First block plane advice

[ED65]

@Mr_P A fiver! Bloody good deal someone got there.

@TomP That looks in nice nick but it's on for top money. Also not that early or the knob and adjustment wheel would be brass, so I think that means the "vintage" in the description is pushing it a bit.

 

[RossJarvis]

@Mr_P A fiver! Bloody good deal someone got there.

@TomP That looks in nice nick but it's on for top money. Also not that early or the knob and adjustment wheel would be brass, so I think that means the "vintage" in the description is pushing it a bit.

It doesn't have side grip recesses, does that mean anything?

 

[richarddownunder]

Well, since LN has been mentioned a couple of times, thought I'd address the balance!

 

[shed9]

To add to the discussion, I have several LN and QS block planes. They are different in quality (clearly) but QS is certainly worth the asking price in my opinion and gives LN a good run for their money.

I it were me in the position of the OP right now, I'd get the best you can afford and aim for a QS. Rutlands have a 12% off and zero delivery charge this weekend however this seems to make more sense in getting the 2 plane bundle for £87 (as you effectively get a 2nd plane for £18).

Also be aware that QS comes in different flavours. Different sellers will sell them under slightly different names with differing quality.

 

[worn thumbs]

I recommend a slightly different approach to most of the fans of a particular brand.Have a look at a few car boot sales or on ebay and find a reasonably tidy plane;it is much better if it has an adjustable mouth and lateral adjuster.You may well need to grind and sharpen a used plane,but you will eventually have to do the same for any plane,so no big deal to get it out of the way early.If you strike lucky and get a plane that does what you want you can get on with some woodworking.If there are aspects you don't like have another look at the cheap sources and seek something a little different,repeat until satisfied.The cost can be kept under control if you sell off the example(s) you didn't like.If you then feel that a new,shiny,expensive plane is the only possible choice,it will at least be an informed decision and not just the magpie tendency.

 

[MIGNAL]

The Rutlands is a QS. It's where I got mine. The quality is very good, no doubt about it. Actually I've just had another look at mine and it's the higher angle block plane. I guess I have all the bases covered: The QS, the Stanley 60 1/2, Stanley 102 and the Veritas apron. How many block planes does a man need?

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

I know that this is far more than the OP budgeted, but one of my favourite block planes is a LN #103. This is the standard angle (20 degree bed). Mine is a little modified - I closed up the mouth, which lowered the cutting angle to 19 degrees

This is a small block plane. It has a fixed mouth, however I have never felt the need for an adjustable mouth, even with a 60 1/2. The advantage of the higher bed is that it is less susceptible to tear out. It cuts end grain just about as well as the low angle version (#102).

Here's the point of this post: most seem to seek a low angle block plane, since this does better on end grain. However, most of the use I find is on edge or even face grain. A higher cutting angle is preferred here. The #102's blade has a 25 degree bevel, which creates a common cutting angle (45 degrees), the same as a Stanley #4. The same blade on a 12 degree bed creates a 37 degree cutting angle. Increase the bevel to 33 degrees, and you achieve the same cutting angle. But who does this?

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[custard]

Increase the bevel to 33 degrees, and you achieve the same cutting angle. But who does this?

I do and I always assumed most people kept a second (or third) blade honed at different angles? Certainly in workshops I've worked in it's been common practise for a craftsman to have a selection of plane irons; different cambers, different bevel angles on BU planes, back bevels etc. Saves space and money versus loads of planes cluttering up the place. Alan Peters had a big bag of standard Record plane irons for his one bench plane, he'd sharpen them all up in the morning to the same pattern and just swap them out as the day progressed, personally I enjoy a little sharpening break but I can understand his logic.

 

[Dan j]

+1 for QS. There are various companies that sell them under their own brand name.
Or i'd try and find a second hand Stanley 60 1/2. The sole and the sides were better ground than they are now.
The low angle is worth having, because they are smaller its easier to use one handed. As well being best for end grain work.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

I love my old Stanley 60 1/2
I also have a QS LA block (with three blades at different angles - 25/38/50 deg) which I like very much (it is noticeably heavier than the Stanley 601/2, but often this is no bad thing). I sometimes find myself using the block plane like a smoother (a sort of LA No. 3 ?).
I think that the QS planes from Workshop Heaven are generally to a slightly better, and probably more recent spec., than the Rutland QS ones.
I believe that the Axi Rider planes (good but not as good as QS, but perfectly useable) are made in India (by Soba tools) not in China
I also have a QS rebate block - which is useful in slightly different situation from the normal block, but I still haven't learned not to cut myself on the exposed blade corners!

Cheers, W2S

 

[NickN]

I have yet to buy a block plane, don't own one, and have so far been very tempted by the Axminster Rider 60 1/2 Deluxe:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ri ... ane-506556

More expensive than a second hand Stanley or Record though. Would be interested to know if anyone here has used one... but don't want to hijack the thread.

 

[AndyT]

There are reviews of the earlier, non deluxe Axminster 60 1/2 in the hand tool reviews Sticky which might help.

hand-tool-review-links-t69183.html

Also several other block planes reviewed by members.

 

[ED65]

The #102's blade has a 25 degree bevel, which creates a common cutting angle (45 degrees), the same as a Stanley #4. The same blade on a 12 degree bed creates a 37 degree cutting angle. Increase the bevel to 33 degrees, and you achieve the same cutting angle. But who does this?

This was precisely the reason I recommended a low-angle block plane, as was recommended to me prior to getting one. That you can by using a spare iron honed to a different angle effectively have a very different plane in your hand gives great versatility, and obviously with a big saving versus buying two planes.

I never managed to get a second iron for my low-angle block (it would have cost more than the plane, even without P&P) and eventually picked up a Stanley 9 1/2 for less than the iron would have cost me anyway. On that one I wanted it to be a tearout-fighting specialist so I gave it a bevel well above 33°. I bet it could chew up snakewood and not bat an eyelid

As for the adjustable mouth I find it vital to achieving best results on long grain, with a distinct improvement in the surface produced using either plane where there's reversing grain. Obviously this is most pronounced with the 60 1/2 but there's often a marked difference using the 9 1/2 which I was surprised at given the very high effective angle. So I consider it a must-have if you're intending to use it for finish planing, and you're fussy about your surfaces obvs.