get at least two #45 with a complete set of cutters as of time of writing.

[steven c newman]

I like the 45 well enough to have 2 in the shop....one that has the spurs always in use, the other goes along with out the spurs....

[Jim Koepke]

For the price LV wants for their combo plane one could get at least two #45 with a complete set of cutters as of time of writing.

One might even get lucky like me. This was seen on ebay many years ago:

Stanley 45 May072.jpg Stanley 45 W:Special Cutters.jpg

It was poorly described and the pictures were not much better. It was two Stanley #45s (one was badged as a Wards Master). It also had a complete set of blades including all the special cutters.

It set me back $225.

It is still thought of as one of my best ebay finds.

jtk

[Stew Denton]

Hi Jim,

I remember your post on using a 45 (I think it was a 45) to make a stopped groove like you show above, or maybe it was a stopped rabbet, I don't remember for sure. I read it with care and even tried to study it, but to no avail. Your technique seemed a very valuable skill to me, but I unfortunately was not able to figure it out.

I hesitate to ask, because I know it might take quite a bit of time, but if you wouldn't mind would you make a new post on how you do that stopped plowed groove with quiet a bit more detail, (maybe even some pictures of critical details), so I, and others like me, could figure out how you do those. I think that knowing that technique will come in handy to me and probably to a lot of other creekers as well. If you don't have time, I will understand, but would really appreciate being able to learn how you do that.

Thanks and regards,

​Stew

[Stew Denton]

Jim, I agree with your statement completely. I have fiddled with the 45 enough to know that it is actually pretty easy to set up for the different tasks that it can do, not complex at all, really. I think mine will be used a great deal when I finally get time to have a shop and get to use the other options that it can do.

Folks in the past have mentioned set up time for combination planes, but my experience is that it is much handier and quicker to set up, for me, than digging out my El-cheapo old Sears router table and use it.

Stew

[Stew Denton]

Jim, you really did super well on that Ebay purchase/auction. I saw a set of all of the optional cutters, at least I think it was a complete set, and it alone sold for at least double (if I recall) for what you paid for the entire set you bought. I also see from the micro adjustment fittings on the fence that they are both newer than my 45. (The micro adjustment fitting on the fence seemed so handy, and I think described as such on the "blood and gore Stanley planes" site, that I bought an additional fence that had the micro adjuster on it on the auctions site a few years ago. Money well spent IMH).)

I did forget to mention one thing about using the 45, that is in my limited use of it, that is is just plane a pleasure to use, unlike my router table. Of course I think using most sharp planes is also a pleasure.

Stew

[Stew Denton]

Hi All, STICKER SHOCK!

I looked on Ebay after seeing Stevens post on his two 45s, and Jim's post on buying 2 45s in one auction, including all of the optional irons. I have only seen one set of all of the optional irons, that on Ebay a few years ago, and they sold for a LOT of money IMHO. Almost all of the 45s, that were complete or nearly so when I looked at them on Ebay yesterday, sold for about what Jim bought this two 45s for.

It was also STICKER SHOCK time, considering what I paid for my 45 at a retired carpenter auction, but that was almost 50 years ago, and also considering what Jim paid for his 2 45s, and they came with ALLL OF THE OPTIONAL CUTTERs.

I wasn't quite certain what the 45 did when I bought mine those almost 50 years ago, but it looked like it would do some neat things, so I bid on it. I didn't even know what it was, for certain, at the time, and I had never heard of a Stanley 45 or any other combination plane, and I certainly had never actually seen one. Man, I am sure glad that no one else wanted it enough to out bid me. I had no idea what a useful tool it was going to turn out to be.

My 45 is a complete set for it's type number. Every piece is there, it came in the original box (although the box was the cardboard type and in very marginal condition) the optional rod support for holding the plane level when cutting a groove that was not close to the edge of the board came with it, and it had the original instruction booklet and the little instruction sheet of that optional rod support as well.

Mine is in excellent "user", but not "collector" condition, and after study of what I could find on type studies and dating of the plane, including looking carefully through the information on the "blood and gore" site, I have dated my plane as being made in between 1913 and 1915, and believe it was made in 1914. The manual printing date (copywrite date?) was 1913.

I think I paid about $20 or $25 for it. If another one comes up for that price (fat chance) I will likely buy it! (That is if no other Neander beats me to it!)

I have been enjoying reading the posts on this.

