First plane

[quixoticgeek]

I left most of my tools behind when I moved, which included the cheapish B&Q's finest plane. I'm realising it's a tool I miss, but rather than just going to the local B&Q equivalent here, and dropping a small number of euros on the not quite cheapest plane they have. I'm thinking I should buy something of decent quality. But as a relative beginner to carpentry, I've no idea what I should be looking for.

My main restrictions are that I need to be able to buy it in the Netherlands (or for mail order delivery to .NL), and that I'd like it to fit in my tool box (335mm x 210mm).

What would be a good choice for a girls first plane? Is there one plane that covers most use cases? Or would I be best off looking at pair of complimentary planes?

Thanks

J

 

[Racers]

Well a No3 would be a good choice, a block plane No9 or the 60 1/2 low angle version.

A cheap wooden smoother is another option.

Pete

 

[AndyT]

Afaik, your best used tool dealer is Ducotools.
They seem to sell good old Stanley or equivalent at reasonable prices, eg https://www.ducotools.nl/?product=stanley-4-e37408

I suggest you contact them and ask for a good user (rather than a rare collectible).

I think a no 4 is a good first plane.

 

[quixoticgeek]

Well a No3 would be a good choice, a block plane No9 or the 60 1/2 low angle version.

A cheap wooden smoother is another option.

Pete

Please excuse my ignorance. But what does that mean?

Google suggests the following for a "60 1/2 low angle plane":
https://www.gereedschappro.nl/artikel/1 ... -60-5.html

For "block plane no9":

https://www.gereedschapcentrum.nl/stanl ... -40mm.html

But for no3 plane, I'm not getting a consistent clear result from google. Are these 2 what you meant? What would be a no3 ?

J

 

[Racers]

Hi J

Have a look here

http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0a.html

It will give you a idea of what all the numbers mean.

Pete

 

[quixoticgeek]

Hi J

Have a look here

http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0a.html

It will give you a idea of what all the numbers mean.

Pete

Ah, that makes a lot more sense now! thanks.

J

 

[Phil Pascoe]

You've opened a can of worms. I've a nice Stanley block plane ............I can't remember the last time I used it in the thirty years I've owned it. For a one off first plane I would pick a No. 5 1/2 every time, failing that a no.5. Longer planes can do the vast majority of what a short one can perfectly well, but not the other way around. if you are a beginner, it is also harder to plane straight edges with a short plane - there's nothing much in front of the cutting edge to help keep the plane flat.

 

[rafezetter]

You've opened a can of worms. I've a nice Stanley block plane ............I can't remember the last time I used it in the thirty years I've owned it. For a one off first plane I would pick a No. 5 1/2 every time, failing that a no.5. Longer planes can do the vast majority of what a short one can perfectly well, but not the other way around. if you are a beginner, it is also harder to plane straight edges with a short plane - there's nothing much in front of the cutting edge to help keep the plane flat.

But then the flip of that statement is "what projects is the OP considering this early in her woodworking career".

Yes 5 or 5 1/2 gets a lot of things done, IF said things are going to of a suitable size and user intends to go down the road of learning how to perpare her own stock from rough sawn.

Otherwise it could well be that a more common (and cheaper) #4 might work better, or even as Pete said a 60 1/2 or even..... a 220 which I prefer over a 9, but then I'm a guy with largish hands.

There's also the issue of strength, not being sexist, just a fact. Last year I spent a while showing and helping a swedish young woman (early 20's) to make a small crafts table - being slight of build, she had real trouble using a #4, let alone the wider bladed 4 1/2 I have, which also presents the same problem for the 5 1/2.

Quixoticgeek, if you could give us more info on the first few projects you intend, that might help us advise better

 

[sunnybob]

quote from original post

My main restrictions are that I need to be able to buy it in the Netherlands (or for mail order delivery to .NL), and that I'd like it to fit in my tool box (335mm x 210mm).

Gonna be tricky getting a No5 in there. :roll:
(admitted, thats a strange sized tool box 8) )

 

[Trevanion]

Nooitgedagt planes might be easier to find in the Netherlands than Stanleys or Records, I think they mostly made wood smoothers but they also had a run of decent metal planes.

I would agree with Pete, the No 03 would be an ideal choice for its compactness, ease of use and versatility.

 

[MikeG.]

quote from original post

My main restrictions are that I need to be able to buy it in the Netherlands (or for mail order delivery to .NL), and that I'd like it to fit in my tool box (335mm x 210mm).

Gonna be tricky getting a No5 in there. :roll:
(admitted, thats a strange sized tool box 8) )

First project: build a proper tool box!

 

[ED65]

If you're not looking for a high-end plane another of the B&Q planes wouldn't be a terrible choice. They're solid and the plastic handles aren't that cheap glossy stuff Stanley uses that breaks too easily and it's much more comfortable in the hand (once the mould lines are scraped off). About the only detracting point is that they're relatively heavy for a no. 4. If you don't get a lemon one of these can be tuned to work really quite nicely, although you shouldn't expect it to do fine work.

Is there one plane that covers most use cases? Or would I be best off looking at pair of complimentary planes?

There's definitely no one plane that covers most-use cases for everyone, each person is different both in their opinions on what's good/better/best and in what they actually need from a plane, a lot of which comes down to the scale of work they're doing.

If i were to start again from scratch the first two planes I'd get would be a no. 4 and a low-angle block plane as I found them early on, and still do, the most versatile of the planes I own for small-scale work. If I had to limit it to just one it would be the no. 4.

 

[sunnybob]

quote from original post

My main restrictions are that I need to be able to buy it in the Netherlands (or for mail order delivery to .NL), and that I'd like it to fit in my tool box (335mm x 210mm).

Gonna be tricky getting a No5 in there. :roll:
(admitted, thats a strange sized tool box 8) )

First project: build a proper tool box!

ah, but she needs a small plane now to build the bigger box for the bigger plane to go in :shock: (hammer) 8)

 

[Andy Kev.]

I'd second AndyT's recommendation of Ducotools for second hand planes in the Netherlands. They've got a nice selection of Record planes as well as the Stanleys.

I reckon that you're going to need a block plane plus whatever plane you settle on as your dogsbody plane. For most men that would probably be a Nr 5 or 5 1/2. However, it could be that that feels a bit big for some women, so you might want a Nr 4.