New hand planes?

[Graham Orm]

I have 1 new and numerous old. My fave is a Stanley #5 with plastic handles, followed by my #6 Quang Sheng. I've had several #5 Stanleys and have worked hard to get them all fettled. Only this one is as good as I would like. The QS was second hand and the seller said he'd done extensive work to flatten the sole, so not perfect from the box. However it cuts beautifully now. Come to think of it, I probably like the QS as much as the Stanley, but the Stanley has character ;-)

 

[deema]

A decent set of bench planes that IMO covering what ever you need is a 41/2, 51/3 and a 6. They all have the same sized iron so have interchangeable parts. If you need a different pitch of Frog it fits all planes assuming you have purchased all the same make / vintage.
A No4 is what I carry when on site fitting stuff, the reason, it's light and since I'm fitting rather than making it does everything I could possibly want.

I would always recommend anyone new or beginning woodwork to buy as their first plane either a Clifton, Lie Neilson or a Lie Valley plane probably a 51/2 as their first plane. The reason for this is that you will know for certain that it it is properly tuned and setup, anything that's not going right when your planing is therefore down to technique. This allows you to learn how to use a plane safe in the knowledge that there is nothing wrong with the tool. Once you have mastered the plane, you can should you wish then buy vintage and be able to compare a secondhand plane with your 'reference plane' this enables you to know how good or bad a vintage plane is and also to compare it to something as you tune it up. All in all IMO one top class plane is a really good investment.

 

[David C]

The notion that a 4 1/2 or 5 1/2 is hard to push seems missguided.

Who says the shavings must be full width?

Camber is a very useful technique, particularly for squaring edges, setting and avoiding tracks.

My experience is that a tuned up 5 1/2 can both straighten and smooth, it makes a wonderful first plane.

David Charlesworth

 

[sploo]

I would always recommend anyone new or beginning woodwork to buy as their first plane either a Clifton, Lie Neilson or a Lie Valley plane probably a 51/2 as their first plane. The reason for this is that you will know for certain that it it is properly tuned and setup, anything that's not going right when your planing is therefore down to technique. This allows you to learn how to use a plane safe in the knowledge that there is nothing wrong with the tool. Once you have mastered the plane, you can should you wish then buy vintage and be able to compare a secondhand plane with your 'reference plane' this enables you to know how good or bad a vintage plane is and also to compare it to something as you tune it up. All in all IMO one top class plane is a really good investment.

I must admit that was my intention, but I've just ended up buying old ones from fleaBay. At one tenth of the price of a Clifton it's been worth the punt, but I must admit I'd love to justify the expense.

Paul Sellers' videos and writings on setting up a plane are very useful BTW.

 

[G S Haydon]

It sounds like you are preparing the wood by hand? If that is the case buying heavy metal planes with thick non laminated tool steel irons will be of little use. Stick with the wooden jack, try and find a good wooden try plane and stick with a Stanley smoother in stock trim.

I've bought an AX Rider 4 1/2 and will do a review shortly. Just as a heads up I'm personally not convinced by the direction they've taken the Rider bench planes. Other things such as the small router plane and the 3 in 1 shoulder plane still interest me.

The modern heavy metal planes could be of use as a panel plane or a really nice smoother only but the reality is they wont give a surface better than a Bailey with a stock iron.

 

[worn thumbs]

The notion that a 4 1/2 or 5 1/2 is hard to push seems missguided.

Who says the shavings must be full width?

Camber is a very useful technique, particularly for squaring edges, setting and avoiding tracks.

My experience is that a tuned up 5 1/2 can both straighten and smooth, it makes a wonderful first plane.

David Charlesworth[/quote


There seems to be a tacit acknowledgement that the shavings are unlikely to be full width.So why would you drag the extra weight around?If you don't need a wide shaving,its easier to use a narrower plane and less tiring.Camber on a jack plane is the accepted practice,less so on a smoother.For solely bench work,a 5 1/2 may make sense.For an only plane I would take a No 4 any time.

 

[custard]

My experience is that a tuned up 5 1/2 can both straighten and smooth, it makes a wonderful first plane.

It makes a pretty good last plane as well!

 

[custard]

There seems to be a tacit acknowledgement that the shavings are unlikely to be full width.So why would you drag the extra weight around?If you don't need a wide shaving,its easier to use a narrower plane and less tiring.Camber on a jack plane is the accepted practice,less so on a smoother.For solely bench work,a 5 1/2 may make sense.For an only plane I would take a No 4 any time.

The shavings width on a smoother will be as wide as you get them on whatever plane you have, consistent with achieving a feathered edge to minimise any planing tracks on the workpiece.

With a shaving thickness of only 1-1.5 thou there's not much effort involved in pushing a smoother. Consequently I've always found the extra width of a 4 1/2 or 5 1/2 to be an advantage on a smoother as it results in fewer strokes being needed to cover the workpiece and fewer planing tracks. However, we're all responsible for our own furniture making, so if a 04 smoother suits you and your work then that's pretty much the end of the matter!

 

[Jelly]

There seems to be a tacit acknowledgement that the shavings are unlikely to be full width.So why would you drag the extra weight around?If you don't need a wide shaving,its easier to use a narrower plane and less tiring.Camber on a jack plane is the accepted practice,less so on a smoother.For solely bench work,a 5 1/2 may make sense.For an only plane I would take a No 4 any time.

