Is Your Wooden Plane From the 1700s?

How old is your antique wood plane? From chamfers to wedge reliefs, I go over all the different design styles that plane makers used during the 18th and 19th centuries.

[arboristBlairGlenn]

Great tutorial on a subject dear to my heart.

[isaacbueckert]

I restored a wooden plane of my father-in-law from the 60s, and I can see how this can become a full obsession!

[TheBeeFactory]

I inherited about 30 molding planes from my grandmother when she passed a few years ago. They originally belonged to my great great uncle, who was a carpenter in around the 1880's. One of the planes was a Francis Nicholson dedicated molding plane which had a perfect profile for baseboards (perhaps that's what it was for originally? Who knows.) Made all the trim for my son's room with it, and it worked perfectly. Amazing how well that thing held up over literal centuries.
Very satisfying feeling to restore and use such an old tool. Something about creating new pieces from a 200+ year old tool, made by the first plane maker in the colonies is just so awesome.

Anyways, just thought I'd share my old molding plane story. Great video. Thanks

Btw, I know a lot of collectors will be mad that I restored and used a perfect condition F. Nicholson. Too bad! It belonged to my family for generations, and I have no interest in making money off of it. It will never be for sale and has no monetary value to me. It's a tool, and a family heirloom and I'm going to use it for it's intended purpose.

[jamess]

Thank you for these videos, recently inherited 40 planes but a few have me stumped. Every see one with a leather running down the inside of the throat and mouth? No maker's mark but styling seems around early 1800s.

[mickleblade]

My dad gave me the large toolbox that was made by my great grandfather in about 1860, it's got a perhaps full set of moulding planes in it? Not sure. I'll have to pop out tomorrow and see if there are any makers marks on them

[JohnWilliams.]

I appreciate your video. I've inherited some old ones and know that at least one is a Chelor. Some are unmarked, I'll be looking at them closer now with a new set of eyes. Great reference list too.

Thanks,
definitely subscribed.

[Piratecapt]

thank you awesome video! I live in SE Mass where alot of these makers worked and you never know what you will find antiquing on the weekend around here.

[extramite]

A good book on the subject is "goodmans british planemakers since the 1700's"

[behonestwithyourself]

Cool video. Thanks for doing this. I could nerd out on planes all day. Haha

[captaincoyote]

I have virtually no idea why I watched this video….but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I did “freak” just a bit, when you had all those wedges out, wondering how you remembered which wedge went to which molding plane. I’m curious….I have a good collection of “made in the U.S.” Nicholson files (I’m related by marriage to the Nicholson family); they were originally made in Rhode Island. I am curious if his family is related to the Wrentham made molding planes. Great video…and a good education on early American tool manufacturers.

[professor]

Thanks for the excellent overview! I hope you’ll continue to produce these very worthwhile and much-needed videos on antique wooden planes. Btw, can you give me some idea of your source material that helped you with this background info? Thanks again!

[rclamond]

Thank you - that was really interesting. I would love to see more about the early screw fastened ploughs. I know you’re focussed on original antique planes but a plough plane with wood hardware for the fence and depth stop would be a good place for amateurs plane makers to start without complex metalwork to worry about.

[stevejacobs]

Often those early moulding planes without makers marks where cut down to the standardised size of the 19th century so they would fit into their boxes.

[HWCism]

Nice talk. Thanks I have three planes. JC Bacon Tool Co., H Barker and Roxton. Pond. Interesting

[mikejustice]

I’m going to give Graham Blackburn credit for your video because he’s the one that you copied your info from without giving him credit.

[charliewestlund]

How do you store your planes? Im thinking of making a plane rack similar to those for metal planes but never seen one for wooden ones. Is there a reason for this?

[elisabethmowell]

I watched your video an education, got many thru may family what should do with them? Im older now . If you can respond it would be nice.

[deemdoubleu]

Very interesting. Did the planes generally all use the same cut of wood, quarter sawn or other?

[jerrysanchez]

Man this should be required reading for anyone getting into planes

[jthepickle]

Back when a proper carpenter was expected to make two doors per day, from rough lumber.
Of course, these planes were used on riven wood - with the grain parallel to the surface. Try pushing one of these through wood prepared on a series of circular saws...nightmare!