Plane Snobs

[Herb Blair]

I've collected a few Stanley Planes in the past few years. I have #'s 3,4,5,6,7,90,78,and a Low Angle Block Plane that I can't remember the model.
Some of these I bought on Ebay for not a lot of money. Recently I decided that I would like to have either a #10 or #10 1/2. I watched these being auctioned several a week for $100 up, and one 10 1/2 brought over $400. I don't need one that bad!
I saw an ad for a Anant #10 plane from Highland Hardware for about $60, so I thought I would give it a try.
I received the plane today, and wanted to report that I found it to be an excellent value based on what I've seen the Stanley's going for. I took it out of the box and found that the Metal parts were well machined. The handles are hardwood (Not rosewood), but I think if I wanted to dress it up, #4 handles would work fine.
I took out the blade and did my "scary sharp" routine with it for about five minutes. I put it back together and within a couple of minutes I was cutting paper thin shavings, as good as I've ever done with a Stanley.
I use my planes, I didn't buy them for collectors items, or too show off. I bought them to use and I enjoy using them.
Since Record is gone and Stanley only makes a few, I salute Highland Hardware for importing these fine planes for us users.
:)

[Tyler Howell]

Rules Herb Rules..... That was a gloat!.;)

[Wendell Wilkerson]

Don't forget the second rule:

Existence of fluffy shaving cannot be verified or accepted without pictures :)

On a more serious note, what do you plan to do with the #10? I've seen the Anant #10 in catalogs and it is definitely a good price compared to what the antique Stanleys and LN versions go for. I just never could really justify purchasing one. I take it from your post that you're satisfied with the stock blade. I've heard the stock blades for the Anants were nothing to write home about. That's another reason I am reluctant to purchase the Anant #10, especially since aftermarket blades for a #10 aren't all that common.

Wendell

[Herb Blair]

OK Tyler, It was a little bitty gloat....But you know how Texans are....
As for how I'm going to use it. I do a few table tops with tennons for breadboard edges, and this will help with that.
Here are a few pics

[Tyler Howell]

She's a beauti Herb, Congrats and Many long "fluffY ???" shavings:cool:

[Alan Turner]

Herb
Thanks for the repost. How flat was the sole out of the box? How square was the sole to the sides?
Alan

[Jerry Palmer]

I, too, know about the prices of the Stanley 10s on ebay. A couple of the books I have brought up the virtues of the Jack Rabbets and their useability as both a regular bench plane for general purposes and their use for rabbets etc. The idea of a multipurpose tool always intrigues me.

Anyway, after spending some time looking on e-bay and not trusting to spend the kind of money the 10s and 10 1/2s get (I guess they are "Semi-collectable" since they don't show up that often) I found a 10 1/2 from a dealer I trust and paid a bit more than the e-bay price, but trust is worth the extra few bucks. I'm now waiting for a new Hock high carbon steel iron for mine.

[Marc Hills]

Believe me, I'm an old-plane convert. And I'm willing to admit that there are better performing planes out there. But the Anant option seems the most compelling in the case of rare and collectible models, like the Stanley 10 and the Record 778. Complete, original specimens are hard to come by and fetch top dollar, leaving us hand plane "users" in the lurch. Anant's reproductions of these unusual old models may be the only game in town.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I'm glad you got a well made Anant Herb. I'm personally not sure about buying their products myself. I've heard a lot of horror stories about great variations in quality, but again they are just anecdotes and I've never seen one in the flesh myself. I figure that I have most of what I need already and plane purchases will be few and far between. On the other hand, if we were talking about wooden molding planes.........:D

I think it all comes down to whether or not your the type of person who has the time and skill to fettle a plane and whether you enjoy doing so. I'm always tinkering with my tools and enjoy it, so for me rehab is enjoyment in addition to serving as a means of saving money. Others hate the tinkering aspect and prefer to spend all available time making things. Both approaches are equally valid.

[Chris Padilla]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>fet·tle [ fétt’l (http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/Pronounce.aspx?search=fettle) ]</TD></TR><TR height=20><TD height=20></TD></TR><TR><TD class=ResultBody>noun </TD></TR><TR height=20><TD height=20></TD></TR><TR><TD>metallurgy See fettling (http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861611139/fettling.html)</TD></TR><TR height=20><TD height=20></TD></TR><TR><TD class=ResultBody>transitive verb (past fet·tled, past participle fet·tled, present participle fet·tling, 3rd person present singular fet·tles)</TD></TR><TR height=20><TD height=20></TD></TR><TR><TD>1. manufacturing trim casting: to remove molding or excess material from a ceramic or metal casting
</TD></TR><TR><TD>2. metallurgy line or repair furnace: to line the hearth of a furnace with fettling, or repair the lining of a furnace
</TD></TR><TR><TD>[Old English fetel “girdle, strap”]


...okay, new one on me! :D
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Herb Blair]

Alan,
The bottom to sides were right on. The bottom is about .003 out mouth to heal, and abut .005 out front to heal. In otherwords the front is a little higher than the heal. A good lapping will solve this in short order.

[Tim Sproul]

Do you make carriages? I'm wondering what someone would need such a plane for?

[Maurice Ungaro]

Herb,
I recently bought an Anant jack from Highland Hardware (I have the good fortunce of being able to visit the sore inperson, since I live inthe Atlanta area), it was even on sale for 20% off.......they had some summer sale going on in July. For the price, it can't be beat, and the staff there have giving nothing but glowing reports from their own experiences, even with the planes straight out of the box.

Nice to know that some quality stuff can still be had for a decent price.

Maurice

[Herb Blair]

Tim,
It's a Rabbet Plane....





Do you make carriages? I'm wondering what someone would need such a plane for?

[Tim Sproul]

Tim,
It's a Rabbet Plane....
Those must be some LARGE rabbets/rebates.

[Herb Blair]

Those must be some LARGE rabbets/rebates.

Tim,
I build furniture, esp. Table tops with bread board ends. I use planes to trim the breadboard tennon. The #10 with allow me to get to the shoulder, where the #4 can't reach.

[Marc Hills]

Originally Posted by Tim Sproul
Do you make carriages? I'm wondering what someone would need such a plane for?

I think what Tim was getting at is that the Stanley 10 is sometimes referred to as a "carriage maker's plane". Although I never understood exactly why a bench/rabbet plane would be so closely associated with the vocation of making carriages.

I've heard that the Stanley 10 can be used to make raised panels. If I ever come to own one, that would be my justification. I mean, besides the fact that it would be cool to own one.