Plane fun

[Richie555]

After learning so much from my Vintage chisel thread, I decided to do the same with planes. The difference is it will include new as well as vintage planes. I'm looking for information on types, techniques or anything interesting plane related. You can even show off a particular plane or an entire collection.

I'll start the ball rolling with bog standard no 4.

 

[Richie555]

Yesterday I picked this Record no. 78 rebate plane. It was made between 1930 and 1955. Sadly its missing the fence arm and screw to hold the fence in place. If anyone can point me in the direction of the parts I need I would be very grateful.

 

[D_W]

Well, if you learn to use the cap iron on stanley planes (And older English wooden planes), you'll likely not need that many of them and you'll be far more productive.

Using them enough to be able to sharpen and set them quickly (take apart, sharpen, reset cap iron, set plane to initial cut depth) is important to develop. The rest is just details. Sometimes they'll count, and sometimes they'll (the details) not make much of a difference, but that's to be figured out by viewing results more so than asking folks for their thoughts.

My experience having planed four figures in board feet of wood from rough is that if you're going to use dried lumber, english double iron jack, wooden try plane (english type is my preference, but continental types for this and the jack are also fine) and stanley 4 for smoothing is as good as it will get.

For folks who really don't want to know much about what's going on, success is more immediate with premium planes, but they're (the heavier premium planes) easier to put aside once you start planing greater amounts in volume, and once you're swift with a core set of planes, they'll offer you no benefit over standard tools. I went with expensive tools first and went back toward vintage types over time - not because they're more accurate out of the box, but because they are less physical work to use to get to the same working standard.

A metal jointer is a nice thing to add with the above set.

 

[Richie555]

Well, if you learn to use the cap iron on stanley planes (And older English wooden planes), you'll likely not need that many of them and you'll be far more productive.

Using them enough to be able to sharpen and set them quickly (take apart, sharpen, reset cap iron, set plane to initial cut depth) is important to develop. The rest is just details. Sometimes they'll count, and sometimes they'll (the details) not make much of a difference, but that's to be figured out by viewing results more so than asking folks for their thoughts.

My experience having planed four figures in board feet of wood from rough is that if you're going to use dried lumber, english double iron jack, wooden try plane (english type is my preference, but continental types for this and the jack are also fine) and stanley 4 for smoothing is as good as it will get.

For folks who really don't want to know much about what's going on, success is more immediate with premium planes, but they're (the heavier premium planes) easier to put aside once you start planing greater amounts in volume, and once you're swift with a core set of planes, they'll offer you no benefit over standard tools. I went with expensive tools first and went back toward vintage types over time - not because they're more accurate out of the box, but because they are less physical work to use to get to the same working standard.

A metal jointer is a nice thing to add with the above set.

Thank you for the advise, I was considering a no 5 1/2 next and maybe leave it at that. There is a second hand Stanley no 6 in pretty good condition going for £35 in a small local tool shop. Would you be advising I looked at that instead.

 

[D_W]

nearly the same plane except the 6 would be a little better at jointing (and is capable of jointing just about anything you'll make short of conference tables).

If you find good vintage planes in good shape and you don't want to do significant work to make them perfect, you can get a few and just keep the one that works best.

I have had a sinful number of tools, but they get put aside if I have to make something. I wouldn't be surprised if that means sorting through more than a hundred planes, half a thousand chisels, a hundred carving tools, and probably at least 400 sharpening stones.

i eventually gave in to the idea that i don't want to make furniture, I want to make tools, but I will still make furniture. I can't make a more practical smoother than a stanley 4 - it will plane anything if learning to use it, and if wanting to make that genius design do extremely precise work, it takes usually nothing more than cleaning up the front edge of the cap iron and making sure the bottom is flat or biased out of flatness the right way.

So, I'd have no objection to the idea of buying a few and using the ones you like best.

(I like to make guitars, too, but as with tools, if you become a maker of either, you will soon have a problem with stuff sitting around.)

 

[Jameshow]

Thank you for the advise, I was considering a no 5 1/2 next and maybe leave it at that. There is a second hand Stanley no 6 in pretty good condition going for £35 in a small local tool shop. Would you be advising I looked at that instead.

Definitely.

