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Bob Glenn
12-17-2013, 11:26 AM
I saw a Stanley No 35 smoother, a transitional plane at an antique shop. Looked to be all there and in reasonable condition. I see they're going for about 25 bucks on the bay, and that is the price of this one. I would only be interested in it as a user, but not if they don't work very well. I made a 55 degree smoother, but it is tempermental and doesn't give the results I would like. I don't want to add another plane to my shop if it's not going to be useful.

Does anyone have any experience with this plane? Your comments appreciated. Bob

David Weaver
12-17-2013, 11:34 AM
What woods do you normally work with?

In my opinion, the transitional smoothers play second to the regular bailey planes. I don't think that there's any normal things you'd do with furniture or cabinet work in the US where the regular #4 takes a back seat to any of the niche planes that were made back then.

A #4 has a good combination of decent rigidity, ability to remove a lot of wood smoothing without being heavy, and the casting doesn't have some of the issues that transitionals have.

*if* you do most of your planing on softer woods and or with light cuts, and are willing to master the chipbreaker on a transitional (the only way you'll really ever get one to mitigate tearout) and IF the one that's at the store is complete and unbroken and nothing's loose, then you might find favor with it.

Bob Glenn
12-17-2013, 11:43 AM
Thanks for the quick reply, David. I work with a lot of poplar, red oak, ash, and some cherry and walnut.

David Weaver
12-17-2013, 12:27 PM
It'll do what you need with those things, but I think a #4 with a little bit of wax on the bottom will give you more latitude in setup and rigidity (and thus how heavy of a shaving you can take).

Kevin Hampshire
12-20-2013, 3:22 PM
Bob,
I have quite a few transitional planes (including a large set of the Stanleys) and most of them are users.

I'd suggest you take a really close look at that No.35 before you buy it. They tend to be a bit finicky and are often worn in strange ways from being used by inexperienced hands. While I enjoy the jack through joiner sizes I haven't really got much use from the smoother sizes.

You'll be much happier sticking with a No. 4 type plane for the woods you're working.

Hilton Ralphs
12-21-2013, 12:26 AM
Bob, for twenty five bucks how wrong can you go? Just get and if you don't like, then sharpen the blade and sell it.

Bob Glenn
12-21-2013, 11:10 AM
For now, I'm going to tune up an old number four sized Dunlap with a two inch blade. It looks to have had little use and I bought it years ago just to sit on a shelf. I'll grind a 25 degree bevel with a slight radius and give it a spin to see how it performs. Hilton, I agree, but right now, I don't need to add to my already too big collection of tools. Thanks, Bob

Bob Glenn
12-22-2013, 12:04 PM
Back at cha. Ground the blade on my Tormek last night, then honed and stropped it. Installed, adjusted and its taking feather shavings. I got a little too much radius on the blade, its taking a one inch shaving off the two inch blade, so I'll flatten it a little this afternoon. Looking forward to the next project to use it on. Bob