Quansheng No.4 Review/Impressions: Updated with pictures

[ByronBlack]

Well, after a bit of waiting, my QS No.4 arrived today. My initial impressions is 'wow'. For the money, the really have gone all out on the presentation.

The hardwood box is a really nice surprise, and is guarenteed to keep the tool save/rust free for quite some time.

It feels solid, and the overall quality of the castings and finish is very high. There are no real obvious areas that could require fettling or improving (casting).

Backlash seems minimal, I really like the shape of the handles and will not be changing these like a few others have, they seem to fit my hand really well.

The chipbreaker and blade are nice and thick, and flat.

Later on, I'll do some actual testing (I just received some Iroko for my deck chair build) and will post some pictures and more information on how I find the sharpening/fettling/flattening process.

If they perform as well as they look and feel, I think I've got a bargain and can see a small 'family' of QS planes breeding in my workshop in the near future.

 

[bugbear]

Later on, I'll do some actual testing (I just received some Iroko for my deck chair build)

Iroko is a good test ;-)

BugBear

 

[ByronBlack]

Later on, I'll do some actual testing (I just received some Iroko for my deck chair build)

Iroko is a good test ;-)

BugBear

That's what I thought. I had a few problems when I made a little Iroko side table using my old Records a while back and resorted to the ROS - it'll be a good comparison to see how this one holds up - I might try a back bevel and compare the results.

 

[bugbear]

Later on, I'll do some actual testing (I just received some Iroko for my deck chair build)

Iroko is a good test ;-)

BugBear

That's what I thought. I had a few problems when I made a little Iroko side table using my old Records a while back and resorted to the ROS - it'll be a good comparison to see how this one holds up - I might try a back bevel and compare the results.

If you're trying to do a QS vs Record test, don't do a high EP versus low EP test.

Apples and Oranges and all that.

BugBear

 

[ByronBlack]

BB - I will only be comparing the higher EP vs the low EP of the QS - I won't be comparing the Higher EP QS to the Record, as you rightly point out, it wouldn't be a comparable test.

 

[woodbloke]

I had a look at one at YOKB and was impressed...mucho bang for the buck :wink: - Rob

 

[OPJ]

I was also impressed with the rebating block plane during the Passaround, earlier this year. I can't compare it to the Lie-Nielsen as I've never even held one but I can't imagine the L-N can be that-much better... It's a shame they're out of stock at the moment otherwise, I'd buy one right now (they're ideal for cutting raised panels by hand! :wink.

 

[ByronBlack]

Ok, so this is a picture heavy post. I've just finished playing about with this for the last 4 or so hours - my conclusion at the end.

Received:

Testing the flatness of the sole - added some marker lines:

A few swipes across 3M 60micron film:

Lines all uniformely gone after just three swipes:

I then went onto to polish the sole - didn't take very long at all (5 or so mins).

Now to test the flatness of the back of the Iron - again, some marker lines added:

Three swipes on white 3m lapping film - all gone!:

I went on to polish the back using the ruler trick so easy and quick, took less than 5 minutes to get a mirror shine:

Time to hone a micro-bevel on the blade - this is my quick set jig:

Again, in absolutely no time at all - a beautiful mirrored bevel (30 degree):

Going straight in with some nasty Iroko:

Pretty Impressive:

All the interlocked grain is now gone leaving a polished silky finish:

Not impressed? How about some poorly bandsawn rock hard macassa ebony?

Here just a few swipes across one of the high-points - polished!

How about the shavings from some hard beech?

And finally - some rosewood (this wasn't in that bad a condition to start with):

Rosewood After:

Conclusion:

This is the singly most impressive hand-tool/plane I have purchased. With less than 20 minutes setting up, I was able to take shavings of the like I never achieved with hours of honing/fettling older stanley/records - including the ones on the bruce luckhurst course I attended.

For this money, I see absolutely no reason for me to spend more for an LN or a LV - IMO this is more impressive than either the LN or LV planes I have owned in terms of performance to cost.

I have not a single complaint about this plane, and I was expecting at least a few 'gotchas' - but there are none. It's super easy to adjust, the chipbreaker is excellent and required no fettling. The blade is thick and holds a great edge - after all the hardwoods I had tried it on, it was still sharp and cutting some nasty old chipboard edges with ease.

There will be undoubtedly a No.6 in my future. These are the heirloom quality hand-tools that I have always wanted, but were always too expensive to buy, but not anymore.

If you are undecided about buying one of these, don't hesitate, splash the cash today you won't be disappointed. I am one very happy bunny.

