Buying a New, Quality Bench Plane

[Bainzy]

Since it's my birthday on the 29th, and since I've made a pledge not to go out during this exam month (which should save me about £100), I've decided as a present for my birthday I'm gonna treat myself to a high quality, ready to use out of the box, possible family heirloom type bench plane. Since I've already got a post war Stanley #3, #4, #4 1/2 and #7 all either from family or ebay, I'm thinking of getting a Lie Nielsen # 5 1/2 plane. I'm really keen on the bronze frog/cap and bedrock design, and being made from their ductile iron (so less prone to breaks) is a big bonus too, so I'm pretty set on what manufacturer I'm after.

It'll be mainly used for guitar building, but I should be able to use it on timber when building things like workbenches, tables etc, and I'm thinking 5 1/2 should be a good all rounder with extra width to make it good for working on body blanks and jointing shorter lengths of timber - but more importantly, something that I know will work properly and any faults will be on my part and not the condition of the plane's. Do you think it's a good size to get for this kind of work, or should I be looking at something else?

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

In the context of your existing planes, it sound good to me.

I would examine the woods you predominantly use and then order the ideal frog for this (higher angle for more complex grain). They are now available in 45, 50 and 55 degrees.

THe other plane I would consider is a block plane, or other small planes that you may use more than the #5 1/2, and thereby obtain more frequent pleasure.

But if you are looking for a fine birthday present, then the #5 1/2 will certainly be one.

Happy birthday!

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Bainzy

Welcome to the forum and happy birthday for the 29th.

Cheers
Neil

 

[woodbloke]

Brainzy wrote:

I've made a pledge not to go out during this exam month (which should save me about £100)

Welcome to the forum - good job you're staying in this month 'cos you'll need the £100 plus an extra wedge for the LN 51/2 :lol: . Sounds to me like a very good choice also good advice re frog angle, though if you opted for the standard 45deg frog you could always hone a slight back-bevel on the blade to increase the effective pitch for those tricky guitar type woods - Rob

 

[Benchwayze]

It'll be mainly used for guitar building, but I should be able to use it on timber when building things like workbenches, tables etc, and I'm thinking 5 1/2 should be a good all rounder with extra width to make it good for working on body blanks and jointing shorter lengths of timber - but more importantly, something that I know will work properly and any faults will be on my part and not the condition of the plane's. Do you think it's a good size to get for this kind of work, or should I be looking at something else?

Hi Brainzy,
I've been looking at my guitar, and I was trying to recall, other than on the fretboard and neck, where I used a big bench plane. I managed mostly with with a block plane, and Stanley 4.5.
(The guitar never played well mind.... So I bought a Gibson. )

But what the heck. If you are 'forging' Strats, and the plane is a 'want' then go for it m'man. Like you said, you can use it for other jobs!
ccasion5: ccasion4:
John

 

[engineer one]

so you need an excuse is that what you are saying :roll:

actually it may well be too big for the guitar making, but tied in with the others you have, it will be precisely what you are expecting. as derek says you can get different frogs etc, however you don't need to buy them just now, you can always stay in for another month to save up :twisted:

many feel that the 51/2 is a good compromise for a more all round plane, being longer and thus more stable it combines the ability to rough plane as well as get to nearly final smoothing.

good fortune for the 29th ccasion5: ccasion4:

paul :wink:

mind you then you'll need to update your sharpening kit :lol:

 

[Bainzy]

Thanks for all the comments guys, this seems like a great forum. The woods I'd predominantly be using would be hardwoods, such as Mahogany, Rosewood (Rio/Madagascan), Hard Maple, English Sycamore, Alder, Ash, Cocobolo, Idigbo and Ziricote. Would a 50 degree frog be advantageous over the 45 one in planing all of these woods? I'm wondering whether I should try ask Axminster to substitute the frog for a 50, or just buy another separately so I've still got the option to plane softwoods with it...

 

[engineer one]

good idea. course you should also look at the lee valley range :twisted: :roll:

paul :wink:

 

[dunbarhamlin]

The higher frog would certainly be a good idea for those.

For acoustics ('body blank' suggested to me you're talking 'lectrics) I use my drum sander for thicknessing except for really oily coco and the like where I'll plane and then scrape.

I made my first with a Clico #7 (still my fave bench plane) and LN block, so a 5.5 certainly isn't too big.

Cheers
Steve

 

[ByronBlack]

I made an explorer clone and a couple of custom shaped solid body guitars, and use a 4# - I wished I had a 5, espeically for jointing the blanks for the body and shooting some of the angles for the neck.

With the more wilder grain, I would go for a LV BUS as i've read these are good for tough grain. I had some quilted maple which was a real pipper to plane, I had to resort to sanding it which then took some of the final effect away in the finishing. At the time I didn't know about cabinet scrapers.

 

[Bainzy]

Yeah I'm thinking while this will be my only £200+ tool purchase for quite a long time, the Veritas bevel up planes seem really good value for money and one of those would be next on the cards maybe later this year or next year if I save enough. I guess everyone has their personal Vietnam when it comes to finding a wood that is a complete PITA to plane, maybe a bevel up smoother might take care of this piece of 'Mahogany' I've got that appears to be a type of Khaya (but not Khaya Ivorensis) and has tough interlocked grain running in both directions.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Would a 50 degree frog be advantageous over the 45 one in planing all of these woods? I'm wondering whether I should try ask Axminster to substitute the frog for a 50, or just buy another separately so I've still got the option to plane softwoods with it...

Woodbloke's suggestion of using the standard frog and honing a back bevel when you want a steeper angle, is a good one (possibly keeping a spare blade for this). That would give you the widest range of options at the lowest cost. There is a very good article by David Charlesworth in the latest issue of "Furniture & Cabinet Making" which covers all this - well worth reading :wink:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Alf]

Never made a guitar in my life but from what I'm reading I'd have thought the LV low angle jack fitted the bill. :-k On the other hand I can appreciate it's not a plane that gets that many ooos and ahhs for looks and heirloomishness. Whatever you decide I'm sure you'll be a happy bunny though - and happy birthday in advance.

Cheers, Alf