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On that note a quick plug for the englishwoodworker and his recent blog post on a his recommended list of tools to get going. He makes a similar point: using simple set of essential tools helps learners to focus on technique and practice...

I do enjoy these threads - largely good natured and I usually learn something new because of the debate. It it is also an important outlet for MrDavidRobert's discontent, after all, if he was not busy on here telling us which tools not to buy he'd have more time on his hands to become e.g a...

Chlad - if you have money burning a hole in your pocket the best advice on this thread was from Derek a few post up . Don't despair! PS I have just calculated that I've used up approximately £150 of my time reading replies to MrDavidRoberts' complaints about the quality of various tools over...

a compromise! And a very constructive suggestion :)

you can buy a posh/modern Bailey pattern planes too, not just BU planes and unconventional BD designs. Whatever happens a new user is going to have to learn to sharpen and adjust their planes - and eventually other maintenance might be needed - but my point is that this should be easier...

I am not sure the OP was really asking whether to buy old/cheap vs new/pricey but since it has come up, we should at least warn him that this is another hornets nest. lots of people starting out get by quite happily with second hand planes from ebay (me included) and we are very lucky in the UK...

see what I meant Chlad? it is a minefield and you are not going to get any consistent advice. My guess is if you did a survey the least controversial choice - at least on this forum - would be a BD plane, but if you joined another forum you might get a different answer. You just have to...

You are unlikely to get anyone who disagrees that a jack plane is a good size for your first plane. for BU / BD there is no consensus - both work and people just have preferences. Both camps will say their preference is more versatile but I am afraid that discussion has elements of the...

yes they seem to have a similar effect to the old blue slug pellets and give a few weeks protection when you apply them locally to flower beds. The only long term control that I have found to work is a wildlife pond (and therefore frogs) - not very scientific but when my nextdoor neighbour...

given the disjointed nature of these posts I thought it would be handy to have a summary timeline which I have reproduced below - this is the nearest I could get to a type study: PS I also cleaned up the original posts and put them in a more sensible order on my blog (there is a bit of new...

your on the home straight! I think you have done a really nice job and I am looking forward to seeing the final result - I am sure you will be delighted with it

Incidentally, when researching deadly poisonous paint strippers I stumbled into the world of model making where it is apparently common practice to use certain household detergents (e.g Fairy Power Cleaner) to remove acrylic and enamel paints. Does anyone know if this actually works...

I have used 'strip away pro' (mentioned above by ED65) to - amongst other things - to successfully get a couple of overpainted tools back to bare metal and can confirm it still contains the magic deadly poisonous ingredient that makes it work. As noted above it is officially for 'industrial...

I'm looking forward to hearing more about your bench vice collection Turbo ! Are they all Records?

... also, what is the reason for including Graphite in the finish used on the Carver clamp? looks great btw!

beyonce - thanks for that Eric - I had read that they could only be used vertically, but I was probably confused!?! OP - in the end I got another plane from Ebay that was slightly older than Dad's. Apparently production quality was better before WWII and indeed this one seems quite a lot...

OP - hi again! Good news, I have managed to sharpen my plane "iron"!! In the end I got myself 3 diamonte-briquette hones as these were getting great reviews on Amazon and were reasonably priced. I am very happy with them and I'm pretty sure the iron is sharp as it can 'cut hair' (and I have...

quite right Eric, I am afraid us tyros have much to answer for on this front. The internet is like Duff beer, it is both the cause of, and solution to, all our problems! Having said that, Forums would indeed be much less entertaining without these type of discussions. Incidentally, The OP...

I built my shed using similar methods to Garden Retreat et al (using Structural Insulated Panels) - it was fun and a bit cheaper than buying one from a commercial company, but if I were attempting it again on a bigger scale and determined to do part of the work myself I would do as suggested by...

various life events triggered an (overdue) mid life crisis last year that caused me to buy a 3 wheeled van and to grow a beard for the first time. Shortly after that I made two side tables and a coffee table, although until now I had not connected this with the presence of a beard :D