Second hand planes....

[rafezetter]

@thetyreman
I recommend watching Ttrees excellent video about flattening a No8 plane.
https://youtu.be/w_ux786ODwg

But seriously now, what causes the sole of a vintage hand plane not to be flat anymore? And also, why are the new fancy planes exempt from this?

I don't know if it's gospel, but I've read in several places that some of it might be down to the plane being stored for long periods (like decades unsused) with the lever cap tight as if in use - it said good practice is to store them with the lever cap slack - and with woodies, to take the pressure off the wedge out and just let it sit, which is what I do in both cases.

 

[veneerman]

My god you lot are like an information library!... Well i don't mind tinkering with stuff to be fair. But it has to be a reasonable amount as i love making and designing a lot more. I think i am going to take some advice from all the post. I'm gona splash on one plane. And try and get some good second hand ones to. Saws on the other hand i will buy new as i just cant justify the time refurbing old ones. And maybe a few Japanese ones. Although i will stick with western planes for now. Chisels seem pretty cheap for a starter set so i will go midrange and spend a bit more on decent sharpening stone (undecided on which yet) the info on getting a good flat pane is great as are the pictures of what to avoid (all great info) so thank you. I do want to make a bench and maybe a nice tool chest first. But i also want to practice before i mess up any decent timber. Cant say thanks enough for the time and effort for all your replies.

 

[ED65]

.... I put at least three coats of finish on my handles and frequently more, so finishing time can stretch to a week + in my case, but it's still no more than 10 minutes or so of actual work after the scraping/sanding to prep the wood.

Care to explain in more detail, the processes you employ? Thanks

Nothing strange or startling, all standard stuff. As much as possible I scrape away flaky old finish instead of sanding it off (usually faster and safer). I try to limit the amount of sanding, but I will frequently work on the grip portion of the rear handle to smooth the obvious step from flat to curve seen on many later handles, which necessitates sanding after the rasp and file work.

After the wood is prepped if I'm not staining I'll often apply BLO followed by the film finish.

If I'm using shellac after brushing on a couple of coats to body up, then switch to padding to finish off. I don't count coats but I can usually pad on three in an extended session so perhaps 10-12 applications total over a couple/few days. The padded coats are very very thin so this isn't a terribly thick layer of shellac.

If I'm using varnish it'll be applied as wiping varnish, so diluted as much as needed and then wiped or brushed on, excess wiped off. Rinse and repeat a few times. Average number of coats might be five but it varies with the season; ideal dilution is based on temp, so number of coats is higher in winter when I thin the varnish more.

I don't wax after either shellac or lacquer, that's pointless.

 

[ED65]

I'm gona splash on one plane.

Do yourself a huge favour and don't make this a low-angle jack 8)

 

[Osvaldd]

I'm gona splash on one plane.

Do yourself a huge favour and don't make this a low-angle jack 8)

tbh, I kinda want it.

https://youtu.be/fOpwhFlD38M

 

[ED65]

They're a solution to a problem that didn't exist Osvaldd. They also not as versatile as the sales blurbs (and the fanboys) claim.

 

[MalcolmT]

...
..... My pastime is woodwork, not tool fettling....

Tool fettling is the best way to get to know your tools. Same with woodwork as a whole - restoring/repairing/demolishing old woodwork is the best way to learn about it. And you learn a very different story from what you read in the books!
Flattening plane soles is very easy if you use thin paper backed coarse wet n dry 80grit, very wet (white spirit) on a flat surface. It sticks down very well and you work the plane up and down it. 2 sheets for big planes. If you do it against a straight board you get straight looking grinding which looks machine perfect! Doing it dry seems to dub over the edges and can spoil a chisel. Much slower too.
No need to polish - the sharpness of the coarse grit is blunted off very quickly - effectively polishing the high ridges of the scratches, which is all you need.

 

[MalcolmT]

They're a solution to a problem that didn't exist Osvaldd. They also not as versatile as the sales blurbs (and the fanboys) claim.

I bought one. Well you have to, there is so much pressure! Didn't like it at all and parted with it.

