Many of my classes include the instruction to “just put a bead on it.” A bead on the edge of a board protects fragile corners from breaking off, because by rounding it over into a bead, said fragile edge is gone. A bead also creates a shadowline, which helps to make a gap (say, between backboards) look intentional. I love a bead!
But the intrinsic problem with beads is that they can get you into trouble. A beading plane is just so darn fun to use that you will quickly find yourself in want of other sizes and other moulding planes…not to mention a half-set of hollows and rounds. (There are worse vices.)
So where do you find good moulding planes these days? Maybe it’s just my bad luck, but I’ve never found vintage ones worth buying. A moulding plane must be dead straight down its length from heel to toe, and the fences and boxing must be intact. If any of these things is not true, that ex-plane is best used as Cracker Barrel decor. Then there’s the iron. Does its profile perfectly match the plane’s sole? If not, you need to know how to fix it so it does (which is not easy without ninja-level filing/grinding skills and a good set of slipstones). And does the wedge hold the blade firmly in place? Is it even the original wedge? All this is to say that if you know what you are doing plus have a modicum of good luck, you might be able to find a good deal on some old wooden moulding planes. But I never have.
And you can, of course, make your own. There are good articles available online, and Larry Williams’ video “Making Traditional Side Escapement Planes” is hard to beat.
But I recommend buying new – especially if you’re buying just one plane…say a 3/16″ beading plane like the one you might have used in my classes.
I’m sure I’m missing a few good modern makers (feel free to comment below…as I know you will), but the modern commercial makers I recommend and from whom you can still buy (all will likely have a waitlist) are:
M.S. Bickford
J. Wilding
Red Rose Reproductions
New Heritage Woodworks
Philly Planes (caveat – Phil Edwards is in the U.K. Some might argue his planes are better suited to staying in their native environment, but I’ve been happy with my Philly beader for years and have had no trouble – but I live in a damp river valley with similar weather, different accent)
Yes, you could also use a Stanley No. 45 or 55, or the Veritas Combination Plane – but I’m a sucker for a good wooden moulder.
– Fitz
p.s. If You want to know how I sharpen a moulding plane blade, check out Christopher Schwarz’s “Sharpen This” – the pdf is a free download – see the first paragraph here for the link.
I suspect the link was meant to target https://newheritagewoodworks.com/collections/all
I love a bead. I put one on the front edge of a dutch chest lid but then couldn’t figure out the correct termination for the end grain sides. It looked exposed so I just did a bevel on the sides to ease it.
Setting that aesthetically uninformed choice aside, just wanted to say that bead was with an M.S. Bickford plane. I haven’t used the other makers but I’ve used vintage ones. The Bickford is amazing in performance, fit, and comfort in use compared to vintage. Also, I’m left handed, and though I’ve learned to use some planes right handed (looking at you Lie Nielsen No 48), having a plane made in the way I usually work is a pleasure. Strongly recommend for lefties to try out a modern plane.
In preparation for the Dutch Tool Chest class in July, I bought a Veritas plow plane and 3/16″ beading blade. My impression is that it’ll give me the same result but take more time to set up.
A dedicated wood molder generally gives a better result. Especially on unfriendly grain thanks to having an actually mouth. I do use both, and that had been my observation.
Have you seen the HNT Gordon moulding planes from Australia? Functional and beautiful. Not usually a waiting list. You can get them from Heartwood Tools in the US https://www.heartwoodtools.com/hntgordon, or directly from HNT in Australia https://hntgordon.com.au/collections/moulding-planes
I see H&Rs, but no beading plane. (But the rabbet planes are nice – I’ve used one of those, but no others.)
These HNT Gordon planes from Australia are in in fact the best moulding planes out there, and there is indeed no wait. Australia Post is light yrs better than Royal Mail of UK too…..You’ll have it in the USA in less than 2 weeks, although current political issues in mideast might impact the usual really fast order filling, I’m not sure. They’re easier to adjust as well, the nomenclature of the sizing is intuitive and makes choice of tool easier, as far as I’m concerned. You will wait 6 mos to a year to get a Philly plane from UK, and also have to deal with paypal, and UK shipping, to boot. Gordon planes are also very reasonably priced. They last forever. Some I purchased 15 years ago and have been used considerably, still look brand new. They are more stable in southeastern USA climate than the 18th century reproductions of red rose and matt Bickford( both of which I have excellent very useful examples). Waiting lists for both of those makers exist most of the time, also, but Red Rose periodically will produce a batch. Bickford and Red ROse workmanship are exquisite..I believe Mr Schwarz was at Gordon’s shop recently, so I’m not sure why the conspicuous absence of this remarkable line of tools.
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Well, I don’t like to write about tools I’ve not used – no slight meant; I just don’t know them very well. And as I say, no beading plane, which was my prompt for this post.