Which combination/plough Plane?

[Dissolve]

Hi,

I've used a record plough plane before to rout a strip out of a guitar neck for the truss rod. Esseintially It's just a 6mm wide strip in the center of the neck.

But anyways, it was a record, andit had a chunk of wood on the fence to keep it parrallell to the edge and to avoid the metal damaging the wood, aside from that I have no idea what model it was.

I've seen some stanley 50/50s models go for around £35 in great condition with a selection of cutters on eBay. Just wondering if this would be suitable?

and on that note, what is the difference between the 50 and the 50s?

Cheers!

 

[Alf]

#50 has plough, beading, rebating and T&G cutters while the #50S is just a plough - I believe either would suit your requirements, assuming the width of the cutter suited. Records did have metric cutters offered, but I'm not sure about the Stanleys.

 

[Dissolve]

So would pretty much any "combination" plane suit my needs? for the moment literally all I need is to be able to cut a 6mm channel..

I have no idea what the other functions you listed are. But I'm assuming as this plane comes with a 6mm cutter it will fo the job?:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

Cheers!

 

[AndyT]

Yes, and Yes it would.

If you are looking at these 'modern' Record ploughs, the difference between the 50 and the 50C was that the 50C had nickers for severing the fibres when working across the grain. Not relevant to your requirement.

Lots of people don't like the glossy (=slippery) plastic handle on those, and prefer the older models with either a metal or wooden handle. If you just want to make grooves with the grain, what you want is a plough plane. A combination plane adds extra shaped blades.

 

[dunbarhamlin]

I've used everything from a Record 043 to a Stanley 43 for the very same job. For a U-shaped channel, just grind a cutter to shape.

 

[Vann]

I've used everything from a Record 043 to a Stanley 43...

#43 - Miller's Patent Adjustable Metallic Plow and Matching Plane 1871 - 1895.

Methinks he means a Stanley #45.

From your description all you need is a Record #043 or #044, although a Stanley #50/Record #050
will allow a greater variety of shapes, at the cost of complexity. Sometimes KISS is the best way (Keep It Simple Stupid).

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Dissolve]

I've used everything from a Record 043 to a Stanley 43 for the very same job. For a U-shaped channel, just grind a cutter to shape.

Hey, didn't think about that! Given that I will be wanting to create U shaped cahnnels some of the time..
Would a combination plane be better than a plough plane?

I'd rather buy one plane that will sort of "future proof" me for when I need to make U channels..
Any good references for the different models and their features

cheers

 

[Dissolve]

I've used everything from a Record 043 to a Stanley 43 for the very same job. For a U-shaped channel, just grind a cutter to shape.

Hey, didn't think about that! Given that I will be wanting to create U shaped cahnnels some of the time..
Would a combination plane be better than a plough plane?

I'd rather buy one plane that will sort of "future proof" me for when I need to make U channels..
Any good references for the different models and their features

cheers

Just to expand on that, I've seen a lot of Stanley 50's go on ebay for an affordable price. Anyone reccomend/not reccomend a Stanley 50?

Would it be much better than buying a cheap newer record 50c?

Thanks

 

[Richard T]

I have both the plastic handled Record and the cast handled Stanley - both from John's Junk at the boot sale. They both do a good job but I think overall I would rate the record better, plastic handle aside. Its blade holding and feeding business is very solid and accurate.
Its full set of cutters includes a tongue cutter which is great fun and dead useful. The plastic handle would become quite wearisome if doing a lot with it, boarding the loft for instance.

 

[AndyT]

Any good references for the different models and their features?

cheers

As Alf has modestly not mentioned it, may I point you in the direction of her admirably thorough and practical guide here:

http://www.cornishworkshop.co.uk/combinationplanes.html

 

[jimi43]

Will you guys stop talking about combination planes with affection!!!

I am trying so very hard to avoid the huge slope that I keep walking past that is the vintage 55.

I nearly fell over the edge on FleaBay this week...£68 but had a repair to the depth stop socket...mmmm

Well...I missed it anyway....but it was close!

Jim

 

[Richard T]

Well Jim, take evasive action by watching any episode of the Woodwright's shop with Roy Underhill using one. He invariably describes it as having the look of something used by a civil war surgeon and adds that it's a very good plough and not so good at all the other things it's supposed to do. I think he's being diplomatic at that. 8)

 

[AndyT]

Isn't it true to say that the extra things a 55 could do, which a 45/405 50/050 cannot are mostly things that you would rarely need to do any way? So the perceived benefit of being able to do them becomes not very much really. The main extra is the moulding cutters, supported by the vertically adjustable extra skate - but mouldings are easier with wooden moulding planes. From memory, the other bonus feature is being able to plane chamfers at angles other than 45 degrees - which I've not needed to do yet.

But then again, if someone offered me one at the right price, I'd be tempted...

 

[jimi43]

I know...but just look at all them there knobs....I don't want it for using...just twiddling! :mrgreen:

But...I do appreciate you putting me off guys...valiant effort! =D>

Jim

 

[Dissolve]

aha I love how people seem to be tempted by the sheer look of them.

Think I'll go for a stanley 50 or a Record 50c..
Does anyone know what the difference is between a Stanley 50 and a 50s?

Can't seem to find any info on the web!

 

[Richard T]

There are a few differences the main one being the notches in the cutters are in different places. I mean the notches that the lip of the threaded wheel adjuster fits into.
The record has its cutters notched in the side and the stanley across the back face. This makes them non - interchangeable.
They both do the job. The important thing to look for when buying one is that there are no cracks - there are some pretty vulnerable pieces of casting esp. on the Stanley. Also that all the bits are there; fence, depth stop, sliding pins, right bolts etc.
I haven't looked recently but I'm sure that all the cutters are available as replacements from the usual suspects. Though I think they may be likely to be in English ... I'm sure metric ones must exist though.

 

[dunbarhamlin]

I've used everything from a Record 043 to a Stanley 43...

#43 - Miller's Patent Adjustable Metallic Plow and Matching Plane 1871 - 1895.

Methinks he means a Stanley #45.

From your description all you need is a Record #043 or #044, although a Stanley #50/Record #050
will allow a greater variety of shapes, at the cost of complexity. Sometimes KISS is the best way (Keep It Simple Stupid).

Cheers, Vann.

Nope - he meant a type 6 miller's patent So, really one extreme to the other.

And since you won't need to make complex moldings, any plough will suit - that was the real meaning of my comment, that from 10-a-penny on up will all serve equally.

 

[Alf]

There are a few differences the main one being the notches in the cutters are in different places. I mean the notches that the lip of the threaded wheel adjuster fits into.
The record has its cutters notched in the side and the stanley across the back face.

T'other way about, Richard. And then, off the top of my head, I believe of the usual suspects only the Record 044 has the grooves in the back. It's usually the side the notch is on that's the trouble, but just disregard the depth adjustment and it's not a problem. So far it seems that cutter thickness is pretty much the same across the board.

And methinks the #43 drive-by was too subtle - next time remember to *meep-meep* as you go by... :wink:

 

[AndyT]

If you have blades whose side notches are in the wrong place or don't fit it's easy enough to saw and file new notches or adjust to cope with the difference between the 45/405 skinny pin and the 050 spokeshave style threaded adjuster with a wide ring. I have some orphaned blades from an 044 which now have grooves in the back and notches in the sides and will fit wherever I put them.

 

[Vann]

And methinks the #43 drive-by was too subtle - next time remember to *meep-meep* as you go by... :wink:

He only said he's used a #43, not that he owns one. He probably broke into someones tool shed to do so...

:lol: Cheers, Vann.