I find almost no use for:
3
6
8
Stanley 90
The regrets I have are ones I have sold then purchased again when i missed them. LN rabbet block plane, skew rabbet block plane, bevel-up smoother, primarily.
I find almost no use for:
3
6
8
Stanley 90
The regrets I have are ones I have sold then purchased again when i missed them. LN rabbet block plane, skew rabbet block plane, bevel-up smoother, primarily.
The only real regret about a plane purchase is when I was still new at this and bought a Bedrock 604 from an antique shop and found it had a welded frog when I took it apart at home. There was a corresponding lump on the frog that required lots of file work in order to make the plane useable. It was an educational experience that was never forgotten for future plane purchases. I offered the plane on the auction site and clearly pointed out the weld with text and photos. It sold immediately.
Several more vintage Stanleys have passed through my shop until I found I have a very satisfactory assembly of useable planes, most of them Stanley. I’m at a particular age now that some of the premium planes from LV and LN might have to be sold so my family won’t be stuck with tools they would have no knowledge about their value. I have assembled a catalog with apparent prices though. But that’s another story.
I wish that I knew what I know now... Rod Stewart from Ooh La La
The #90 (bull nose shoulder plane) doesn't have enough of a toe to register to the work. Mine is occasionally useful. My other rebate planes including a #93 tend to be used much more often.
My surprise was Günther doesn't find much use for a #3, #6 or #8. My #8 doesn't get as much use as my #3 & #6, which are two of my go to planes. My #8 is usually pulled out for longer work.
It shows we each have different needs and methods of doing similar things.
One user sees an expensive piece of useless gear, another sees a brilliant answer to a nagging problem.
One person's rusty hunk of junk is another's diamond in the rough.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
@ Josh- Late in replying as I'm on a road trip. Bought a #39 1/2", discovered the body was (slightly) bend,then bought another body from someone on ePray (who parts out planes and then subsequently sells the bodies off cheap) to replace. Also bought a #39 3/4". The bend body was cut off making it a skewed bull nose plane. When I need the latter (seldom) I just swap the blade and lever cap from the complete 1/2". The 3/4" does not have the depth stop and I use it as a shoulder plane. Due to being retired I do not care of having to turn timber around to line things up so I can use a piece of timber as a fence to the right side of the plane. FWIW I have arthritis and the #39 is easier for me to hold than the smaller side rabbet (actually impossible to hold) or a shoulder plane. I just have to make sure the dado is perfect in one fitting and then shave a tad off the matching timber with the #3/4" to make it a good fit, rather than adjust the dado. I added the side handle of a Stanley 803 handrill as a front knob on the 3/4" in the thread for the fine adjustment screw of the depth stop (same thread).
Last edited by Marinus Loewensteijn; 12-05-2019 at 1:49 PM.
I have the LN left and right pair, and well as a single LV edge plane. They get used, not often, but I would not dream of selling them.
The worst plane I have ever owned - given to me as a gift - was the Stanley #75 bullnose plane. This was obviously designed by a sadist. There was no way to hold it without the blade digging into your palm.
Beyond this, tools are what you make of them, even this: The Orange Block Plane
Regards from Perth
Derek
I didn't buy it, and wouldn't have, it was gift. It's Veritas edge trimming plane, with a skewed iron and a non-adjustable 90* fence. I theory, it's for squaring up the edge of a board, but it's barely longer than a block plane. So sure, the edge will be square, but not necessarily straight. I did a couple of swipes on a board just to try it out & put it back in the box, where it's been for the last 8 or 10 years.
I love Lee Valley, but the catalog is rife with almost useless, 1 trick tools & gadgets. This is one of them.
I had a #75 Bullnose. The only thing it did well was fill a small space in a drawer. I tuned it to the level of a Swiss watch. The cutter was honed to a razor's edge. It didn't matter. It didn't work worth a damn.
Sharp solves all manner of problems.
The Stanley 75 was designed more for Glaziers....The 75 is best suited to clean out the areas where old glazing was, and get things down to bare wood again, and prep things for the next pane of glass to be bedded.
That's what I've heard. I've always had better luck with a Glazier's Knife (variant on a putty knife). After living in a 1920 era home with a boatload of wood double hungs needing rebuilding I got pretty good at it.
Sharp solves all manner of problems.
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)