[ejnelson]

If I were you, I'd look ffor a few hollow and round molding planes to get started. With those you can shape out a couple nice profiles that would work well. Size depends on hat you are trying to do.

[ChrisS]

The Stanley 55 is very hard to use. It is a pain in the bum!!! It is a good collector but not a good user. You can find a lot of reviews to back me up.

The 55 in good condition will break the bank. I sold one in mint condition a few years back for $570

The 45 plane is good and will do a lot of work but there is nothing like individual molding planes.

I have have boxes of planes I am going to sell when I have a chance. I have a Stanley 45 complete in the original wood box. I have turned down $175 for it. You can find them but very seldom are they complete. Before you buy one go to some of the antique tool sights. They have everting listed including parts. Print out a copy and then when you go to buy check to make sure you have all the plane parts. You can buy the parts but it will cost you more in the end. Blades are not hard to find so I would not worry about not having all the blades. Sets of blades come up on Ebb every once in a while.

It is nice to do things by hand but it takes a good tool collection and a lot of practice. If you have the money to spend go for it. Check the prices of tools and get an idea before you buy. If you invest in good tools and do not over pay you can always sell them and break even if you do not like using them.

[mark yundt]

If you're interested in making a molding specifically for egg and dart then a simple plane will do the trick. It's nothing more than a bit of an elongated quarter round.Radius the corner with the plane and sand it to the proper contour. Have done this many times myself.

[RussL.]

A regular plane I have! :-)

Thanks Mark, ChrisS.

I'll let you know when I get around to making this project happen.

All the best,

Russ

[cats pa]

I'm with Dan - have a 45, like it, used a 55, disliked it, turned down a good deal on one later. The individual wooden molding planes that I have, mostly hollows and rounds, tend to be kinda finicky to adjust, so taking a small shaving at a time is a PITA. I find the 45 to adjust pretty easily, but maybe just cause I have the knack.

Don't remember who said it, but forming the edge on a wider board and ripping it off when shaped is how I always do it also. Skinny pcs want to slither around on you, and with a wide board you can screw backers and fences to it as needed.

Parker