I have cut a lot of molding by hand and it is less work than you would imagine. Craftsman would draw the shape to be molded on the end of a sutible plank. They would then use a large rabbet plane to remove most of the wood, leaving a sort of stair case with the inside corners just touching the profile. The molding plane would then be employed for the last few passes to yield a perfect molding. The planes for largest profiles often had a post at the front so that an apprentice could also pull on a rope attached to it.

@@conoverworkshops1486 Thank you for the explanation of how it was done back then. I can imagine when they used some of the hardest woods that were available like shagbark hickory that grows in Vermont that they needed the apprentices help. I thought of buying some old hand tools, my Dad had a few different size planes but he also used a router for speed. Unfortunately, old hand tools are being snapped up by collectors who have no intention of using them. They just clean them up and use them as art until their value increases to a point that it is worth selling the "collection." The prices, I've found, are out of my league so I will have to stick to electrical but I appreciate you taking the time to answer. I did download Cassell's Old Joinery Techniques from online and it is fascinating reading. I even found one joinery technique that I am practicing because it joins end pieces. A tenant that I evicted, during the eviction process kicked and broke one of the balusters on my front porch. We had already used the spare for another honest accident when someone was moving in so I found one that my Dad had cut too short but that meant joining the end pieces at the bottom. I never thought I'd find a way to make it as solid as the others but Cassell's has a technique that is simple yet not easy so I'm burning threw a lot of 2"x2" wood to perfect it before I try it on the real repair. I love working with wood. It's a challenge to learn harder techniques but the end result is always worth it. Thanks again!

I am not exerting any great amount of force for the cutters are very sharp and the amount removed with each pass is slight. The advantage to the router plane over a router or table saw is that you see the layout and work to it. With an electric router or table saw you have to work blind.

Veritas blades will fit the classic Stanley I use in the video and I think the BenchDog as well. They offer seven cutters in imperial widths and another seven in metric widths.

@@conoverworkshops1486 I don't think the Veritas cutters will fit it, they are not oriented the same way (45° off)