Stanley 4 1/2 Plane

[TheDudester]

I have the option of buying the above mentioned plane as new.

But from the few posts I have read I detect that I should stay well clear of it.

Is this the case?

This would be my first plane.

Thanks

The Dudester

 

[Smudger]

I'd be interested to know - I posted a similar question and got a stalwart answer from Bugbear, but that was all.

I have just bought an old #4 on eBay, and I am looking out for a #5 and a 901/2 block plane. The plan is to go fairly well galoot in order to get a bit of exercise (I've been poorly) and to be able to work in the evenings at the bottom of the garden.

Perhaps a Neanderthal could tell us what we need - bearing in mind that I, at least, can't afford Lie-Nielson! I could do with advice on saws, too.

 

[Philly]

Gents
If it is your first plane then I say "Go for it!"
Buy a plane, use it, get frustrated, start fettling, learn to sharpen, tweak the plane until it does what you want. And the cheaper the cost of entry the better! :lol:
Spend some time learning about your plane and how to get the best from it. And there are plenty of folks here who are only too happy to answer any questions you have.
Hope this helps
Philly

 

[TheDudester]

Buy a plane, use it, get frustrated, start fettling, learn to sharpen, tweak the plane until it does what you want. And the cheaper the cost of entry the better! Laughing

Is there a plane you can buy where you might not need to do those things?

Regards

TheDudester

 

[Philly]

Yes, the Lie-Nielsens, Cliftons and Veritas planes are all pretty much as good as it gets - but you need some spare cash.... :lol:
Cheers
Philly

 

[Smudger]

Yes, if you spend a lot of money, and even then it will need sharpening and setting up, as I read it.

I have just been trying to plane edges - and working on the principles that the blade needs to be as sharp as I can get it and honed at about the right angle, parallel to the mouth and set fine or else it digs in. I'm using a plane I found rusting away in the loft and a little Record block plane I was given a few years ago. It is gradually getting better with a bit of practice (I just managed to plane the tongue and groove off of some softwood lambris! What skill!)

I see the attraction, it's very satisfying to get a nice shaving curling up, and a little skill will help me to accurately dimension the parts for a book case I am supposed to be making.

Question - is some softwood too soft to plane? I am getting a sort of 'juddered edge' which is rough and seems to be tearing up the grain.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Question - is some softwood too soft to plane? I am getting a sort of 'juddered edge' which is rough and seems to be tearing up the grain.

Could be that you are planing against the direction of the grain - try turning the wood round and planing from the other direction. Try taking very fine cuts. Try closing up the mouth of the plane by adjusting the frog forward a little. Try skewing the plane so it's taking more of a slicing cut. Wax the sole of your plane (just rub a candle on it). Some soft wood (particularly if it has knots) can just be very difficult to get a good finish on.

Hope some of this helps.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[DaveL]

and even then it will need sharpening

Not if you buy a Veritas, they come with the blade sharpe, you can use it in its delivered state.
You do have to put the blade into the plane. The blades are packed in a rust inhibiting plastic bag, in a cardboard box inside the box with the plane. There are warnings that the blade is very sharpe and careful not to injure yourself with it.

 

[TheDudester]

Ok, if you had the choice of three Veritas planes, what would they be and in what order would you buy them.

Regards

TheDudester

 

[Smudger]

Thanks, Paul. I did try reversing the wood, but it got worse!
I had the blade with about 1mm showing, which I think was far too much - also it's quite a long plane (about a #7 I think) from a third-rate manufacturer (Liemen's) and difficult to handle on edge stock, so I'll hold off on that until I've got my hands on the Stanley and fettled it a bit.

 

[Paul Chapman]

it's quite a long plane (about a #7 I think)........and difficult to handle on edge stock

The #7 is my favourite size plane - you can plane most things with it When planing the narrow edge of wood, ignore the front kob of the plane. Hold the front with your thumb on the top of the sole and one or more fingers underneath and against the wood so that your fingers act as a fence. That way you will find it much easier to control the plane on a narrow edge. Another tip is to scribble along the wood with a soft pencil - that way you can see what you are planing off and whether you are tending to cant the plane over. Also keep checking with a square. Keep practicing - once you get the hang of it all, it's magic

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[DaveL]

Ok, if you had the choice of three Veritas planes, what would they be and in what order would you buy them.

Well I only have three Veritas planes (I do have others 8) ).

A #4 that I won in a box making comp on this very forum.
A LA Jack that the LOML bought for me as a christmas present a couple of years ago.
And lastly an apron plane bought at Woodex last saturday. :roll:

If I was starting from scratch then the LA jack or the apron (or another of the blocks) would be first depending on the level of cash in stock.

