Total hand plane ignorant - Where to start?

[lowell holmes]

And to sharpen the planes, you will need these.

https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/D...RoCnT8QAvD_BwE

[Marc Jeske]

My budget and needs I think are more like a piece of glass and wet dry paper !

And that's if I want to get fancy w my $10 chisels.

Otherwise the belt sander.



Marc

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Here's a thought, wet/dry sandpaper is not cheap. You'll go through sheets pretty fast, one slip and your very sharp chisel cuts the paper in two. I do sharpen pushing the blade, not pulling. Personal preference on the last micro bevel. While waterstones are not cheap either, I think they are worth the investment, as reasonable care should make them last a lifetime. And you can sharpen the significant others' kitchen knives. Or yours if you cook.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

I started with sandpaper, and if you use your tools you have to sharpen them, which means you have to replace the sandpaper. The other poster is correct that sandpaper gets expensive fast. As long as you do not have some fancy steel (and you do not if your chisels are $10), your budget option is probably an oilstone.

A medium or fine India stone and a strop will get you a pretty respectable edge and will be much cheaper than sandpaper in the long run.

Nick

My budget and needs I think are more like a piece of glass and wet dry paper !

And that's if I want to get fancy w my $10 chisels.

Otherwise the belt sander.



Marc

[Jon Shank]

That's an option, personally I enjoy the peace and quiet when there isn't big donkey work to do. I've still got power tools for basic stock sizing, etc, and my lathe isn't going anywhere (or getting pedal power) but I just enjoy the unplugged tools for most joinery and most surfaces. And I haven't spent a fortune, the high end hand tools look great but I've always been what my wife, on a charitable day calls thrifty. I have refurbished tools that I've cleaned up and got working right, and fortunately I enjoy the process of reviving old tools, so it's just a little side line hobby.

All of that said, the quietest and nicest sander is never going to recreate the feeling and sound of a sharp plane taking a nice shaving, period. Might not be for you, but I dig it. If we all did the same thing, we'd have alot less to talk about.

Jon

[Jeff Leimberger]

Marc,

Some great advice in this thread! I think that anyone who is interested in using handplanes should try to find someone who uses them extensively for a brief consultation. Knowing how a properly set-up plane should work and giving it a try lets you know what to shoot for. Setting a plane up by watching a youtube video is amazing compared to what I was trying to glean from a book a couple of decades ago, but it is not quite the same.

Good luck

[Frederick Skelly]

My budget and needs I think are more like a piece of glass and wet dry paper !

And that's if I want to get fancy w my $10 chisels.

Otherwise the belt sander.



Marc

Just my opinion here. But there's nothing wrong with using a belt sander with a higher grit (220 or higher if available) to shape the bevel. Then, polish the bevel on wet/dry paper. This doesnt have to be expensive. I used sandpaper for sharpening when I started out and the cost was manageable.

[George Yetka]

I would if I were starting over get 2 chisels(maybe 1/2" 1") and a Low angle jack. Later add more chisels if needed and a block plane. The plane doesnt matter as much as the cutting steel does, same with the chisels. It may not be what everyone thinks or what you want to here but A2 or better yet PMV-11 steel will hold an edge better than a cheeper steel will so spending money upfront will save you in the long run

[Robert Engel]

Marc,

Lets look at it simplistically: 1) buy plane, 2) learn how to hone, 3) learn how to set up plane, 4) learn how to use it.

2, 3, and 4 are all tied together in most instructionals.

1) I would start with a low angle block plane and a #4 smoother. You can actually go very far with just these two.

Sources: I wouldn't necessarily start with a premium plane like Lie Nielsen, but then again, there's nothing wrong with learning to drive in a Rolls either LOL.

A refurbished pre WWII Stanley is best, but if you don't want to spend the time finding one, IMO you're best source is the Woodriver planes sold by Woodcraft. These planes are not ready to use, so will require a little work out of the box (dissasemble/clean, flatten backs of irons, honing).

2) The second thing you'll need to address is your sharpening setup. Again, a matter of preference, but a good starter kit would be a coarse (300grit), medium 600), fine 91200)and extra fine (8000)stone. I prefer water stones but diamond stones also are great.

3) If you're not a book guy, YouTube is a great source of info. There are tons of videos on setting up a hand plane. My first suggestion is Paul Sellers.

[Aaron Rosenthal]

Marc, you have the answer from people MUCH better than myself for answering your question. I'm going to go another way.
There is absolutely no reason to upgrade or buy new equipment, either a $50.00 Flea Market/Ebay item, or a brand new premium tool.
You have satisfied customers for your product, and if you wanted to expand your business, more, not fewer, machines would be your better option.
If, however, you want to elevate your game, and offer a "premium" line, or you wanted to use wood for more intricate projects, hand tools to AUGMENT your power tools are in order. Re-look at Derek's post where he showcases his intricate furniture. His words of wisdom highlight much better than mine.
He does use machinery for "rougher" work, and then add the coup de grace with hand tools.
In your case, for what you do, my read is you have what you need to do the job. Where you go from here is up to you.

[Marc Jeske]

Really good comments from different angles.

I will go to some of the sources suggested and slowly get started on the basics.

Even though I do just basic production, I know I would benefit at the very least least grabbing the block plane occasionally.

Ya, I know that's pretty darn basic, just never got into the habit.

Thank you all very much.

Marc