Stanley No.55- Swiss Army Knife of Planes

Time for a long post. This time covering my Stanley No.55 Universal Plane.

I have an early model plane (dated in the range 1897-1912)

So a bit about the No.55

The following information was gleaned from the the research of others:

• Patrick Leach – The Superior Works: Patrick’s Blood & Gore
• FindMyTool.co.uk website
• Working By Hand website

The Stanley No. 55 combination plane, often dubbed the Swiss army knife of molding planes, was manufactured from 1897 to the early 1960s. It could produce virtually any molding imaginable, effectively replacing the need for numerous single-profile wooden molding planes. This versatility made the No. 55 a valuable, space-saving tool for woodworkers, who would otherwise require a large assortment of wooden planes to achieve the same variety.

The No. 55 supports a wide range of functions, including:

• Plough / Plow
• Dado
• Bead
• Centre bead
• Rebate / Rabbet and Fillister
• Slitting
• Match planing
• Sash planing

Initially introduced with 52 cutters, this number increased to 55 later on, with over 40 specialty cutters available for order. In their 1898 catalog, Stanley marketed the No. 55 as the “Stanley Patent Universal Plane,” claiming it could handle all tasks covered by a full assortment of fancy planes. Users could also create their own cutters from blanks or order custom designs from Stanley by providing a sketch.

Unlike wooden molding planes, the cutters of the No. 55 are suspended without the support of a shaped sole. This requires careful setting and adjustment to provide maximum support for the cutter, often involving multiple depth stops, fences, or skates. Ideally, the cutter should be supported by at least two skates—one from the main body and another from the sliding section. For wide or complex profiles, the auxiliary center skate is also used.

In essence, the No. 55 is a temperamental tool that demands significant adjustment to function well. While it might be suitable for short runs of molding, a dedicated wooden plane is preferable for repeated profiles due to its fixed fence, profile, and depth stop. The No. 55’s variable settings require substantial skill and patience to achieve perfection. This issue is less pronounced with a single cutter but becomes problematic with combinations of cutters for complex profiles. Additionally, like the No. 45, the No. 55 requires even-grained wood to minimize tearout, as it lacks a traditional plane mouth.

The No. 55 improves upon the No. 45 by accommodating cutters that require irregular bearing points. For instance, a simple bead can be cut with a No. 45 using two skates positioned on either side of the bead. However, for complex profiles like an ogee, the No. 55’s vertically adjustable sliding section allows the skate to be moved up or down to support the cutter’s irregular shape. This is achieved with a long threaded rod, and an auxiliary skate provides additional support to prevent the cutter from gouging the work.