The LA jack is a very versatile plane, I use it the most, but I do love block planes, I now own four, (one is on loan to my son,) so I hope I am not a collector. :-$

 

[Smudger]

Thanks, I'll give that a try after the Diary of a Nobody finishes! This is the kind of low-level help that I need and is rarely covered in magazines or internet articles which assume at least a basic knowledge, but I am trying to remember what I did at school in 1961...

I was so busy reading these posts I missed a Stanley #5 for £15 on eBay! I expect there'll be another one along in a minute.

 

[JesseM]

Thanks, Paul. I did try reversing the wood, but it got worse!
I had the blade with about 1mm showing, which I think was far too much - also it's quite a long plane (about a #7 I think) from a third-rate manufacturer (Liemen's) and difficult to handle on edge stock, so I'll hold off on that until I've got my hands on the Stanley and fettled it a bit.

From what you describe it sounds like skittering :? Apologies if it got that wrong. Things like skew can affect it. My Stanley #5 used to do this, but I fettled it and it has gone away completely. Hope this helps!

 

[dchenard]

Ok, if you had the choice of three Veritas planes, what would they be and in what order would you buy them.

Regards

TheDudester

Three? Can't stop at three, not me at least :roll:

Low Angle Jack is unavoidable. Way too good and way too versatile.

A block plane is another must if you don't have one already, I like the Apron Plane very much.

If you do (or plan to) stock preparation by hand, a jointer is very handy, the Bevel-Up Jointer is excellent, and the blades are interchangeable with the jack.

If you're not into preparing stock by hand, then a joinery plane is a very useful addition. You will want one even if you prepare stock by hand, but you asked for three planes :wink: I have the medium shoulder plane, I'm still debating whether I should have bought the large one instead. Knowing me I'll probably end up with both :lol:

HTH,

DC

 

[TheDudester]

Low Angle Jack is unavoidable. Way too good and way too versatile.

DM-Tools are selling this for £161.95 and Rutlands for £159.95. Are these good prices?

Regards

TheDudester

 

[ByronBlack]

Smudger to set the right blade extension do the following:

Turn the plane upside down with the front of the plane nearest to you so you are sighting down the sole of the plane with the blade projection facing you, makesure you have a piece of white paper on the bench so you are looking down the plane into the white paper.

Wind the blade all the way in.

Now move the blade out again a fraction each time until all you see is what should be about the thickness of a hair across the sole - this is a tiny amount of blade projection.

You are good to go - start planing and turn the knob clockwise a tiny tiny amount until you get very fine shavings.

Thats it.

It goes without saying your blade should be sharp and set correctly to the mouth to take fine shavings, and some pine will always be a pain in the rear.

 

[Smudger]

Thanks, BB. I think I had too much blade showing. I spent a while sharpening and honing, but it was in a poor state to begin with, so I may have more work to do there as well. The fact that the tote doesn't seem to be tightenable doesn't help - it shifts about 15 degrees on each stroke. Which is why a similar plane sold on ebay for £3.99 I guess!

 

[Gary M]

Ok, if you had the choice of three Veritas planes, what would they be and in what order would you buy them.

Regards

TheDudester

Three? Can't stop at three, not me at least :roll:

Low Angle Jack is unavoidable. Way too good and way too versatile.

A block plane is another must if you don't have one already, I like the Apron Plane very much.

If you do (or plan to) stock preparation by hand, a jointer is very handy, the Bevel-Up Jointer is excellent, and the blades are interchangeable with the jack.

If you're not into preparing stock by hand, then a joinery plane is a very useful addition. You will want one even if you prepare stock by hand, but you asked for three planes :wink: I have the medium shoulder plane, I'm still debating whether I should have bought the large one instead. Knowing me I'll probably end up with both :lol:

HTH,

DC

I think we all would have more than three if we could get them for the same prices you guys across the pond can get them for. what you pay in dollars we pay in pounds and with an exchange rate of two dollars for one pound, thats a big difference my friend!! :shock:
By the way old stanleys do me fine until i can justify spending the money on anything else. Is there really that much difference ? be honest, or is it just a name thing ?

 

[Bean]

Gary

There is a difference, I have some old Stanleys, Veritas and a Clifton.
I like my Stanleys but they do not have the weight of the Veritas or Cliftons. Despite tuning the planes which makes them cut 100% better than before, they are still not quite the same.
A thicker iron does make a big difference to all of the planes especially the stanleys. The cliftons have a thick iron, in them and the veritas is even thicker!
But above all I think it is the closer manufacturing tolerences that make the real difference.