Bruce Campbell
11-09-2013, 2:16 AM
I agonized over buying this plane since the 20% sale brochure hit my mailbox. I'm a huge fan of Lie-Nielsen and Lee Valley on both quality and philosophical grounds. Goes so far that when I plan to buy a tool from one or other other I don't do it until I've bought a tool from the other (started with a Lie-Nielsen bronze block plane). Hence I have bloody few of either of their tools though each of them is a cherished item in my collection. I also own several old Stanley planes that I'm trying to rehab with only a little luck. I've watched and read so much advice on how to rehab planes and what to expect of how they work I feel that Chris, Derek, Jim, Shannon, Paul and a few others are old friends of mine though they've never heard of me. And yeah, I'll let you figure out who I'm talking about though I'm pretty sure you can guess pretty easy.
So after all that, a piece of advice kept sticking in my head about how sometimes you should buy a quality hand plane so you can see how one feels in the hand and how it's put together. A standard if you will. Add to that Mr. Leach's assessment of the #6 being slightly less than complimentary and I decided that buying a WoodRiver version of this plane wouldn't really violate any ethics on my end as I most certainly wasn't going to buy one from either of my favorite two companies as it is regarded as fairly useless and there's so many other USEFUL planes to buy.
On experience, well you can imagine if I can't quite get my planes fettled (I've got a 4 1/2 that I've finally got taking reasonable shavings after a hock blade upgrade, a #5 that can remove wood at a fairly good rate, and a #4 that is oh so close to doing something useful, my #7 scares me as it looks flat and otherwise ready but yeah... I don't want to mess up that big chunk of iron by messing with it quite yet), anyway, can barely get my tools working so my woodworking experience is not great. I've yet to build anything particular useful or that I'd even talk about publicly. I'm getting there though. Slowly. Another reason behind the #6 purchase was that I decided to attempt a Roubo. Figured take my time and just keep at it and I'll either have a lot of firewood or a decent start to another tool I need. Let's not talk about how that's going, there isn't enough neander advice on here to correct my problems so far but I'm working on it. So basically I'm a wreck at woodworking and I'm okay with that. I enjoy it. I tell you this mainly to get a feel from what I'm looking at with my experience with the WR V3 #6.
The short story is, reluctantly, that I like it. I did some of, though not all of, the usual measurements on it for flatness and the sole seems flat. Certainly a lot flatter and smoother than any of my old Stanleys. I forgot to check the sides and it's something I'll be doing as I was planning on possibly using it as a shooter until I could justify and afford one from one of my two favorites (bad Rob, no donut, having to decide between either of the two main offerings makes me cry at night). So anyway, I watched the Rob Cosman video a couple of times on unboxing and prepping a WR V3 and got to it. Wiped off the oil first and man, they really pack it on. I swear I got it all off and after using it the first time, found more in areas I KNOW I wiped. I did have to use some mineral spirits to get dried oil off the sides and sole of the plane. No big deal. I got the blade out and started lapping the back and it was concave. I don't use the ruler trick (haven't found a thin rule when I think about it) but I tried to flatten just the first half inch or so. Got an adequate sides and flat by the blade flattened and polished. I then used a 150 grit sandpaper on a granite block followed by two diamond stones, (DMT Rough and Fine), sharpening freehand using the method Paul Sellers advocates (I went to one his classes many moons ago back in TX). Tested the blade on a piece of paper and it cut and curved with no tears.
For what it's worth I did NOT adjust the frog from it's shipped position or otherwise mess with nearly anything other than sharpening the blade. The totes seemed adequately tight, I did have to loosen the blade retaining screw a hair, otherwise blade sharpened then apply to wood (big box pine, in this case a 1x10).
