# why are ece primus planes so expensive?



## adidat (23 Nov 2011)

the item in question

for something thats made of crappy pressed steel components how do they get the high price tag?

for that price you could get a no.4 and a block plane from QS and still have change

adidat


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## LuptonM (23 Nov 2011)

I believe that our fellow member, Jimi, has nearly exhausted the world supply of lignum vitae, thereby hyper inflating its market value.


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## pedder (23 Nov 2011)

If you buy at Dieter Schmid it is only 123 €. Don't know how Rutlans makes it's prices.

EDIT: 123€ is for the hormbeam sole. LV sole is 179€.

It's made in europe by workmen who need to feed their family. Who pay taxes and health insurance. And like Thos. Flinn in Sheffield they are the last of their kind.

If you ever worked with a wooden plane with LV sole you will qhave another view of all that shinny metal. 
I prefere the hammer adjuster, though.


Cheers
Pedder


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## woodbloke (23 Nov 2011)

pedder":3511dm08 said:


> If you ever worked with a wooden plane with LV sole you will have another view of all that shinny metal.
> I prefer the hammer adjuster, though.
> 
> Cheers
> Pedder



...like this one, an Ulmia Reform







that I stripped apart:






...took all the old, icky :-& varnish off:






and re-finished it. I paid £12 for mine from Penny Farthing Tools a few years ago and it is a lovely thing to use, although I don't use it all that much - Rob


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## Max Power (23 Nov 2011)

(It's made in europe by workmen who need to feed their family. Who pay taxes and health insurance. And like Thos. Flinn in Sheffield they are the last of their kind.)
=D> =D> =D> 
Well said Pedder
If we dont support these sort of companies , they wont be around in the future, hence Ive got Cliftons (hammer)


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## bosshogg (23 Nov 2011)

Simple, you find a pillock with loads of dosh, advertise it with a shiny picture, add a large price to it, and viola 'simples'...bosshogg



> A fool and his money is soon parted. #-o


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## Dibs-h (23 Nov 2011)

I saw a Mathieson plane at Harrogate for £260 - ooooo! So tempted, but left it alone. My current slope is a modest gradient - no need to swap it for a steeper gradient (yet).

Much rather have bought that than the ece primus one.

Dibs


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## clk230 (23 Nov 2011)

are they expensive or are the QS range cheap ?

there probably that price so that they stay in business


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## MIGNAL (23 Nov 2011)

I used to have a very early version of that ECE Primus Plane. I thought it an awful idea. Removing and replacing the blade for sharpening purposes was a lengthy exercise in itself. How to complicate matters to the point of being ridiculous.
Now the ECE version with a simple wedge is an entirely different matter and at 70 Euros it is very reasonably priced. Horn handled planes are very comfortable in use - the best for that particular feature IMO.


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## pedder (23 Nov 2011)

woodbloke":2j3scc7r said:


> ...like this one, an Ulmia Reform
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Hi Rob, see my Ulmia in the background:






Cheers
Pedder


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## jimi43 (23 Nov 2011)

How weird....I was just working on some plans for a lignum vitae-soled plane....mmmm



LuptonM":2ov4vu1q said:


> I believe that our fellow member, Jimi, has nearly exhausted the world supply of lignum vitae, thereby hyper inflating its market value.



HA! See...what I am doing is turning them from completely pointless objects to something useful! Although I have to admit...I was once a member of the local bowls club...until I watched BLACKBALL...and realised how accurate it was!

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: 

I love the way the sole is added to the body...that is simply beautiful...as is the horn...very functional!....but I too think that the metalwork lets the whole design down completely...

I get into too many slopes very easily these days and have to avoid this one like the plague and I also believe that something that is handmade should be supported....the cost being mostly labour....but I also understand that market forces and disposable income is having an effect on these companies. Just look at THIS LINK taken from a reference by Jake on the CAR BOOT thread in HAND TOOLS.

Bankruptcy is nothing new....you have to go with the flow or die the death of those forces...

Thankfully there are some survivors but they will only survive if their product is considered of value...either as a tool or a work of art.

Jim


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## woodbloke (23 Nov 2011)

jimi43":2w7sfm99 said:


> I love the way the sole is added to the body...that is simply beautiful...as is the horn...very functional!....but I too think that the metalwork lets the whole design down completely...
> 
> Jim


On the Ulmia Reform, the amount of metalwork is minimal. I replaced the ghastly, horrid knob with a custom made Derek of Oz style bolt but there wasn't much I could do with the cap iron except to clean it up a tad. The best bit though Jim is that the quality of the cutting iron is simply superb...if you ever get a chance to try one, you'll see what I mean - Rob


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## Fromey (23 Nov 2011)

woodbloke":3rvmac1t said:


> ...took all the old, icky :-& varnish off:



Can I ask how you did this? Paint stripper? Sand paper? I'd like to know as I'd like to do the same to my ECE scrub plane. I was thinking of rubbing it down with Osmo Top Oil.


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## woodbloke (23 Nov 2011)

Fromey":252wl5ki said:


> woodbloke":252wl5ki said:
> 
> 
> > ...took all the old, icky :-& varnish off:
> ...


Nitromoors...good stuff  - Rob


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## jimi43 (23 Nov 2011)

woodbloke":3i2fwed8 said:


> Fromey":3i2fwed8 said:
> 
> 
> > woodbloke":3i2fwed8 said:
> ...



The B&Q non-caustic paint and varnish remover is amazing! I hate to say I thought it wouldn't be as it is an apparently innocuous cream...but it eats paint like like a devil....even the Japanning on a plane!






...et voilà.....






I was suitably impressed...and it didn't itch like a booger either!

Jim


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