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  1. #1

    What planes do you regret buying?

    With the Lee Valley Cyber Monday sale coming, I can feel my willpower weakening.
    I'm leery of buying stuff that I don't need.

    What tools have you regretted buying?

    Please talk me out of buying more planes.

  2. #2

    Cool

    Resistance is futile........


    Quote Originally Posted by Matt Lau View Post
    With the Lee Valley Cyber Monday sale coming, I can feel my willpower weakening.
    I'm leery of buying stuff that I don't need.

    What tools have you regretted buying?

    Please talk me out of buying more planes.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    A No. 6 Stanley Bailey. It was my first bench plane purchase. I’ve not lost sleep over it or anything, but I do regret it. It’s a size that does not lend itself to a clear role in my shop. It doesn’t joint like my my No. 7, and it’s way big as a jack. In attempt to invent a purpose for it, I thought for a while about using it as a dedicated shooting board plane, but my style does not, and probably never will, lend itself to utilizing a shooting board.

    Collecting vintage user tools requires an opportunistic mindset, while being frugal requires being somewhat knowledgeable about the tool and the market for it. However, at auctions, and on eBay, there are many things of which I almost pulled the trigger, but didn’t, and at the end of the day was so glad I didn’t. I’ve learned to listen to that hesitant voice in my head.
    Last edited by Kurtis Johnson; 11-30-2019 at 2:02 PM.

  4. #4
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    I've yet to regret any of them.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kurtis Johnson View Post
    A No. 6 Stanley Bailey. It was my first bench plane purchase. I’ve not lost sleep over it or anything, but I do regret it. It’s a size that does not lend itself to a clear role in my shop. It doesn’t joint like my my No. 7, and it’s way big as a jack. In attempt to invent a purpose for it, I thought for a while about using it as a dedicated shooting board plane, but my style does not, and probably never will, lend itself to utilizing a shooting board.

    Collecting vintage user tools requires an opportunistic mindset, while being frugal requires being somewhat knowledgeable about the tool and the market for it. However, at auctions, and on eBay, there are many things of which I almost pulled the trigger, but didn’t, and at the end of the day was so glad I didn’t. I’ve learned to listen to that hesitant voice in my head.

    That's interesting. I actually picked up a LV #6 during one of these Cyber Monday Lee Valley sales and it has become one of the most used planes I own. I've turned it into a jack plane and honestly prefer this over the #5's I used to use. I still break out the #5's for this purpose if the blade is dull in the #6 but am always bummed at the smaller size when I do. I just prefer the larger reference surface when flattening boards with the #6.

    I can honestly say that I don't regret any of my plane purchases. I own a #2 LN, #4LN, LV BU Smoother, #5LN, #6LV, #7LN, #8LN, LV Small Plow, LV Rabbet, LN Small Shoulder, LV Medium & Large Shoulder, LN Router, LV Router, LN 60 1/2, LN 102 Bronze, LN & LV spokeshaves, LN Violin Makers Block, and some vintage Stanley's in there too. Writing them all out I will say that it seems excessive but I can honestly say they all get used. Out of all of them the #7 and #8 are the most redundant but I do use them both depending on what blade is sharper. My least favorite plane is probably the LV Spokeshave. I do find this spokeshave to be much more susceptible to chatter especially when compared to the LN Boggs version and the small bronze LN shaves. All in all I am happy with owning all these planes.

  6. #6
    I don't particularly regret any of my plane purchases. Some I don't use as much as I thought I would, but all of mine were bought used and for the most part I picked them up on the cheap. I have the Millers Fall's version of the side rabbet block plane, it doesn't get much use, but it is really handy when you need it. I don't own any of the goofy trendy planes (that were never historically popular) like bevel up smoothers, bevel up jacks, 5 !/2s, 112 scrapers and the like. I probably would have regretted forking down the money to buy them new, as I doubt they would do much for me compared to the standard planes.

    I do have a couple chisels I regret buying, but those were also used and on the cheap, so there isn't a lot of regret there either.

  7. #7
    I have an LV BU Smoother (4 1/2 sized) that I almost never use. But like they say, I'll give it up when they pry it from my cold dead hands.

    Dr. Lau, look seriously at an LV Shooting Plane - I bought mine at a cyber monday sale. LOVE that tool!
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Frederick Skelly View Post
    I have an LV BU Smoother (4 1/2 sized) that I almost never use. But like they say, I'll give it up when they pry it from my cold dead hands.