Not bad. I wasn't sure what to expect given my collection of planes. I snuck up on a shaving and it was initially pretty thick but I found that was because I was used to what I was normally dealing with where I have to put a lot of effort into the blade depth adjuster to get results. Once I got it through my head that I could literally just touch the blade adjuster a couple notches for an actual difference in shaving, things went smoother (pardon the pun). I played with this for a while and was soon bringing up the thinnest shavings I've achieved. I don't have a dial caliper but they were thin enough that I could read small print on a spray bottle through them in a not well lit garage and they felt like cloth they were so soft. Considerably thinner than my accomplishments with my other planes.
I will say, and this is from and for the total noob at this hobby, that there is a point to buying a newly manufactured plane. After playing for a little bit I was able to pick up my #4 1/2 (with a new Hock blade in it) and fiddle with it a bit. What made the breakthrough for me was that I could see the thin shaving from the #6 and so I felt the blade projection with my fingers. My 4 1/2 is not one of the more desired models but I like it, the little plastic blade adjustment knob, however, is not nearly as sensitive feeling as the WR but now I knew what to expect and voila, I was getting nice shavings with it. As I've had it less than 24 hours I'd say that this could work out well.
Some random observations:
Wow is this thing heavy. I mean seriously. I'm pretty sure it's heavier than my #7C. I actually have to think about where I place it and how I pick it up when I set it down on the bench. Yes, there's a stated weight for it somewhere but this is how it feels in hand.
The rear tote doesn't quite work for me. I can't figure out why but it binds my hand between thumb and forefinger. I'd have to get calipers or something to figure out how it's different than my Stanley totes in shape and size because to the eye it looks pretty bloody close to my 4 1/2 (haven't compared with others). Could just be throwing this thing's weight around.
I'm still getting some deep plane tracks from somewhere and I'm not 100% sure where. Right now my best guess is my sharpening method. I've recently decided to go freehand with the method Paul Seller's taught me and I'm not completely sure I'm getting the 'wings' on it correctly. Oddly the tracks are singular, deep and sporadic. This could also be my technique. Maybe both sharpening and technique. I don't think it's inherent in the plane itself but this about my experience. And btw, I'm not getting plane tracks with my 4 1/2 which is why I mention it here on this plane.
It's well machined but it ain't no premium plan. The only premium plane I have is a lie-nielsen 102 bronze block plane (one of my favorite tools ever), so it's kind of apples to oranges. I of course have my old stanleys. It looks more solid than the Stanley's I have (no sweethearts or bedrocks) but not as... something. Putting my 102 next to it and it just... isn't. There's nothing wrong with it, it's solid, no major burrs or other visible defects. Putting my 102 next to it feels a lot like I'd imagine how a groz would look next to the WR. Maybe it's perceived purely mentally but even my wife noticed it next to my 4 1/2 when she came 'to see how you like your new toy, what is it? a plane?' At this price don't expect a Veritas or Lie-Neilsen plane and sure enough, you don't get one.
I can't help but feel this isn't too far off where Stanley would have ended up if they'd made better decisions or kept a good focus on their hand tools. It's a nice plane, it's obviously mass manufactured, it's mid-tier, and you're still going to lust after a premium or continue buying old stanleys to fettle depending on your personal take. It's not going to change your mind on either front.
I do think it's good for a newcomer. I'd have no problem recommending a newcomer buy two of these planes (my personal list would be a 4 1/2 and a 5, I'm sure your list will vary) to start with. I am confident that if the new wood worker takes to wood working they'll soon have an old stanley or a new premium plane in their hands. I don't think this detracts but might just actually enhance what's already on offer.
Thomas, yes, I'm calling you by your first name also, look at me. Seriously, don't think about this just do it. You WANT to send me a bronze #4. You know this. You know it's right. You would feel even better if you gave me that bronze 4 1/2 limited edition that you've stashed away for a special occasion. Contact me, I'll send you my address. I even promise to disavow owning any of your tools so I don't sully your good name with the bad bad things I do to wood.
Rob, you're next up on the list and I hope you have a new plow boxed and ready. Wife just gave the green light so probably after writing this I'm placing the order. If you were so grateful you wanted to include new blade/chip breaker combos for a 4, 5, and 7 set of stanley's, I wouldn't argue. See above for various promises.
