Your Favorite Plane

[Terek Johnson]

O.K. gang,
You're stranded on a desert island and you can take only one thing with you... a hand plane. Of all the planes you own, which one would you take with you?
P.S. everyone have a happy Thanksgiving!

[Ken Bryant]

Lie-Nielsen BU jack.

[Tim Martin]

a HNT Gordon (http://www.hntgordon.com.au/gallerysnakewood.htm) smoother.....beautiful hand made smoother with a high angle, which also converts to a scraper plane when you flip the blade around.

[Philip Duffy]

607 Bedrock with corrugated bottom. Without question it is capable of everything, including a thousandth of an inch cut anywhere I ask of it. Phil

[Terry Bigelow]

604 1/2 with Hock iron & chip breaker. Hefty, solid and just the right size...big, but not too big.

[Gary Herrmann]

A giant woodie big enough to paddle home in

- that I own? LV BU Jack

[Terry Hatfield]

Type 2 604C with LN blade.

50631

Puts a smile on my face every time I use it.:D

Terry

[Tyler Howell]

LN 103 bronze:cool:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=13186&d=1102114836

[Doug Shepard]

If I were stranded on a desert island, the plane I would take would be a Cessna.:D
With a LN LA Jack plane in the copilots seat.

[Joe Rogers]

L-N 60 1/2 adjustable mouth block plane. It may take a while but I think I could do anything I needed with it.JR

[Mark Singer]

ECE 711 Reform Smoother

[JayStPeter]

Something with an iron large enough to form an Axe

[Jim Becker]

LN low-angle block plane...but Jay's idea ain't bad!

[Bill Houghton]

Favorite or most useful? On a desert island, a plane's not exactly the most important tool.

The plane that always makes me feel the most warm fuzzy vibes is my Wards Master No. 4 - it just flat handles like a fine Italian sports car, right after the mechanic has tuned it up. One main difference between it and a fine Italian sports car is that it doesn't need constant tune up, but that's a different matter...

[Ryan Cathey]

My 5 1/4. I love that little thing!

-Ryan C.

[Rob Nolan]

It depends what type of trees are on the island! :D Figured Palm?

LN Low angle block plane of course.

[Steve Beadle]

Of the planes I own, I'd bring my LV Low Angle Jack. An extra blade is permitted? And something to sharpen it with? And a "lei" necklace made of a block plane, a smoother, a shoulder plane, and a spokeshave--just for decoration, of course!

[Brian Buckley]

5 1/2 Lie Nielsen.

[Zahid Naqvi]

that's easy, this guy right here. Why? cause I made it myself and it works like anything. It can make maple shine like a mirror. And it floats on water :D :D

50683

[Bob Hallowell]

Mine would be my little 604, It's all shined up like new with nice curly maple handles. Prrrrrr!


Bob

[Clinton Findlay]

In my "Collins Dictionary", a 'desert island' is defined as a small uninhabited island in the tropics....

so, assuming it hasn't suffered desertification... ;) ....

a LN annisversary edition jobbie... then I could sell it and use the cash to buy a plane ticket home and a drink in the resort. :) I'll assume that where there is a small desert island there will be a tour boat passing, or a resort nearby.

[T.J. Mahaffey]

I'd say my favorite plane is a middle-aged model Bailey 5-1/2c. I reach for it nearly every time I'm in the shop, which isn't often enough lately. Its my favorite for several reasons:

1. Its beefy and does most of the work on its own weight.
2. Its the first really good find I made on my own in the wild.
3. I did pretty good on the price, despite my inexperience at the time. $45.
4. Its darned pretty, retains its well-earned, darkened-iron color, and I didn't have to do anything but sharpen it.
5. It excels at a variety of tasks including basic jointing and shooting.

My second favorite is a #4-1/2.

[Terek Johnson]

The desert island was just a hypothetical. The real jist of the question was if you had to pick just one plane (assuming that you own more than one)... your go to plane; the one that makes you smile every time you use it.
For me, I think I must be going through some kinda plane transition these days. I've had an old Stanley #4 for years and years, and it's been an absolute gem. It's seen me through thick and thin, straight grain and figured... I love that lil' tool. But, awhile back, I took the plunge and bought a Lie Nielsen #4. Whoa momma! Man... that's a nice plane!
I feel like I'm betraying an old friend, but I'd probably have to go with the LN. If anything, based on my own experience, the LN seems to be a more even-tempered tool compared to the Stanley. I sharpen the LN's blade, adjust the angle and depth, and away I go. Whereas, compared to the LN, it seems I'm fidgiting alot with the Stanley(not that it's a BAD thing).