The shavings width on a smoother will be as wide as you get them on whatever plane you have, consistent with achieving a feathered edge to minimise any planing tracks on the workpiece.

With a shaving thickness of only 1-1.5 thou there's not much effort involved in pushing a smoother. Consequently I've always found the extra width of a 4 1/2 or 5 1/2 to be an advantage on a smoother as it results in fewer strokes being needed to cover the workpiece and fewer planing tracks. However, we're all responsible for our own furniture making, so if a 04 smoother suits you and your work then that's pretty much the end of the matter!

I think you may have hit the nail on the head there...

I don't expect or want to get a full width, full length shaving from my Smoother, if I am either I've already smoothed it as well as that plane will allow or I'm taking material off and a fine set Jack or panel plane would be better.

The only time I find it desirable to get a full width shaving from my (coffin) smoother is taking a fine shaving off a component to tidy up after morticing or remove pencil marks just prior to assembly.

 

[shed9]

In regards to the original question of whether there were decent new planes available. There are the obvious LN clones from;

http://www.workshopheaven.com/tools/Qua ... lanes.html
http://www.rutlands.co.uk/pp+woodworkin ... nes+b09000
http://woodworkersworkshop.co.uk/epages ... /WoodRiver

and similar fare from;

https://www.dictum.com/en/tools/woodwor ... ick-planes

and of course DS is another source;

http://www.fine-tools.com/hobel.html

I'm a fairly recent plane convert and have a good range of Vintage Stanleys (mostly Type 9, 10 and 11's), A fair few LN's and LV's and several QS's (LN's win hands down IMO for what it's worth).

My £0.02 in buying a new one? I can see the difference in tools comparative to cost; you simply get more tool the more money you lay down - I appreciate this is not a universal opinion but it's mine based on my real world experience.

Buy the best you can afford and enjoy it.

 

[Shrubby]

Ulmia still sell planes -I like the Reform smoother enough to have bought a second for work. My 1930s model now has an easier life at home
Matt

 

[sploo]

and similar fare from;

https://www.dictum.com/en/tools/woodwor ... ick-planes

Right, let's get out your ****. Start with a No 4; I know it's only a little ****.

Now swipe your **** over your wood several times. If you're having trouble getting a straight edge... you might need a bigger ****.

Ahem. Sorry. I couldn't resist.

My £0.02 in buying a new one? I can see the difference in tools comparative to cost; you simply get more tool the more money you lay down - I appreciate this is not a universal opinion but it's mine based on my real world experience.

Buy the best you can afford and enjoy it.

Can you quantify the more tool for your money comment? Better build quality, better feel, better finish (on workpieces)?

 

[shed9]

My £0.02 in buying a new one? I can see the difference in tools comparative to cost; you simply get more tool the more money you lay down - I appreciate this is not a universal opinion but it's mine based on my real world experience.

Buy the best you can afford and enjoy it.

Can you quantify the more tool for your money comment? Better build quality, better feel, better finish (on workpieces)?

In my opinion, a Lie Nielsen is far better engineered and feels better to handle comparative to the QS's of this world. A LN will work out of the box and if it has any rough edges (which is highly unlikely) a new one will be exchanged without question.

I will generally grab an LN when there is one to hand because they just feel better.

 

[Hatherton_wood]

Even so LN's too can have their faults - the yokes on the bench planes in particularly are often roughly finished. Woodriver versions from QS are not that far away really. What I find strange is the use of a wheel for tightening down the cap on the block planes by LN and Veritas - that was used on Stanley's cheapest planes and a fiddle to get the same pressure each time.. Its nice to see Woodriver/QS bring back the knuckle jointed lever cap - always my favorite on Record block planes.

 

[G S Haydon]

and similar fare from;

https://www.dictum.com/en/tools/woodwor ... ick-planes

Right, let's get out your ****. Start with a No 4; I know it's only a little ****.

Now swipe your **** over your wood several times. If you're having trouble getting a straight edge... you might need a bigger ****.

Ahem. Sorry. I couldn't resist.

I find my **** hard to get into a sock? Any other storage tips? :ho2

 

[Jelly]

and similar fare from;

https://www.dictum.com/en/tools/woodwor ... ick-planes

Right, let's get out your ****. Start with a No 4; I know it's only a little ****.

Now swipe your **** over your wood several times. If you're having trouble getting a straight edge... you might need a bigger ****.

Ahem. Sorry. I couldn't resist.

I find my **** hard to get into a sock? Any other storage tips? :ho2

Whilst we're on off colour puns...

 

[sploo]

I find my **** hard to get into a sock? Any other storage tips? :ho2

Ah. You need to wax your ****.

Whilst we're on off colour puns...

Old but still genius. Sadly it misses the final warning: do not apply to p****.

 

[G S Haydon]

Well I use baby oil to hone, a splash or two of that on my............

 

[Carl P]

This may have been covered in other posts, but which do you find enhances your experience the most, a cap set right to the tip, or a nice tight mouth?

Cheerio,

Carl

 

[sploo]

This may have been covered in other posts, but which do you find enhances your experience the most, a cap set right to the tip, or a nice tight mouth?

Cheerio,

Carl

Assuming that's not another **** gag...

IRC Sellers indicates cap set around 1/32" from iron tip, and adjusting the mouth for different woods (e.g. small mouth for difficult grain). I guess you'd have the cap further back for a convex ground blade being used in a scrub plane (and a large mouth opening too), but that's beyond my level of experience.