If it's not cracked or worn very thin I'd snap it up!

If you don't like it I'll buy it off you....

Cheers James

 

[Jacob]

Thank you for the advise, I was considering a no 5 1/2 next and maybe leave it at that. There is a second hand Stanley no 6 in pretty good condition going for £35 in a small local tool shop. Would you be advising I looked at that instead.

Bargain for a 6 but 5 1/2 is more useful and regarded as the single plane of first choice by many.
I doubt you'd get parts easily for a 78 but they do crop up. It's still very useful without them, which is probably why they are often found that way.

 

[Richie555]

nearly the same plane except the 6 would be a little better at jointing (and is capable of jointing just about anything you'll make short of conference tables).

If you find good vintage planes in good shape and you don't want to do significant work to make them perfect, you can get a few and just keep the one that works best.

I have had a sinful number of tools, but they get put aside if I have to make something. I wouldn't be surprised if that means sorting through more than a hundred planes, half a thousand chisels, a hundred carving tools, and probably at least 400 sharpening stones.

i eventually gave in to the idea that i don't want to make furniture, I want to make tools, but I will still make furniture. I can't make a more practical smoother than a stanley 4 - it will plane anything if learning to use it, and if wanting to make that genius design do extremely precise work, it takes usually nothing more than cleaning up the front edge of the cap iron and making sure the bottom is flat or biased out of flatness the right way.

So, I'd have no objection to the idea of buying a few and using the ones you like best.

(I like to make guitars, too, but as with tools, if you become a maker of either, you will soon have a problem with stuff sitting around.)

I`m still building my kit, I have a little more than the basic kit. Some power tools and some hand tools. Until this year I was finding it difficult to use the planes, after quite a bit of fettling I now find it easier. I too aspire to build guitars although that's a little beyond my skill level yet.
I have made a Telecaster template and have some Ash seasoning at the moment. I will make the body for now and use a bought neck and then attempt a neck when my skills have improved. I time I will buy the specialist luthier tools, for now I will continue reading up, watching videos and asking advise from those that have the skills.
I wont be getting quite as many tools as you though but it must be an impressive sight nonetheless.

 

[toolsntat]

How about a wedge notching plane Richie ?

Used to "gang" cut the first part of moulding plane wedges....
Cheers Andy

 

[mikej460]

There's a very nice No. 6 on Facebook for £65 only 1/2hr away from me but I've got a Clifton No. 5 which will do me - very tempting though...

 

[Jameshow]

Bargain for a 6 but 5 1/2 is more useful and regarded as the single plane of first choice by many.
I doubt you'd get parts easily for a 78 but they do crop up. It's still very useful without them, which is probably why they are often found that way.

Will not the copy 78 bars and fence fit a genuine Stanley 78???

You can pick then up for £20.

Stainless steel rails are available on eBay too.

Cheers James

 

[baldkev]

Ive got a couple of 4s, a couple of 5 1/2s, 3 block planes and a record 077a.... the 077a is my favourite to look at, very well made bit of kit and mine was a war department issue.
Ive also got a (dusty) L.N no4 which i have probably only used twice ive had it for about 20 years!

 

[D_W]

How about a wedge notching plane Richie ?

Used to "gang" cut the first part of moulding plane wedges....
Cheers Andy

View attachment 118737View attachment 118738

well, I'd never even considered that and will be making one of those. I've always cut the finial with a coping saw and then chiseled and scraped it to final finish knowing that at some point I"ll make a larger set of planes than a pair of H&Rs at a time and will want to make the wedge stock in a block and the resaw into wedges.

Thanks for that! May not be a great idea for a beginner, but it's dandy for a planemaker.

 

[rob1693]

This is one of my favourite planes a wm marples technical jack bought for £1

 

[Richie555]

Will not the copy 78 bars and fence fit a genuine Stanley 78???

You can pick then up for £20.

Stainless steel rails are available on eBay too.

Cheers James

I was hoping they would fit but didn`t know for sure.

 

[Ttrees]

I`m still building my kit, I have a little more than the basic kit. Some power tools and some hand tools. I will buy the specialist luthier tools, for now I will continue reading up, watching videos and asking advise from those that have the skills.
I wont be getting quite as many tools as you though but it must be an impressive sight nonetheless.

