Got a Stanley 45 Today

[JimReed@Tallahassee]

Congrats. Here is my tip.

The design of the plane means it has an incomplete no sole and that makes it tricky. The cutter sits on an edge where the bottom of the guide is the side of the sole. The center section is snugged up under the other side of cutters that are 1/4" and larger. That then becomes the other side of the sole. You have to use your imagination and treat the open space between the guides like a sole.

Of course, the center guide is not used for the 1/8" cutter or for the 3/16" cutter because it is too thick.

So my recommendation is to get some knot free construction lumber, dog it on your bench, and then cut grooves into it with your new #45. Start with the 1/8" and the fence with the center section removed. Graduate to the 1/4". Make very thin shavings. Good luck.

[bandit571]

Some other things....

buy a plain candle...rub the fence and the skate(s)
Set the cutter so it sticks a hair out the right side..of the main stock ( the part with the big handle) if you are not using the spurs...Same with the sliding stock.  The cutter seems to cut better, and the skates will not be "bindy"  in the cut.

There are some cuts, where you have to have the fence UNDER the cutter, like doing a bead along an edge.  That is why the fence has two places for the rods. 

Spurs:   Rotate them to allow the cutter one to stick down.  Make sure they line up with the outside edges of the cutter.  Drag the plane backwards a few times, to let the spurs cut a path across the grain.    Unless you are going across the grain, spurs are not needed, can be either rotated back up, or just removed.   Unless you intend to USE the slitter, leave it in the box....along with it's depth stop and the bolt...they can leave a mark on your fingers.    I do leave just the depth stop from the slitter,  added insurance to keep the tail end of the plane from dragging to deep 

WIDE cutters:  best not to have the skate all the way out.....center of the cutter will chatter.   Bring the skate in a bit to support that side of the cutter better.   You can use a wider cutter, and fence part of it off, like when doing a rebate.

On the fence you have.  There is a fine adjustment feature.   IF the fence is a little too far in or out, you can adjust the wood part to suit.   There is a small locking bolt to loosen ( up front, tiny little critter)  then you can turn the bolt in the center of the fence to adjust.   Be sure that little locking bolt is then tightened back up, and stays that way....otherwise the fence will move while you are using the plane. 

Anything else?  Oh yes..there is a fellow on youtube....Peacock by name..shows all the how-tos of using a 45...

[Bill_Houghton]

On the fence you have.  There is a fine adjustment feature.   IF the fence is a little too far in or out, you can adjust the wood part to suit.   There is a small locking bolt to loosen ( up front, tiny little critter)  then you can turn the bolt in the center of the fence to adjust.   Be sure that little locking bolt is then tightened back up, and stays that way....otherwise the fence will move while you are using the plane.

There's a little play in all the fence parts, so test that the fence is parallel to the skates as you tighten it on the rods, and use the fence fine adjustment to refine that parallel.  You can use that locking bolt to hold it.

[rwe2156]

In my hands, I find it a bit tricky to use so I don't use mine much.

When I do use it, mostly for beading.

Yeah, you stole it for $50.

[Carl Grover]

And if commiting a felony on that thing for $50 wasn't enough, the guy even gets the slitter knife with it.


carl

[EricU]

the first thing I did with mine is make some picture frame molding.  I suspect using alder made things a lot easier.  I think it came out really well, but I guess it was lost when my mom's house flooded.

[Derek Cohen]

Here's the challenge: what compound mouldings can you make with a #45 or similar (but not a #55)? Note, not a single bead or single blade, but a multi-blade moulding.

Here is an ogee (made with the Veritas Combo Plane) ...



Regards from Perth

Derek

[bandit571]

Too late with the sales pitch, Derek...OP already bought a plane....


Can be done, use a rebate cutter first, then the cove cut after.   Stanley made both...

[Derek Cohen]

Too late with the sales pitch, Derek...OP already bought a plane....


Can be done, use a rebate cutter first, then the cove cut after.   Stanley made both...

Steven, can you make a compound moulding? Not a bead.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Arlin Eastman]

You lucky dog. 


Nice snag on finding it.