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Stanley 45 & 55

3K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  nashman7246 
#1 ·
I have seen some cutters for the #55 for sale and wonder if they will work on the #45. Somebody here probably knows this. Thanks for the help. Stinger
 
#2 ·
yes they will. But only the straight cutters like rabbets or beads. If they are any of the molding cutters with deep shapes, you need the 55 to use those. The 55 has a movable bottom section that works with those cutters. The 45 does not. If you look up paterick leach"blood and gore", he has tons of info on the stanley planes. Good luck, bob
 
#3 ·
You must be a glutton for punishment! I will allow that if you have the patience and skill to make them work you are better than me! The 45 and 55 were a victorian aberration that tried to replace a shop full of planes with a single tool. I will take traditional wooden molding planes anytime.
 
#4 ·
I have about 50 traditional wooden molding planes & a Stanley 55.
I restore period antiques (Oldest I have worked on is circa 1680). I use the planes to recreate moldings to replace pieces that are missing. Sometimes it is just not possible to do that with the traditional wooden molding planes that I have. That is when I pull out the 55. It has not failed me yet. Takes patience and practice
but it sure beats a $200.00 +/- fee to have cutters made for my
molding machine + it leaves tool marks that are correct on a period antique. I could not have completed many of the restorations that I have done without it.

Tom in Nashville
 
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