Moulding planes

[Tmize]

So I’ve been digging around with not much luck. I have found decent info on hollow an rounds an the numbering system with them. But what I can’t seam to find much on are the grooving,beading,rebate,dado,an other I’m sure I’m forgetting. Is there a standardized numbering system out there like Stanley had or was it just purely based on the maker? Everyone I have has numbers stamped on it but can seam to figure what they are for. 

Like I picked a 1/8 grooving plane that cuts 1/4 from the edge of a board for like small drawer bottoms. An it’s stamped #9 then under that it’s stamped 4/8 none of that makes since for a 1/8 iron

[Tom King]

No standard, that I know of.   Most are only stamped with the manufacturer's name, and often also with the name of the owner.    The vast majority of mine have no number stamped.  Most of mine came from the UK, so I don't know if that matters or not.    I never paid any attention to what's stamped on them.

[Tmize]

The few a have all seam to be numbered. Not all the same maker but from the New England area. 

[Tom King]

I probably own a couple of hundred, but only a very few from the U.S.   I had better luck with ones from the UK.   There, it seems like people kept them in their houses, so no rust, or wood deterioration, whereas here, they seemed like they more often came out of a box in a barn.  I don't have time to fettle them, so my priorities were cheap, and usable.

[Tmize]

Do you mind me asking how you got so many from the uk?  Ebay?

[Tom King]

Yes, ebay.   In years past, one could be shipped "small packet" for 6 to 8 bucks.  Planes typically went for 12 to 15 dollars.   I'm not one to care about complete matching sets, which even then went for way more money.   I just needed planes I could use.  I do have all the sizes of hollows and rounds covered, but not many even came from the same maker.

A few years ago, the shipping cost went up enough that I quit buying them, but have almost enough for anything I need to make anyway.   There is always more than a few ways to make the same molding using combination planes, and molding planes together.

[Tmize]

Yea I’d like a couple hollow and rounds but most of my interest is in the joinery plane maybe a few simple ogee. I have no want to stick a bunch of moulding by hand. Now I have a great respect for those who do. Right now my focus furniture design is shaker which really don’t have much detail moulding on it my style may advance as I do. I’ve still got about 50 years or in this hobby to change my mind lol

[Tom King]

I don't do a bunch.   Mostly, all I do is make missing pieces in rooms to match what is there, and occasionally for an old piece of furniture.    Sometimes I may only need one 3 foot piece, or a 6 foot, and 18" piece, or just a 3" long piece-only when it takes less time than grinding moulder knives.  I did get my picture in a local paper when we were making a piece of large bed molding, for the front of an old house, out on the sidewalk on sawhorses.

If we are in need of much to amount to anything, it comes out of a moulder.

[wdwerker]

I often approach similar problems in a slightly different way. Multiple router bits to rough out a shape and curved card scrapers to refine the molding to match the existing trim. It's always time consuming but I tell clients almost anything is possible but insurance won't cover it ! Time and materials pricing can work wonders, I can do a decent job, Tom can fool antiquities experts, but it's definitely gonna cost more than your coverage will pay for . 

[Tmize]

That’s cool. I’m a big reader do you have any good books on 19th century carpentry tradecraft. Remodeling the house I grew up in with my dad when I was a teen is what sparked a interest in woodworking. The house was a old mining camp house built in 1908. 

[Tom King]

I'm a big reader too, but sorry, not much on carpentry.   I just figure it out as I go along, and make sure I have plenty of tools to work with.   I guess it's fortunate that a roof was kept on that house.

[Tmize]

Yea that’s what I’m doing building up my collection. When I started out I was buying all the big power tools. I figured out something out about myself I couldnt stand the whole build a jig for this an that an then sneak up on a cut. I more of just do it til looks right then the measure to the thousands. An with two small kids I’ve  learned I older hand tools are cheaper than the power tool version an quieter so I can go downstairs after they are asleep an sneak in a few hours.