Sorry for all the rambling in this review and no offense to those who I referred to by first name. Just an impression I hope is useful particularly for a someone new or struggling in this hobby like myself who is curious. Now if any of you want to come up with useful advice for making flat a 6' 2x5 (2x10 cut in half lengthwise) that is across a room visibly cupped and bowed and probably twisted as well using only hand tools....
So after all that, a piece of advice kept sticking in my head about how sometimes you should buy a quality hand plane so you can see how one feels in the hand and how it's put together. A standard if you will. Add to that Mr. Leach's assessment of the #6 being slightly less than complimentary and I decided that buying a WoodRiver version of this plane wouldn't really violate any ethics on my end as I most certainly wasn't going to buy one from either of my favorite two companies as it is regarded as fairly useless and there's so many other USEFUL planes to buy.
On experience, well you can imagine if I can't quite get my planes fettled (I've got a 4 1/2 that I've finally got taking reasonable shavings after a hock blade upgrade, a #5 that can remove wood at a fairly good rate, and a #4 that is oh so close to doing something useful, my #7 scares me as it looks flat and otherwise ready but yeah... I don't want to mess up that big chunk of iron by messing with it quite yet), anyway, can barely get my tools working so my woodworking experience is not great. I've yet to build anything particular useful or that I'd even talk about publicly. I'm getting there though. Slowly. Another reason behind the #6 purchase was that I decided to attempt a Roubo. Figured take my time and just keep at it and I'll either have a lot of firewood or a decent start to another tool I need. Let's not talk about how that's going, there isn't enough neander advice on here to correct my problems so far but I'm working on it. So basically I'm a wreck at woodworking and I'm okay with that. I enjoy it. I tell you this mainly to get a feel from what I'm looking at with my experience with the WR V3 #6.
The short story is, reluctantly, that I like it. I did some of, though not all of, the usual measurements on it for flatness and the sole seems flat. Certainly a lot flatter and smoother than any of my old Stanleys. I forgot to check the sides and it's something I'll be doing as I was planning on possibly using it as a shooter until I could justify and afford one from one of my two favorites (bad Rob, no donut, having to decide between either of the two main offerings makes me cry at night). So anyway, I watched the Rob Cosman video a couple of times on unboxing and prepping a WR V3 and got to it. Wiped off the oil first and man, they really pack it on. I swear I got it all off and after using it the first time, found more in areas I KNOW I wiped. I did have to use some mineral spirits to get dried oil off the sides and sole of the plane. No big deal. I got the blade out and started lapping the back and it was concave. I don't use the ruler trick (haven't found a thin rule when I think about it) but I tried to flatten just the first half inch or so. Got an adequate sides and flat by the blade flattened and polished. I then used a 150 grit sandpaper on a granite block followed by two diamond stones, (DMT Rough and Fine), sharpening freehand using the method Paul Sellers advocates (I went to one his classes many moons ago back in TX). Tested the blade on a piece of paper and it cut and curved with no tears.
For what it's worth I did NOT adjust the frog from it's shipped position or otherwise mess with nearly anything other than sharpening the blade. The totes seemed adequately tight, I did have to loosen the blade retaining screw a hair, otherwise blade sharpened then apply to wood (big box pine, in this case a 1x10).
Not bad. I wasn't sure what to expect given my collection of planes. I snuck up on a shaving and it was initially pretty thick but I found that was because I was used to what I was normally dealing with where I have to put a lot of effort into the blade depth adjuster to get results. Once I got it through my head that I could literally just touch the blade adjuster a couple notches for an actual difference in shaving, things went smoother (pardon the pun). I played with this for a while and was soon bringing up the thinnest shavings I've achieved. I don't have a dial caliper but they were thin enough that I could read small print on a spray bottle through them in a not well lit garage and they felt like cloth they were so soft. Considerably thinner than my accomplishments with my other planes.