 

[Osvaldd]

They're a solution to a problem that didn't exist Osvaldd. They also not as versatile as the sales blurbs (and the fanboys) claim.

Fair enough but still if I was to buy a new fancy toy it definitely wouldn't be an ordinary No.5, it would have to be something that didnt exist in the old timey days. But whatever, I'm not buying anything new anyway. Cheers

 

[Osvaldd]

They're a solution to a problem that didn't exist Osvaldd. They also not as versatile as the sales blurbs (and the fanboys) claim.

I bought one. Well you have to, there is so much pressure! Didn't like it at all and parted with it.

which one? low angle jack or the low angle jack rebate plane?

 

[ED65]

Fair enough but still if I was to buy a new fancy toy it definitely wouldn't be an ordinary No.5...

Fair point, neither would I.

...it would have to be something that didnt exist in the old timey days.

Stainless steel rule.
Digital calipers.
Magnifying head gear (or just cheap reading glasses LOL).
LED lighting.
Vinyl gloves.
A biro.
Diamond plates.
Polyurethane varnish.
Ratcheting hex driver.



Seriously though, I'd suggest all of the above (and much more) should take preference in the "Ooo shiny!" list, if not already in the workshop.

 

[MalcolmT]

They're a solution to a problem that didn't exist Osvaldd. They also not as versatile as the sales blurbs (and the fanboys) claim.

I bought one. Well you have to, there is so much pressure! Didn't like it at all and parted with it.

which one? low angle jack or the low angle jack rebate plane?

Low angle Jack. Two major problems:
1 Norris style adjuster - they don't work at all well though they look nice. Ended having to adjust with a little hammer
2 Thick blades take longer to sharpen for no obvious gain.
3 Effective cutting angle much the same as a normal Stanley so no particular advantage or other point.
They became obsolete for a very simple reason; they are not particularly useful.
The only low angle plane worth having is the block, 220 etc, as these permit one handed use, which is their whole point.

 

[Bm101]

Im reading MalcolmT but all I can hear is Jacob.
Very odd.

 

[Rich C]

Ratcheting hex driver.

Impact driver? :wink:

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Im reading MalcolmT but all I can hear is Jacob.
Very odd.

Jacob IS sometimes right.

 

[MalcolmT]

Im reading MalcolmT but all I can hear is Jacob.
Very odd.

Jacob IS sometimes right.

:lol:
There you go - we've saved Ossvald £200! Pass the bottle!

 

[thetyreman]

low angle bevel up planes are good for end grain, or if all you did was make butcher block chopping boards I wouldn't use it for most other tasks though, but wouldn't mind one either.

 

[Jacob]

They're a solution to a problem that didn't exist Osvaldd. They also not as versatile as the sales blurbs (and the fanboys) claim.

I bought one. Well you have to, there is so much pressure! Didn't like it at all and parted with it.

which one? low angle jack or the low angle jack rebate plane?

Forgot to say - the low angle jack rebate plane is almost certainly even more useless than the jack. The best rebate plane is the Stanley 78 (if oldish) and similar. Old woodies are brilliant too and widely available very cheap £2 - £5 ish.
The big divide is the choice between tools for woodwork, or expensive toys-for-boys a.k.a. "boutique" tools. Think of the wood you could buy instead!

 

[RogerS]

Im reading MalcolmT but all I can hear is Jacob.
Very odd.

Yup...blah...blah..blah. Same old. Same old. It was really peaceful when we thought he was banned...maybe he is/was..MalcolmT....Maybe MalcolmX.. nah wishful thinking.

Back to the thread...basically it's what you like using. For me, it's the planer/thicknesser every time. If I have to pick up a lump of bloody cold metal (workshop unheated) then I'll pick up the low angle Quansheng. End of. I have loads of oldRecords and Stanleys doing nowt. Time to sell them, methinks.

 

[Rich C]

I have loads of oldRecords and Stanleys doing nowt. Time to sell them, methinks.

I'll take them off your hands for a nominal fee.