WTB: Handtool, Molding planes for baseboard trim

[Chris Watson]

Good evening everyone!

I'm currently in the process of tearing up 1600+ sqft of carpet in our house and laying porcelain tile down. What does this have to do with my post? I'll tell you

The wife and I adopted two pit bulls this year and for the life of me these two insist on ruining my floors. Hence the ripping out of carpet and laying down of tile. As I'm doing this the male has, shall we say, ruined a few pieces of the MDF cheap garbage baseboard. So I've decided to find some nice pretty hardwood to replace it with. I went looking for molding planes at all the usual places for tools, LN, lee valley etc. it didn't take me long to find out and realize no one makes molding planes anymore. Like, no one. So I've been on the hunt at various old tool sites and thought I would post here as I've bought from some of the fine gentlemen here before and maybe just maybe someone may have a very nice wood molding plane in excellent condition tucked away from a project they finished long ago or maybe one never started that might see this and be tempted to part with it. Im looking for a complex molding plane, something that makes a beautiful profile I can put on some hardwood to use as baseboard, something the wife will love. Seeing as the blades in these planes are difficult to sharpen or recondition, the better shape the blade and plane is in the more likely I am to buy it. I lack to tooling and skill to recondition and sharpen the blades in these types of planes.

I'm not expecting any replies but I thought I would throw this at the wall and see if anything sticks. If the price is right and the condition is right I'm ready to pounce.

Thank you for your time!

Chris

[Martin S.]

http://msbickford.com

[Bach]

[quote pid='7525014' dateline='1505789033']
Im looking for a complex molding plane, something that makes a beautiful profile I can put on some hardwood to use as baseboard, something the wife will love. Seeing as the blades in these planes are difficult to sharpen or recondition, the better shape the blade and plane is in the more likely I am to buy it. I lack to tooling and skill to recondition and sharpen the blades in these types of planes.
[/quote]

Two suggested options:
1) buy the base
2) buy a router and a bit.

[JQuacker]

It's a matter of how complex you're looking. The only one I've got cleaned right now is this 3/8" ogee. I want the touch up the iron a little bit.

https://imgur.com/a/UaX3W

[deepcreek]

I admire your ambition in making your own mouldings with hand planes but I would not recommend it unless you are matching a small section in a historic home.

I'm sure someone in your area makes custom mouldings.  Check with your local hardwood suppliers for suggestions.

We are fortunate to have a local company with thousands of profiles to choose from.  https://masonsmillandlumber.com/pages/profile-library

[Souperchicken]

I admire your ambition in making your own mouldings with hand planes but I would not recommend it unless you are matching a small section in a historic home.

I'm sure someone in your area makes custom mouldings.  Check with your local hardwood suppliers for suggestions.

We are fortunate to have a local company with thousands of profiles to choose from.  https://masonsmillandlumber.com/pages/profile-library

I agree with the posts above suggesting you might think twice about your approach, if for no other reason that you say you aren't setup for sharpening a complex molder.  You could get a brand new plane from Bickford (or a few other places) but if you're not willing and able to sharpen it you're not going to make much molding, especially in hardwood which will dull the blade quicker and be harder to push if the blade isn't sharp.  I suppose you could pay them to keep sharpening it for you, dunno.  Here's a few other makers:

http://www.jwildingplanemaker.com/custom-tool-works
http://redrosereproductions.com/
http://www.phillyplanes.co.uk/contact.html

Pete

[Rob Young]

Good evening everyone!

I'm currently in the process of tearing up 1600+ sqft of carpet in our house and laying porcelain tile down. What does this have to do with my post? I'll tell you

The wife and I adopted two pit bulls this year and for the life of me these two insist on ruining my floors. Hence the ripping out of carpet and laying down of tile. As I'm doing this the male has, shall we say, ruined a few pieces of the MDF cheap garbage baseboard. So I've decided to find some nice pretty hardwood to replace it with. I went looking for molding planes at all the usual places for tools, LN, lee valley etc. it didn't take me long to find out and realize no one makes molding planes anymore. Like, no one. So I've been on the hunt at various old tool sites and thought I would post here as I've bought from some of the fine gentlemen here before and maybe just maybe someone may have a very nice wood molding plane in excellent condition tucked away from a project they finished long ago or maybe one never started that might see this and be tempted to part with it. Im looking for a complex molding plane, something that makes a beautiful profile I can put on some hardwood to use as baseboard, something the wife will love. Seeing as the blades in these planes are difficult to sharpen or recondition, the better shape the blade and plane is in the more likely I am to buy it. I lack to tooling and skill to recondition and sharpen the blades in these types of planes.

I'm not expecting any replies but I thought I would throw this at the wall and see if anything sticks. If the price is right and the condition is right I'm ready to pounce.

Thank you for your time!

Chris

Several small companies / individuals make moulding planes.  Tend to cost about 10x what vintage ones cost (i.e. $300 vs $30).  So probably go with vintage.

1) What profile of moulding are you looking for?
2) Are you willing to also hollow out the backside of the moulding by hand so it can flex and follow the whooptie-doos of your walls?
3) How many linear feet do you think you need to make.

A simple thumbnail profile of moulding can be made with a jack plane and a smoother followed up with a quick slap of sandpaper if you don't like to see any faint ridges.  Hollowing the backside is a little more work but could be done with a rabbet plane.  More complicated profiles would take longer, get a rabbet plane (1" wide, skewed blade), a pair of #12 and #8 sized hollow and round planes and maybe a 3/8" or 1/4" bead plane and you can be off to the races for simple, 19th century shapes of architectural mouldings.  

But a thumbnail profile is simple and is also one you can buy but maybe not in the species you intend to use.

Yes, you are going to have to learn to sharpen the blades. Rabbet, H&R and beads are dead easy. Complex moulders take a bit more care but all of them, once sharpened can be easily maintained with custom strops.

All in all, consider using a router table and bit(s).  A quick follow up with a scraper or sand paper to remove ripple.  

How are you going to finish the moulding?  

And finally, how are you going to prevent the dogs from chewing up or otherwise desecrating the now much more expensive hard wood moulding?

[Admiral]

I've got to agree with the advice to buy a router with appropriate bits.  Making your own millwork on this type of scale by hand can be an exercise in frustration; small matching items yes, but larger projects, not really.

[deepcreek]

Here is an excellent article from a highly respected finish carpenter (Keith Mathewson) about effectively using moulding planes.

http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/2014/01/1...ng-planes/

It's well worth the read as are many of the articles by other experienced craftsman on Gary Katz's "This is Carpentry" website.

Gary is a contributing editor for Fine Homebuilding and a personal friend of mine.

http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/

[Rob Young]

Here is an excellent article from a highly respected finish carpenter (Keith Mathewson) about effectively using moulding planes.

http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/2014/01/1...ng-planes/

It's well worth the read as are many of the articles by other experienced craftsman  on Gary Katz's "This is Carpentry" website.

Gary is a contributing editor for Fine Homebuilding and a personal friend of mine.

http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/

Last two sentences sum things up pretty well :

Being able to make a custom molding is distinctly gratifying—when the job calls for it. But keep in mind that this process is best suited for making feet and not yards of material!  (underline emphasis is mine).

The article is a capsule summary of Matt Bickford's book and ones of his classes.  I believe referenced in posts above, Matt's book can be purchased through Lost Art Press, Lie-Nielsen, Lee Valley and possibly other sources.