Argus
Established Member
There are some interesting posts going on about the quality nowadays of a tool that is to all intents an purposes obsolete, but has captivated everyone, me included, by the elegance of its basic design.
In another thread there is a conversation going on about the apparent quality of the Clifton version.
I saw my first one (can’t remember if it was a Record or Stanley) in the school workshop almost 50 years ago, but it was locked up and never used. (Probably because the woodwork teacher hadn’t a clue, most of the time – his heart wasn’t into it).
Along with a collection of restored wooden moulding planes and a seldom used electric router, I now have and utilise regularly a pair of well-used Stanley 55s. Not exactly the same thing as a Clifton or a Record, I know, but the Stanley version was the progenitor of all the multi-planes and it’s worth remembering that it was essentially a site tool when it was first offered, principally for making small quantities of the miles of dado rails, picture rails and for small repairs to sash windows that went into houses in those days and were generally made at site. It allowed the journeyman to leave most of the huge collection of moulding planes at home and to still produce a good moulded skirting board from bare stock.
Multi-planes are a fine tool. My customers love to see them on my bench because they look the part, but have you tried using them on hard Oak? Difficult and hard work! On anything other than straight grained pine they will dig in or skate….
Like the retractable ball pens that we used to get with four colours and four inserts in the same barrel, (and no-one ever used) it is essentially a design compromise, and for real mouldings I always go back to the beech moulding planes that used to adorn our pub walls, or a scratch stock. For big quantities there is always the electric router, but that’s a last resort for me…….
So, tell the truth. What do all the Multi-plane aficionados use them for and at what point do you consider another implement because it might just be a little less effort or produce a better result? Is using one of these multiplanes literally a labour of love or does it deserve a permanent place on the bench?
In another thread there is a conversation going on about the apparent quality of the Clifton version.
I saw my first one (can’t remember if it was a Record or Stanley) in the school workshop almost 50 years ago, but it was locked up and never used. (Probably because the woodwork teacher hadn’t a clue, most of the time – his heart wasn’t into it).
Along with a collection of restored wooden moulding planes and a seldom used electric router, I now have and utilise regularly a pair of well-used Stanley 55s. Not exactly the same thing as a Clifton or a Record, I know, but the Stanley version was the progenitor of all the multi-planes and it’s worth remembering that it was essentially a site tool when it was first offered, principally for making small quantities of the miles of dado rails, picture rails and for small repairs to sash windows that went into houses in those days and were generally made at site. It allowed the journeyman to leave most of the huge collection of moulding planes at home and to still produce a good moulded skirting board from bare stock.
Multi-planes are a fine tool. My customers love to see them on my bench because they look the part, but have you tried using them on hard Oak? Difficult and hard work! On anything other than straight grained pine they will dig in or skate….
Like the retractable ball pens that we used to get with four colours and four inserts in the same barrel, (and no-one ever used) it is essentially a design compromise, and for real mouldings I always go back to the beech moulding planes that used to adorn our pub walls, or a scratch stock. For big quantities there is always the electric router, but that’s a last resort for me…….
So, tell the truth. What do all the Multi-plane aficionados use them for and at what point do you consider another implement because it might just be a little less effort or produce a better result? Is using one of these multiplanes literally a labour of love or does it deserve a permanent place on the bench?
: the upper "guest" was me.