    Dr. Lau, look seriously at an LV Shooting Plane - I bought mine at a cyber monday sale. LOVE that tool!

    I tried... During the checkout, my cart stalled for 45 minutes...before telling me that it was no longer in stock.
    I was a bit pissed, but figured it's God's way of telling me to have self-restraint.

    That shooting plane would have been great for a ukulele top that I needed to rejoin.

  9. #9
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    I have the Millers Fall's version of the side rabbet block plane
    Andrew, could you post an image of this plane. It doesn't appear to be listed on the Old Tool Haven site > https://oldtoolheaven.com/blok/blok.htm

    Could you possibly be referring to the Millers Falls equivalent of the Stanley #140?

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Koepke View Post
    Andrew, could you post an image of this plane. It doesn't appear to be listed on the Old Tool Haven site > https://oldtoolheaven.com/blok/blok.htm

    Could you possibly be referring to the Millers Falls equivalent of the Stanley #140?

    jtk
    It's the Miller's Falls version of the Stanley #140. I've always wanted a Stanley or LN #95, but I have never been willing to spend that much on a plane. The most expensive one I have is a Stanley compass plane (I don't remember the number) that I paid a little over $100 for. i was on the fence on that one, but it was an in-person buy, and the plane was in good condition, and I specifically needed a compass plane.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Seemann View Post
    It's the Miller's Falls version of the Stanley #140. I've always wanted a Stanley or LN #95, but I have never been willing to spend that much on a plane. The most expensive one I have is a Stanley compass plane (I don't remember the number) that I paid a little over $100 for. i was on the fence on that one, but it was an in-person buy, and the plane was in good condition, and I specifically needed a compass plane.
    A compass plane is a handy thing to have if one does curved work.

    My Stanley #95 was one to get me biting the bullet and then not finding a lot of use for it. Maybe it should be given another try at cutting sliding dovetails. Otherwise one of these days it may get sold.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  12. #12
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    A Stanley no 62 It is a nice looking plane but has a chip in the mouth. I do not use it for fear of chipping it out more. so it sits in the tool box and I think about selling it to buy a good crosscut saw witch I need more.
    And a no.4 1/2 that I picked up at the same time I just seam to like using a no.3 more.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tony Shea View Post
    That's interesting. I actually picked up a LV #6 during one of these Cyber Monday Lee Valley sales and it has become one of the most used planes I own. I've turned it into a jack plane and honestly prefer this over the #5's I used to use. I still break out the #5's for this purpose if the blade is dull in the #6 but am always bummed at the smaller size when I do. I just prefer the larger reference surface when flattening boards with the #6.
    Hmm, I say while nodding. You must have Popeye-sized forearms to use a hulking No. 6 as a jack for hogging off material. Now, while I myself am no slouch at arm wrestling, I’d loath using a No. 6 for dimensioning lumber. It is nice to see No. 6’s get some love.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tony Shea View Post
    That's interesting. I actually picked up a LV #6 during one of these Cyber Monday Lee Valley sales and it has become one of the most used planes I own
    A great example of why these sort of questions are so hard to answer. The value will vary with the woodworker. These questions do make for good conversation though and that always seems to be beneficial ;-)
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  15. #15
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    Originally Posted by Tony Shea

    That's interesting. I actually picked up a LV #6 during one of these Cyber Monday Lee Valley sales and it has become one of the most used planes I own
    Quote Originally Posted by glenn bradley View Post
    A great example of why these sort of questions are so hard to answer. The value will vary with the woodworker. These questions do make for good conversation though and that always seems to be beneficial ;-)
    So very true… Some see a Stanley #45 as a fancy boat anchor. Others see it as a versatile way to plow groves or add decorative detail to their work.

    If a person is mostly doing small work on boxes for jewelry or pencils, they likely will not find a use for the big fellows like a #4-1/2 or a #8.

    Some folks find bevel up smoothers, jointers and jacks can handle every task they are called upon to perform. Others may find they are best at specialties like shooting end grain or using as a scrub plane.

    To me, a block plane with a 45º angle of attack, like a #9-1/2, is too much like a bench plane without a chip breaker to have much use. To others it is a handy accompaniment to their bench planes.

    We all do different things in different ways.

    This is the very reason for a forum like this, we can all hopefully learn something different from each other.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

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