 

[woodbloke]

BB - nice review. As I said earlier, they're great bits of kit for the wonga. Handles is something that I'd replace later on but the ones supplied are perfectly adequate - Rob

 

[ByronBlack]

Rob - what is it about the handles you don't like? Is it the aesthetics? To use, I find them very comfortable - certainly more comfortable than an old Stanley No.5 I had that gave me terrible blisters during use. Looks-wise they are quite dull with no pattern, but thats fine with me, I guess it keeps the cost down a little.

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Thanks BB

Did you have any other planes to compare on the same woods, say a Stanley with a sharp blade? What about including a LN of the same model/configuration. These would be decent references for comparison.

While you went from this ...

... to this ...

.. I still see a great deal of tearout. Hardly "All the interlocked grain is now gone leaving a polished silky finish". What am I missing?

Not a criticism - this is a decent performance from a common pitch plane on interlocked wood, that is, I doubt you'd do much better without a higher pitch.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[ByronBlack]

Derek - I'm comparing against a Record using the same sharpening method - I don't have the plane anymore, but I couldn't get the same results.

In the photo of the Iroko, it's not the entire plank that I planed (didn't have time to do everything), and because I only took the photo with an iPhone, it's difficult to see the smooth polish finish.

I'd advise buying one for yourself and testing against your other collection of planes, you would undoubtedly do a much better test than I.

EDIT: When I get in this evening, I'll see if I can take a better shot of the Iroko to try and show the finish that was left - which is better than what can be seen in that photo. My lighting isn't great in the workshop, so some shots aren't as good as I hoped.

 

[woodbloke]

Rob - what is it about the handles you don't like? Is it the aesthetics?

I'm not sure if that dark colour is natural or whether it's much lighter underneath?... so one or two dings might show up the true colour. It's not critical, but I'd probably make a couple of handles to suit later on out of something like a bit of decentish mahog - Rob

 

[ByronBlack]

I can confirm that it is something lighter underneath - I scratched it a little and the lighter wood shows up.

 

[ByronBlack]

Derek: here is another test I did earlier on the Iroko.

First shot untouched:

Now planed:

I tried a seperate piece, and used a cabinet scraper - the results were the same but without the shine/polish which unfortunately doesn't show up too great on the phone camera.

As noted in the second picture, the tear-out is gone, and the board is perfectly smooth.

 

[neilc]

Very nice review BB. Veritas is my weakness but this provides plenty of food for thought in these tight times.
Neil

 

[OPJ]

That does look very good, from where I'm sitting.

By the way, if you have fluorescent lights in your workshop, try fitting daylight tubes instead of the bog-standard 'white' ones. They should make quite a difference, even if you don't have many of them. Of course, if you did want to add more lights, you could simply stick a plug on one end and operate them like that (no need to get an electrician involved!). :wink:

 

[ByronBlack]

Neil - I don't think you would be disapointed, and you could get two of these for the price of one veritas.

OPJ - I do have this on my tuit list. I've always had issues with the flourescent lights, and will eventually get round to using daylight bulbs.

 

[Jervisekken]

A couple of questions, Byron:

I don't quite get your blade flattening and sharpening procedure. Could you explain that in more detail, please? I use the David Charlesworth triple bevel method myself, but it seems you skip a few steps?

That 3M product you use for flattening seems interesting. Do you have any idea of how coarse it is, compared with ordinary sandpaper?

What do you use under that paper when flattening. It looks like MDF, but surely it can't be?

 

[jimi43]

Great review BB!

I take it that there is float glass over that MDF/Chipboard....?

I think I might go find a piece of IROKO...much though I hate it...want to do more tests with my iron tests on the halvers I restored. The only reverse grain stuff that I had was the mahogany and that didn't phase the irons but iroko is a different animal entirely!

I tend not to use the stuff because it irritates me intensely...same effect I get with Rockwool...I itch like hell using it.

Assume that is an Eclipse jig you have there...judging by the bottom photo...? It may be my eyesight or the reflection but has it skewed the microbevel a tad?

I have to get one of these...they make a No.3 don't they? I need a No.3 and that might just be the one to get. Everything else up to No.7 I have and I am satisfied with.


I am also getting some lapping film from Matt when I get around to it...

One last note...I absolutely hate that chrome bling cap...shame...if that was brushed it would be so much better and probably cheaper...(I know it makes no difference to the plane but I still don't like it...it cheapens it!)

Oh...and ALF made a superb job of taking the "Marmite" off the handles back to beautiful natural whitewood....I much preferred that look.


Jim