I will say, and this is from and for the total noob at this hobby, that there is a point to buying a newly manufactured plane. After playing for a little bit I was able to pick up my #4 1/2 (with a new Hock blade in it) and fiddle with it a bit. What made the breakthrough for me was that I could see the thin shaving from the #6 and so I felt the blade projection with my fingers. My 4 1/2 is not one of the more desired models but I like it, the little plastic blade adjustment knob, however, is not nearly as sensitive feeling as the WR but now I knew what to expect and voila, I was getting nice shavings with it. As I've had it less than 24 hours I'd say that this could work out well.
Some random observations:
Wow is this thing heavy. I mean seriously. I'm pretty sure it's heavier than my #7C. I actually have to think about where I place it and how I pick it up when I set it down on the bench. Yes, there's a stated weight for it somewhere but this is how it feels in hand.
The rear tote doesn't quite work for me. I can't figure out why but it binds my hand between thumb and forefinger. I'd have to get calipers or something to figure out how it's different than my Stanley totes in shape and size because to the eye it looks pretty bloody close to my 4 1/2 (haven't compared with others). Could just be throwing this thing's weight around.
I'm still getting some deep plane tracks from somewhere and I'm not 100% sure where. Right now my best guess is my sharpening method. I've recently decided to go freehand with the method Paul Seller's taught me and I'm not completely sure I'm getting the 'wings' on it correctly. Oddly the tracks are singular, deep and sporadic. This could also be my technique. Maybe both sharpening and technique. I don't think it's inherent in the plane itself but this about my experience. And btw, I'm not getting plane tracks with my 4 1/2 which is why I mention it here on this plane.
It's well machined but it ain't no premium plan. The only premium plane I have is a lie-nielsen 102 bronze block plane (one of my favorite tools ever), so it's kind of apples to oranges. I of course have my old stanleys. It looks more solid than the Stanley's I have (no sweethearts or bedrocks) but not as... something. Putting my 102 next to it and it just... isn't. There's nothing wrong with it, it's solid, no major burrs or other visible defects. Putting my 102 next to it feels a lot like I'd imagine how a groz would look next to the WR. Maybe it's perceived purely mentally but even my wife noticed it next to my 4 1/2 when she came 'to see how you like your new toy, what is it? a plane?' At this price don't expect a Veritas or Lie-Neilsen plane and sure enough, you don't get one.
I can't help but feel this isn't too far off where Stanley would have ended up if they'd made better decisions or kept a good focus on their hand tools. It's a nice plane, it's obviously mass manufactured, it's mid-tier, and you're still going to lust after a premium or continue buying old stanleys to fettle depending on your personal take. It's not going to change your mind on either front.
I do think it's good for a newcomer. I'd have no problem recommending a newcomer buy two of these planes (my personal list would be a 4 1/2 and a 5, I'm sure your list will vary) to start with. I am confident that if the new wood worker takes to wood working they'll soon have an old stanley or a new premium plane in their hands. I don't think this detracts but might just actually enhance what's already on offer.
Thomas, yes, I'm calling you by your first name also, look at me. Seriously, don't think about this just do it. You WANT to send me a bronze #4. You know this. You know it's right. You would feel even better if you gave me that bronze 4 1/2 limited edition that you've stashed away for a special occasion. Contact me, I'll send you my address. I even promise to disavow owning any of your tools so I don't sully your good name with the bad bad things I do to wood.
Rob, you're next up on the list and I hope you have a new plow boxed and ready. Wife just gave the green light so probably after writing this I'm placing the order. If you were so grateful you wanted to include new blade/chip breaker combos for a 4, 5, and 7 set of stanley's, I wouldn't argue. See above for various promises.
Sorry for all the rambling in this review and no offense to those who I referred to by first name. Just an impression I hope is useful particularly for a someone new or struggling in this hobby like myself who is curious. Now if any of you want to come up with useful advice for making flat a 6' 2x5 (2x10 cut in half lengthwise) that is across a room visibly cupped and bowed and probably twisted as well using only hand tools....