Plane advice

[softtop]

I have only one plane - an ancient Stanley No 5. It sharpens up fine but it's really rather more of a rough and ready thing than a precision instrument.

I am looking for something to use for fine finishing so reckon a block plane is what I need (unless anyone wishes to tell me otherwise?).

My question is what should I buy?
1. Something old and cheap from ebay/car boot
2. Modern chaiwanese, e.g. qiangsheng
3. Modern Stanley
4. LN/Veritas
5. Something else

Clearly it would be nice not to spend a fortune but I'd welcome thoughts on what would be best. This is something I intend to use, not polish and put in a cabinet!

Many thanks,

Henry

 

[Jacob]

Stanley (or record) 5 is a very good plane. Don't give up on it too soon!
One simple option is a smoothcut blade for the no5. I got one - didn't particularly need it but wanted to see what the difference was. Seems good.
I also tried out various posh planes and settled on just one - the LV la smoother. Sometimes it does seem to have the edge on the smoothcut - but only just, and not always. Expensive - I'd be inclined to sell it on but I'm keeping it just in case. The adjuster is crap - nicely made but doesn't work very well at all.
Difficult to compare these things side by side, there are too many variables. The big issue is sharpening. It can make a huge difference even to a crap plane.

PS if it is just for getting woodwork done a good ROS is cheaper and a million times more effective than any of the posh smoothing planes.

PPS I don't see a block plane as a finishing plane - more a small one handed plane for general trimming, especially end grain on frames.

 

[Pvt_Ryan]

ouch those baldes are double the price I paid for any of my planes. :/

 

[bugbear]

One simple option is a smoothcut blade for the no5. I got one - didn't particularly need it but wanted to see what the difference was. Seems good.

Care to expand on that - what's good about it? Is it better (in what way...) than the LV blade, or the QS blade, Record laminated, or Whitmore (cheese!) blades you have?

I have the same Japanese blade (which only cost me 21 quid back then), and find it slightly prone to chipping, but takes a very fine edge, with good edge retention under wear. It's in a #4 used as a smoother.

BugBear

 

[softtop]

Thanks Jacob, and sorry if I wasn't clear - I am not unhappy with the No 5 and it does most things, but for instance I was trying to clean up some dovetails the other day and it's just not really nimble or fine enough for the job. Either that or I'm not able to manipulate it...

Ended up using the ROS.

 

[Jacob]

.......
Care to expand on that - what's good about it? Is it better (in what way...) than the LV blade, or the QS blade, Record laminated, or Whitmore (cheese!) blades you have?

Doing a lot of hand planing on some sapele with 3 or 4 planes to hand I ended up with the impression (it's very subjective) that the smoothcut kept an edge longer and cut better than Record blades, and sometimes cut better than the LV blade. How would you design a test?
One definite conclusion - Record planes much nicer and easier to use than the LV (better handles, lighter, better/finer adjustment, easier/quicker blade removal/replacement and easier sharpening)

I have the same Japanese blade (which only cost me 21 quid back then), and find it slightly prone to chipping, but takes a very fine edge, with good edge retention under wear. It's in a #4 used as a smoother.

BugBear

No chipping noticed particularly.

 

[bugbear]

.......
Care to expand on that - what's good about it? Is it better (in what way...) than the LV blade, or the QS blade, Record laminated, or Whitmore (cheese!) blades you have?

Doing a lot of hand planing on some sapele with 3 or 4 planes to hand I ended up with the impression (it's very subjective) that the smoothcut kept an edge longer and cut better than Record blades, and sometimes cut better than the LV blade.

Thank you. Do you have a LV replacement blade

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.a ... 43698&ap=1

or are you (in fact) talking about a complete LV plane?

How would you design a test?

I'd do the same as Steve Elliot!

http://bladetest.infillplane.com/

No chipping noticed particularly.

A steeper final bevel might well account for that.

BugBear

 

[the_g_ster]

Plane gives such a nice finish compared to a ROS if get it right.

ROS just grinds whereas a nice plane that's well set up and razor sharp cuts nicely and doesn't clog the pores of the wood with fine dust.

 

[bugbear]

Thanks Jacob, and sorry if I wasn't clear - I am not unhappy with the No 5 and it does most things, but for instance I was trying to clean up some dovetails the other day and it's just not really nimble or fine enough for the job. Either that or I'm not able to manipulate it...

Ended up using the ROS.

Ah - depending on your confidence and/or amount of practice, cleaning up dovetails is tricky, since you have to plane inwards from the ends, to avoid splitting.

This means you're doing most of the cut at (what would normally be...) the start of the stroke, which is famously tricky.

I would recommend persisting with your #5, since it has a longer toe than a #4 (the classic Bailey smoother).

I find a #5 much easier to start off nicely than a #4, even with the additional weight in the heel of the larger plane.

For finish cuts you (obviously?) need a nice fresh blade, set fine.

BugBear

 

[Jacob]

...

How would you design a test?

I'd do the same as Steve Elliot!

http://bladetest.infillplane.com/

,,,,

I wouldn't.
I'd think about a realistic performance test on real wood samples. This would include the full cycle - getting plane out of cupboard, sharpening etc - through to finished surfaces.
Elliot doesn't seem to have done anything like this (it might be in there somewhere but I haven't got all day!) so his results are meaningless.
He measures shavings in one section but makes no mention of surfaces. Maybe he doesn't know what planes are for, but he's not the only shavings enthusiast in toolyworld! :lol:
Pages of information but complete blank on the one thing that really matters.

 

[bugbear]

...

How would you design a test?

I'd do the same as Steve Elliot!

http://bladetest.infillplane.com/

,,,,

I wouldn't.
I'd think about a realistic performance test on real wood samples. This would include the full cycle - getting plane out of cupboard, sharpening etc - through to finished surfaces.
Elliot doesn't seem to have done anything like this (it might be in there somewhere but I haven't got all day!) so his results are meaningless.
He measures shavings in one section but makes no mention of surfaces. Maybe he doesn't know what planes are for, but he's not the only shavings enthusiast in toolyworld! :lol:
Pages of information but complete blank on the one thing that really matters.

Psst! Jacob! Your obsession is showing!

BugBear

 

[Jacob]

....
Psst! Jacob! Your obsession is showing!

BugBear

Which obsession is that then? So many obsessions, so little time!
Is it obsessive to want to know if a plane planes?