Buying my first plane.

[Ttrees]

Some slight differences in the castings though, so its not just a different component or two and a lever cap.
Doesn't mean it's not from the same foundry though.
Rob Cosman recently had the two side by side.
I can't remember which I thought seemed preferable to me, but there's not a lot in it, atall.

I think I would prefer the one with thicker side walls, as since they're made from unbreakable ductile iron,(I believe they are?)
I reckon it would be worth lapping for long grain shooting.
But seem to be put off by something, compared to the other one, can't remember what it was though...
And no, it wasn't just the price!

 

[kevinlightfoot]

Take a look at the Clifton planes.

 

[Jimmy69]

Am I allowed to post ebay links for opinions?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

So long as they are sales, not auctions.

 

[--Tom--]

I have a quangsheng from workshop heaven and it’s surprised me by being a nicer plane to use than my vintage Stanley’s. I originally thought it would be a bit of a beater for things I wouldn’t use my usual planes for, but I use it as a finisher now as it gives more positive adjustment and a nice smooth shaving. Recently the y adjuster casting did break on it, but emailing Workshop heaven they were able to provide a spare so that I could get it back to work. Amazing customer service and makes me more likely to to buy from them again (though everything else I’ve ever bought from WH has been fault free and I expect everything in the future will be knowing they stand behind they’re products is reassuring)

If you’re getting your first plane it’s worth finding someone who can give you a 5 minute run through of how to set it up, adjust it and use it. If you’re near Cardiff I’d be happy to, or I’m sure other members here would. Otherwise ask in Axminster and they should be able to talk you through and maybe have a scrap you can test it out on.

A skilled user can make anything work, a novice will still struggle with the best tool.

 

[Adam W.]

Well, here's my experience of the good, the bad and the downright expensive.

I have Record planes, Bailey planes, Lie Nielsen planes of all sexes, a Veritas low angled jack which I should really sell, EC Emmerich lignum based planes, Ulmia lignum based planes, a La Chappel lignum based jointer plane (I like the lignum ones for resinous pine, as they never gum up) and a rotten looking wooden no-name beech jack I got from a junk store.

The wooden jack gets pretty much all the work. I'm not that fussed about working knotty or figured timber and prefer a nice easy straight grained, quarter sawn wood which I go out of my way to source. Most of my work is rough, so probably not your thing.

The other planes serve as ballast in a tool chest or act as efficient dust collectors under the bench. I have used them all enough to get to know them well, but I like the no-name wooden plane the best. It took a bit of savvy and a lot of work to get going properly, but it tickles me that something which looks so rough and horrid works so well. It keeps an edge and is easy to set with a hammer.

The Record jointer is nice with its rosewood handles and planes interlocked grained mahogany lovely jubbley. It's a sometime Sunday treat when I have cabinetmaker dreams, and dreams they are as I'll never make the grade.

Mostly the Lie Nielsen ones, and there are a lot of them, don't get any use but they are worth more than double or more than what I paid for them and they stop the tool box from blowing away in the breeze.

So my advice is.......get the one you like best.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

Why not make a few, to see what you like and don't like.

The only downside to this is that you may need a plane to make a plane, but you can use plywood for the first one, and take it from there.



It's next on my list, after all the other things that have to be done, obviously.

 

[--Tom--]

Thing with making one is if you don’t know what a good plane feels like it’s hard to tune it to perform well

 

[JobandKnock]

Thing with making one is if you don’t know what a good plane feels like it’s hard to tune it to perform well

Which is a very good reason to get something like a Quangsheng or Wood River as a first plane. They are a lot cheaper than an equivalent L-N, Clifton or Veritas and whilst not as near perfection as the top brands they are IMHO a step up in quality from what Record or Stanley were offering when I started out in the 1970s. Old planes, like old cars, are a gamble - you don't know how they have been treated and how much they've been "restored", and lacking experience it can be allbut impossible to tell if you are being offered a dog. At least with a QS/WR plane you are starting off with a plane which will work and work well straight out of the box, other than maybe needing the iron honing

 

[Jimmy69]

Now thinking about a Veritas LA jack. That escalated quickly

 

[Adam W.]

They are a baitch to sharpen, as the blades are very hard and chip easily. Which is why mine's only used for ballast.

 

[--Tom--]

For a first plane I wouldn’t go low angle, they have a narrower specialism and in my experience most of the time a typical angle is what I reach for

 

[Jimmy69]

Now thinking about a Veritas LA jack. That escalated quickly

I have the option to buy this LA veritas for a good price but the owner said he hit a shotgun pellet with it, hence the marking. Will it cause problems in everyday use?

 

[Jimmy69]

I should add that I'm not adverse to Japanese either.

 

[--Tom--]

Looks largely cosmetic, may need a smooth over as scrapes can make ridges that then mark the work

 

[Orraloon]

Feel with your finger if its scratched or not. A led pellet should not have harmed it but best to be sure thats what it was. That said a scratch here and there will not alter its overall performance but you may be able to talk the price down some more.
Regards
John

 

[Dangermouse 2nd]

One plane isnt going to hack it, you need a block plane, a no4 and a no5, to be able to even do simple things. I'd go for good old Record planes on ebay or bootsales.

 

[Adam W.]

I have the option to buy this LA veritas for a good price but the owner said he hit a shotgun pellet with it, hence the marking. Will it cause problems in everyday use?View attachment 114042

Looks like he's planed screws, not shotgun pellets.

 

[Jacob]

Looks like he's planed screws, not shotgun pellets.

"Malleable" steel seems to mean softer steel. I did the same on a Clifton - very deep scratch - nail that is not a soft bit of lead! Luckily, being malleable and hence soft, it was easy to remove with some wet n dry.

 

[Adam W.]

Yes, well, I did it twice. Once with a LN no.8 over a bit of gravel and once with a LN no.51. Brand new, straight out of the box and straight over a screw ChufK!!!!

Now I do a sweep with the palm of my hand if I dare get them out of the box.

Managed to minimise it on the 51...

And I never bothered with it on the No. 8