Record 050 purchase.

[woodbrains]

Hello,

I just received a Record 050 from an auction buy. Maiden bid of 25 quid got me it and it is almost totally unused. Dates from about 1960, so not super old, but still a good vintage, one cutter had been honed, the rest still sporting factory grinds and blue labels.

I made a rosewood fence piece for it, sharpened a match cutter and ran up a tongue for a bit of a play. How enjoyable are these things! I already own a 044 and 405, (arguably don't need a 050 then) so ran up a groove and ran a bead on the tongue piece, running the 3 planes as a team. Silent and efficient and fun.

Now the thing is, though I love the 405 why would anyone own anything other than a 050. It does everything a (standard) 405 can, does more than a 044 with better adjustment and costs almost nothing second hand. Heck everyone should have one of these, and perhaps 3. :lol:

Is there anyone who thinks say, a 044 plough is worth having and why, other than for completism?
Who regularly uses these things and what for even though most of us have electric routers?
Mike.

 

[AndyT]

Did someone call?

I don't have an 044 but the Record ploughs/combinations that I have include an old 050, a 405, an 044C that I bought new (!) and an 043. I have 'a few' other non-Record groove making options too. It's nothing to feel bothered about. :wink:

Once you have a choice, you will find yourself reaching for one rather than another sometimes, and there are good reasons why. Just recently, I had to switch from the 405 to an 043 because the workpiece was too small for me to clamp it and leave enough room for the fence. Other times, the metal fence plus a deep wooden extension is ideal.
Sometimes a single skate and a tiny cutter is all you need; other times you really need the second skate that the 050 or 405 have. (When the 044C was my only option, I even made a sort of extra skate out of a bit of mild steel.)

Also, if you are doing a complicated piece, having more than one plough means you can have them set up for different cuts, and not need to complete all of one before you start on another.

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

So you are saying I need another, then? I do have a 43 but it is a Rapier. It is dead handy for small drawer bottom grooves. I'm thinking the 050 is handiest-- not too heavy, good adjuster, will work with only one skate and cutters down to 1/8 in. Can be used cross grain with nickers, (not tried that yet) and unlike the 044, the cutters sit with their edges level to the skates, so can be used against a batten, when fence rods prove to be too short. I believe a 043 and as many 050's as you care to have, are the ones to go for. I do like the weight, of the 405 sometimes, but you could buy several 050's for one of those. I feel a bit strange (my age?) saying how enjoyable these are to use and for little money, a box of toys.

Mike.

 

[John Brown]

I have a Record 050. As far as I can tell, there isn't a sash cutter available for it. Having just made a window on the router table, I fancied trying the next one the quiet way. Sash cutters do seem to be available for the 45, 55 and 405.

 

[woodbrains]

I have a Record 050. As far as I can tell, there isn't a sash cutter available for it. Having just made a window on the router table, I fancied trying the next one the quiet way. Sash cutters do seem to be available for the 45, 55 and 405.

Hello,

You've found justification for having them all, well done!

Mike.

 

[AndyT]

I have a Record 050. As far as I can tell, there isn't a sash cutter available for it. Having just made a window on the router table, I fancied trying the next one the quiet way. Sash cutters do seem to be available for the 45, 55 and 405.

Hello,

You've found justification for having them all, well done!

Mike.

But when you have tried that sort of sash cutter and discovered its limitations, you really ought to treat yourself to some specialist wooden sash moulding planes and a sash fillister ... and you might as well get a wooden plough plane to go with them! :wink:

 

[Racers]

Did some one say 043?



I have used 2 at once while making mouldings it good not having to carefully reset one.

+1 for the sash fillister and plowplanes.

Pete

 

[Argus]

..........................don't get me going on Record 043s, 044s, 405s, 050s......!
Lovely tools all round.
As well as being very handy, the 043 size is the only one that will work a blind plough if you have a 1 1/8" mortise termination to take the nose section.