I might add that the old tools are only going to go up in value, whereas the luthier tools you might wish to buy will likely be dropping or staying put and always available.
Best keep an eye on something if you think not, but for all the rest, a lot of gimics are offered.

Before I found this forum, say a decade ago, I was considering buying much more of the stu mac stuff, and I have a toolbox with a lot of it at the folks which hasn't been opened in years!
Most of the things which were on my wish list are no longer on my radar, for instance a chisel can make up for a lot of things in that magazine.
Special kerf saws for the fret slots I thought were needed, lol !

A lot of these things become much simpler and surer when you have the basic skills and knowledge like a saw set for instance, that wee tool is about a tenner, and can set a saw so you're 24 thou or whatever it is, (been a while) will be a perfect match to the fretwire, rather than splashing out on a rebadged English saw which is same quality without the logo.

Much better having skills instead of being stu mac tooled up and none the wiser.
Likely I'm preaching to the converted, as you've found this place.
Just mentioning incase you might have a split decision on a box of tools with red tape, and a hefty customs bill, or some stuff which would likely serve you a whole lot better for the next while.

As with any plane the obvious things, hairline cracks in casting, chips around mouth, a thin sole is to be avoided, especially with a longer plane.
Daecent bit of life (full length) left in the cutter hopefully, and no damage to the handles is nice, but wouldn't be the deal breaker for me.

That plane would make for a nice tool for shooting with if its in good nick, should you have a calling for acoustics.

 

[Orraloon]

This is one of my favourite planes a wm marples technical jack bought for £1View attachment 118741

I spent a while on the lookout for one of those as that was the plane we used at school woodwork. Finally found a decent looking one on ebay and even with a couple of worm holes I still got it. Gave it 10 days in the freezer to make sure the beasties were not going to be a problem. I find it a very handy plane.
Regards
John

 

[clogs]

D_W
Sir, ur wife must be like mine....very tollerant of my excess's....
Sure be lost without her.....and she's a good'un in the workshop.....

 

[Richie555]

I might add that the old tools are only going to go up in value, whereas the luthier tools you might wish to buy will likely be dropping or staying put and always available.
Best keep an eye on something if you think not, but for all the rest, a lot of gimics are offered.

Before I found this forum, say a decade ago, I was considering buying much more of the stu mac stuff, and I have a toolbox with a lot of it at the folks which hasn't been opened in years!
Most of the things which were on my wish list are no longer on my radar, for instance a chisel can make up for a lot of things in that magazine.
Special kerf saws for the fret slots I thought were needed, lol !

A lot of these things become much simpler and surer when you have the basic skills and knowledge like a saw set for instance, that wee tool is about a tenner, and can set a saw so you're 24 thou or whatever it is, (been a while) will be a perfect match to the fretwire, rather than splashing out on a rebadged English saw which is same quality without the logo.

Much better having skills instead of being stu mac tooled up and none the wiser.
Likely I'm preaching to the converted, as you've found this place.
Just mentioning incase you might have a split decision on a box of tools with red tape, and a hefty customs bill, or some stuff which would likely serve you a whole lot better for the next while.

As with any plane the obvious things, hairline cracks in casting, chips around mouth, a thin sole is to be avoided, especially with a longer plane.
Daecent bit of life (full length) left in the cutter hopefully, and no damage to the handles is nice, but wouldn't be the deal breaker for me.

That plane would make for a nice tool for shooting with if its in good nick, should you have a calling for acoustics.

Thank you for the information. I already have tool for shaping and cutting out necks, I was thinking specifically of gauges to mark out where the frets go. I will eventually make jigs for routing truss rod cavities when I am ready to make my first neck. I was also thinking I needed fret files. It looks like I maybe picking up another plane sooner than I thought lol.

 

[6x4]

How about a wedge notching plane Richie ?

Used to "gang" cut the first part of moulding plane wedges....
Cheers Andy

View attachment 118737View attachment 118738

How about a wedge notching plane Richie ?

View attachment 118737View attachment 118738

Ooh Andy, you’ve gone straight through ‘special interest’ and out the other side with that.

Anyway, I was trying to work out the front half, looks like a nicker but is it just hammer set, no wedge?

Cheers
Phil