Groz Plane ?

[Roger Pozzi]

I"m not well versed in hand planes but, I found a "new"? in the box low angle block plane for cheap. I was told it was never used and it definitely appeared so. Knowing that I would need to sharpen the blade, and check the bottom for flatness, I started fiddling around a little and now have questions.
Shouldn't the body of the plane hold the blade from side-to-side movement? I mean that in order to set the blade square to the opening in the sole you have to eyeball it, then it won't likely stay there while tightening.
Since I have very little in it ($12.00), should I just move on or is there something I'm not aware of?
In fairness, I am not a hand plane kind of guy, but I thought this would be handy for trimming box joints and dovetails and other end grain needs.

[Dave Anderson NH]

While this is just my opinion Roger, Groz "tools" are really tool shaped objects. With sufficient tuning and sweat it can be made to work but it is questionable as to whether it is worth thee effort. Having said that, it could be used as an exercise to learn how to tune and set up a tool.

[Chris Hachet]

While this is just my opinion Roger, Groz "tools" are really tool shaped objects. With sufficient tuning and sweat it can be made to work but it is questionable as to whether it is worth thee effort. Having said that, it could be used as an exercise to learn how to tune and set up a tool.


This would be my thinking as well. I have a vintage 9 1/2 Stanley and a Stanley 220, both of which were dirt cheap and both of which will easily outwork the Groz plane in question.

[Jim Koepke]

Roger,

Even a lesser known plane may be able to do good things.

Before lapping the sole, you should make sure there is a reason to lap the sole.

Here is something posted by me about block planes:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?123401-Fettle-to-the-Metal-With-LA-Blocks&p=1246005#post1246005

It would help me if there were some pictures of your plane to determine what the problem may be with getting the blade to not move side to side in use. Pictures showing the plane assembled from top and bottom. Plus pictures of all the mating surfaces.

It could be the lever cap (the part above the blade holding it in place) needs to be a little tighter. On many models this is held by a screw and tightening the screw may help. Be careful not to overly tighten.

There could be a bit of casting flash on the leverage cap or on some part of the blade bedding that is causing the problem.

There is no magic bullet. It comes down to determining if the mating surfaces are fully engaged or if something may be keeping them from engaging properly.

jtk

[steven c newman]

Roger: I am up here in Bellefontaine, OH

IF you have some time this weekend, come on up. If I can make a POS Buck Brothers block plane make see through shavings....I might be able to get your's working pretty good. Worth a shot?

PM if interested..

[Tom Vanzant]

My wife just gave me a flea market Stanley 110 plane of 1960-ish manufacture. The iron was near-new but chipped, and the sole only made contact at the toe and tail and along both edges, but rust was minimal and the plane was intact.
It won't replace my 9 1/2 or 60, but an hour's work made it a decent chamfering plane. A POS can be made useful!

[James Ziegler]

I have a couple of Grox planes that I got on closeout from Woodcraft a couple years ago. They can be made to work, but I don't think that they would ever be great tools.

I have a #4 and a #7, the #4 I plan to turn into a scrub, and the #7 will be replaced with something older and better.

If you want a project to learn about the tools, go for it, but if you just want a good user, look elsewhere.

[Curt Harms]

I asked the guys at Highland Hardware/Woodworking about Groz planes a few years ago. The guy I talked to said he'd replace the iron, maybe tune a little and it'd make a decent plane. No Lie-Nielsen or Veritas but usable. I'm no handtool wiz, just relaying what I was told.

[steven c newman]

My offer still stands. Come up this weekend. When you then leave the Dungeon Shop, not only will that Block plane work right, but, you will have learned just how to keep it that way. The ONLY charge for this would be YOUR gas to get here.

[Tom Stenzel]

Sometimes you get gifts from well meaning people. One example is the #5 plane I have, proudly stickered "Buck Brothers". That makes the #5 Groz I have my GOOD jack plane!

The good: The bottom was as flat as needed. The left side isn't perpendicular to the bottom but the right side is so it can be used for shooting without shims or other heroics. In general it does work.

The bad: The iron is really thin but that hasn't been a problem. The lateral lever is stamped out of a metal that is only somewhat firmer than tin-lead solder. Slop in the depth adjustment... it's there, in spades. Fitting the cap iron is a problem with a lack of usable metal but better than the Buck Brothers where the cap iron is useless.

I have good Stanley Baileys, a #4 and a #7, sometimes those are pushed into use where a #5 is normally used and the junk #5s I have don't make it.

The Buck brothers gets used for recovering old lumber where an iron will get ruined and on pressure treated wood. If the plane gets damaged I don't lose sleep over it.

Like others have said about the Groz block plane, it's up to you if you want to take on learning about planes, what works and what doesn't work. It's $12 plus your time. You could find you need a plane for rough work. You might decide that your time is more valuable and use it for a doorstop. Maybe it was so poorly made it can't ever be used for useful work and you've gone down a dead end. -

Lotta ifs there. There is no wrong decision. Each of us follow our interests and where they go.

My recommendation: if your tools are interfering with your ability to do the work you desire it's time to rethink what you're doing and what you have.

-Tom

[lowell holmes]

I have purchased good usable planes for reasonable prices on the auction site. I would look there.
I have a #3 Stanley from the site that is one of my go to planes.

[Roger Pozzi]

Thanks all. I think I will fiddle with it some more since I've nothing better at the time. Who knows,,maybe I'll learn something.
Thank you Steven for your generous offer but I must decline.