Strangely, I did spot an old rusty one on ebay some while ago that had been adapted with the front section, ahead of the blade, cut away. It's was obvious to me that the original owner must have done it for this purpose.

All best

 

[Corneel]

The 044 reaches a lot deeper then the 050. I also think it is easier in use, easier to setup. Call me an 044 fan.

 

[John Brown]

I have a Record 050. As far as I can tell, there isn't a sash cutter available for it. Having just made a window on the router table, I fancied trying the next one the quiet way. Sash cutters do seem to be available for the 45, 55 and 405.

Hello,

You've found justification for having them all, well done!

Mike.

But when you have tried that sort of sash cutter and discovered its limitations, you really ought to treat yourself to some specialist wooden sash moulding planes and a sash fillister ... and you might as well get a wooden plough plane to go with them! :wink:

I'll look out for some on eBay, unless there's a better place to look...
My father had a large collection of wooden moulding and grooving planes, amongst other woodworking tools, but when he died 37 years ago I didn't have anywhere to store it all, so it was all sold for a song.

 

[bugbear]

Did some one say 043?


I have used 2 at once while making mouldings it good not having to carefully reset one.


Pete

Yes - same as marking gauges.

BugBear

 

[DTR]

Hthinking the 050 is handiest-- not too heavy, good adjuster, will work with only one skate and cutters down to 1/8 in.

I was about to say that sometimes I find the 043 easier to use on account of it only having one skate. I never thought of using my 050 with only one skate.... :-k

 

[Scouse]

umm..

To skate or not to skate... This might have a very obvious answer, and I understand with regard to the 043, because it is mono-skated, but how do you use a 050 with one skate?

I only ask, partly because it had never occurred to me, partly because I can't be bothered trying for myself, and mostly because the second skate on my 050 clamps the blade in place, giving lateral stability and depth adjustment...

Actually having had a look, the blade is unstable and wonky, for lack of a better word, without the second skate...

Is single skate action beyond the design remit?

 

[AndyT]

Some models of the 050 were sold with a special extra clamp which was for holding the ⅛" cutter. Secondhand examples often lack this, as it was easy to lose or forget what it was for, especially if separated from its explanatory envelope.

I don't have one; I have to make do with another plane for those narrow grooves!

 

[Trafalgar]

The little Delrin sleeve on the depth stop on the 050 is prone to causing the setting to give way and if you aren't watching closely with disastrous consequences to your workpiece. Ditto the fence screws -- monitor these closely or you'll be sorry. If it tightens down on the 050 it is prone to becoming loose during vigorous work.

All these items are much more reliable on the 405.

I do like the feel of the 050/050C during use. You just have to be careful.

 

[AndyT]

The little Delrin sleeve on the depth stop on the 050 is prone to causing the setting to give way and if you aren't watching closely with disastrous consequences to your workpiece.

Mr Picky here - I think you mean the 050C - the 1980s model with the Design Council award. The 050 had a conventional depth stock with a vertical pin locked by a thumbscrew, but the 050C, like the 044C and 045C had a depth stop in which a metal cone expands a bit of softish plastic, (could be Delrin; recordhandplanes.com says nylon; I'm no plastics expert) so it grips inside a hole.

I've found it secure in use, but hard to set exactly as the final tightening affects the setting.

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

The 050 did have a clamping bracket option which came in a box with two narrow additional plough cutters (1/8 and 3/16) which cannot be used with two skates. Within reason, some of the wider plough cutters can be fitted this way, 1/2in , though depth adjustment has to be set without a screw feed. Can see a reason for using one skate, though, maybe shavings will clear better.

For some reason, I never got on with an 050C I had, but my new little 050 is smashing.

I don't dislike the 044, but all things being equal, a used model of either can be had for similar low cost, so why get the less versatile variant? Personal feel for a tool will have a lot to do with it, though the top end of the blade on the 044 is in an awkward position for large handed people, I suspect. My hands are average size and I sometimes chafe myself. Handy tool though.

Mike.