Hand router plane...

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The Hongdui plane looks very nice, but it is just a standard router plane with a nice depth stop and height adjuster.

IMO This looks much more interesting:



That's the Woodpecker version. However there looks to be a very similar Blue Spruce Toolworks plane entering the market too:



More expensive tool, but something a little different to the standard. They look to be modelled on the old Preston design rather than the more standard Stanley.

113898a_48dff92f-7fda-4019-9975-5d2e618175bc_1200x.jpg
 
The Hongdui plane looks very nice, but it is just a standard router plane with a nice depth stop and height adjuster.

IMO This looks much more interesting:



That's the Woodpecker version. However there looks to be a very similar Blue Spruce Toolworks plane entering the market too:



More expensive tool, but something a little different to the standard. They look to be modelled on the old Preston design rather than the more standard Stanley.

113898a_48dff92f-7fda-4019-9975-5d2e618175bc_1200x.jpg

They’ll be good, but they’re about twice the price of the Hongdui/KM.
 
Blue Spruce version is currently $230 ($270 RRP) on their site. Woodpeck looks to be the same price. Hongdui is $140 ($300 RRP). So more expensive but not twice the price. As @pe2dave says - you get what you pay for. TBH I think $230 is a good price. It's comparable to the Veritas large router.

As I see it the cost problem at the moment is that no one seems to be selling them this side of the pond - so the shipping cost is likely to bump up the cost significantly.

I'd also add, I think the Hongdui is a good buy. If I wanted a Stanley style router it would be at the top of my list.

But I have two Stanley stype planes already. What I like about the Blue Spruce/Woodpecker ones is the versatility. The wide base and facility to hang the cutter off the edge at different orientations.

The Hongdui is good - I just don't think it is as innovative as the Blue Spuce / Woodpecker plane (though even that looks to have roots in the Preston design.
 
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