Regards,

Stew

[steven c newman]

The "complete " 45 I have is a Roxton Pond Type 20....the other is a New Britain Type 5....had to make boxes for both...

I did see a "Complete" 45 down at Heart of Ohio Antique Center....about $359 out the door
A Rust Hunt, Don't ask....JPG
And, IF it is inside a LOCKED display case...don't ask....

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Jim,

I remember your post on using a 45 (I think it was a 45) to make a stopped groove like you show above, or maybe it was a stopped rabbet, I don't remember for sure. I read it with care and even tried to study it, but to no avail. Your technique seemed a very valuable skill to me, but I unfortunately was not able to figure it out.

I hesitate to ask, because I know it might take quite a bit of time, but if you wouldn't mind would you make a new post on how you do that stopped plowed groove with quiet a bit more detail, (maybe even some pictures of critical details), so I, and others like me, could figure out how you do those. I think that knowing that technique will come in handy to me and probably to a lot of other creekers as well. If you don't have time, I will understand, but would really appreciate being able to learn how you do that.

Thanks and regards,

Stew

Hi Stew, Okay, I will try again and anew to convey how to do stopped plowing, beading, fluting or reeding with a #45 (and likely any other combination plane with an adjustable depth of cut). It may take me some time to get it done.

I have misplaced my Stanley #45 book by David E Heckel. It has a type study which is done better than any of the other type studies I have been able to find.

I thought the micro adjust fence came before what Patrick Leach says. It does make a big difference in the ease of setting up the plane. I saved the old fence and cut a notch in the rosewood runner to use for stopped rabbets.

jtk

[David Carroll]

I use my 45 (I don't know the type, but it's an older one with the fancy decorated casting, nickel plated, in the Chestnut box) often enough. I've used it for plowing grooves and as a rabbet plane, but where I use it the most is for beading. I leave it set that way. I haven't had much luck running dadoes with it. Eventually I got a 46 and that's works better for me.

Mine came from Ebay at least 10 years ago, maybe 15. A woman was selling her Grandfather's tools, he was a pattern maker and she sold the tools in lots. This lot was all in a big wooden box and there was no description, just pictures. I could see the box there was a 45, as well as a router plane, and a bunch of other things I couldn't see very well. I took a chance and made a reasonable offer (for the time). Think I got it all for $100. It was quite a treasure trove. The 45 was complete, except for the splitter, the short arms, and the screwdriver. All of the normal cutters were there, most looked unused. Even the box and lid were there! I made up a new set of short arms at work.

The router was an early Stanley 71 1/2 and is my user still, though I have others. There was a partial set of Buck cranked neck paring chisels, which I love, and have added to over the years when I find them, they were all marked Wellman Tool Co. But the real find, in my opinion, was a set of pattern maker's gouges, both in cannel and out, where the gouges themselves are cutters that fit onto one of three tapered handles (short, long, and cranked). These have been very handy, particularly the in cannel ones, which are fractional sized by diameter. When I have to hang a door with modern round corner hinges they work perfectly to set the corners.

Aside from these treasures, there was the usual assortment of other stuff, large Coes wrenches, cold chisels that started life as nice screwdrivers, assorted plane blades and cutters, long ago divorced from their planes, and a fair number of what-sits that I keep meaning to post pictures of, including a beautiful pair of what look to be fences for something, beautifully cast, and japanned (like a plane). They are cross drilled to slide over shafts, and held in place with small wing screws. But the shaft holes are only 3/16-inch in diameter (as I recall). One is maybe 16-inches long by an inch wide and deep, the other is maybe 10-inches long. Like I say, one day I will figure out how to post pictures and will post them. I am sure they are the missing parts of something and I'll be glad to give them to whoever had the other parts.

That was my best Ebay find, so far, but at the time $100.00 was a lot to pay for a chance plane.

I ended up buying several other things from the same woman, who approached me privately and offered me the rest of the tools she had left. I paid her what they were worth and there were no bargains there. But fair prices for the both of us.

[Stew Denton]

Jim, thanks, I was afraid that it might be quite a bit of work, and it looks like it might end up being exactly that. I am sorry I did not figure it out the first time you posted on it, but think probably some other folks did understand how you were able to do that.

Do you know if the book by Heckel that you mentioned is very available, and is it a pretty good book on using the 45? It sounds like it might be a good book for me to try to find.

Thanks and regards,

Stew