When you go looking in antique & bric-a-brac stores you come across so ‘interesting’ finds. When on holidays I visited such a store on the Eyre Peninsula and came across a user adapted moulding plane. The owner of the store described it as unique and wanted $20 for it – I described it as ugly and got it for $10.
So how best to describe the plane:
- The basic plane started life either as a moulding plane.
- The front of it had been cut down and a plastic horn screwed on to provide a front handle
- Aluminum extrusions (or pressings) were fastened to the sides – one acting as a fixed fence and the other extending the width of the sole. Despite the protruding bolts with wingnuts – neither of these moved.
- The wedge had been replaced
- The blade was not original – but was well shaped and sharp.
I can only surmise that the original owner of this plane had a very specific purpose for it and the changes they made to it helped it fulfil that role
