What Plane(s) Do You Wish You Hadn't Purchased

[Jim Koepke]

This was actually suggested by a Tony Zaffuto in the "Two Favorite Planes" thread:

[edited]
Maybe we ought to have a thread "what planes do you wish you never purchased"? For me, I guess my Stanley #6 and my LN small chisel plane (or is it the Woodriver 9-1/2 block plane-just too dayam uncomfortable).

My planes which gave me no joy would start with the Stanley #75 bull nose rabbet plane. The #90 is a better plane if just for the adjuster and lower angle. A bull nose shoulder/rabbet plane is not as useable as the longer nose shoulder planes.

Next would be a #18 block plane. For me the various standard angle block planes usually do not have an advantage over a bench plane or a low angle block plane.

A smaller block plane like a #102 or #103 are used because of their convenient sizes.

Who else has purchased a plane or two that doesn't really work out in their work?

jtk

[steven c newman]

A Wood River No. 4

Was more trouble than it was worth to use....

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Large Stanley Sweetheart shoulder plane. I rarely have need of it, so when I finally needed to use it, I pulled it out only to find that it has manufacturing defects. Too late to return it and I was not able to get a hold of Stanley to discuss. The only thing that I saw was that I needed to package everything and send it to an address. I needed a replacement screw, but people here told me how to fix it myself. I am way more inclined to purchase a tool that is not Stanley because of it.

Shooting plane. I just never used it and did not have a lot of luck when I tried. I finally dumped it and bought a sandpaper based shooting plane, that I have never used...

[ken hatch]

Jim,

Does a WoodJoy cigar shave count? Mostly because it has a A2 cutter that chipped so bad on its first outing as to be almost unsharpenable (not a clue if that is a word). Before I could get a replacement the company closed. IIRC non of the other makers cutters will fit.

ken

[Joshua Lucas]

Large Stanley Sweetheart shoulder plane. I rarely have need of it, so when I finally needed to use it, I pulled it out only to find that it has manufacturing defects.

This is exactly what I was going to say.

[Tony Zaffuto]

This was actually suggested by a Tony Zaffuto in the "Two Favorite Planes" thread:



My planes which gave me no joy would start with the Stanley #75 bull nose rabbet plane. The #90 is a better plane if just for the adjuster and lower angle. A bull nose shoulder/rabbet plane is not as useable as the longer nose shoulder planes.

Next would be a #18 block plane. For me the various standard angle block planes usually do not have an advantage over a bench plane or a low angle block plane.

A smaller block plane like a #102 or #103 are used because of their convenient sizes.

Who else has purchased a plane or two that doesn't really work out in their work?

jtk

Patrick Leach, in "Blood and Gore" said the #75 is only good for scraping paint or putty from windows. I actually bought the MF equivalent from Patrick for that task. It failed even at that (I forgot about that plane!).

[Christopher Herzog]

I have not cared for the LN 102 bronze plane. Always reach for my apron plane or if real tiny the violin plane.

[Jerry Thompson]

It's a joy to use but I bought one of Steve Knight's last planes. I planned on two large tables and was told a 24'' jointer was not long enough. So I got a 30'' razee with and adjustable mouth. It will take whisper thin shavings and did the job. I have found no real use of it since.

[Jake Hillestad]

No. 2 Bailey - really don't know why they exist. Found nothing it could do that a No. 3 or a block plane couldn't do better, for my work anyway. Classic case of "Too many and not enough".

[Frederick Skelly]

No. 2 Bailey - really don't know why they exist. Found nothing it could do that a No. 3 or a block plane couldn't do better, for my work anyway. Classic case of "Too many and not enough".

It might depend on the work you do. I love my Bailey #2. Different strokes I guess.

I could live without my LV bevel up smoother - it's basically a 4 1/2 but I seldom use it. (Wont sell it though.) Likewise, my #6C. Bought if from a buddy who had Tom Bussey prep it. Works well - just dont use it.

[David Carroll]

I bought the LN Small Chisel Plane, It's a nice enough plane, well made and works nearly as good as a wide paring chisel. I just never have found any compelling reason to use it.

DC

[Osvaldo Cristo]

This was actually suggested by a Tony Zaffuto in the "Two Favorite Planes" thread:



My planes which gave me no joy would start with the Stanley #75 bull nose rabbet plane. The #90 is a better plane if just for the adjuster and lower angle. A bull nose shoulder/rabbet plane is not as useable as the longer nose shoulder planes.

Next would be a #18 block plane. For me the various standard angle block planes usually do not have an advantage over a bench plane or a low angle block plane.

A smaller block plane like a #102 or #103 are used because of their convenient sizes.

Who else has purchased a plane or two that doesn't really work out in their work?

jtk

I am a power tool centric woodworker but in my three decades of amateur activity I purchased five manual hand planes. Three very low quality Stanleys no. 4 and a block plane. All of them were purchased new at very low price as an unexperienced guy I thought they were like hammers - it doesn't make difference for an occasional user. But if was a sad experience. The first no. 4 I throwed in the garbage and the other two planes only occasionally I tried with mixed results.

Finally a couple of years ago I decided for a radically different approach: I made my researches and discovered I had very poor technique and that matters for an efficient use of that apparently simple, actually very complex hand tool. Additionally I went to higher quality purchasing LN block and Jack planes. What a difference!

BTW even my trash planes, sometimes, could make a barely acceptable job when correctly adjusted, sharpened and used.

[Jim Koepke]

I made my researches and discovered I had very poor technique and that matters for an efficient use of that apparently simple, actually very complex hand tool.

A baseball bat is an even simpler tool. It can be more complex, requiring even more skill to have any success using it as intended.

jtk

[Jason Buresh]

Patrick Leach, in "Blood and Gore" said the #75 is only good for scraping paint or putty from windows. I actually bought the MF equivalent from Patrick for that task. It failed even at that (I forgot about that plane!).

Now see I love my 75! I use it on half laps, tenon's, rabbets,
and other random jobs around the shop. Yes I know there are probably better ways of doing it but it works for me. And it was cheap.

If I had to pick 2 I would probably say a cheap Irwin record plane I got from Menards before I knew any better. It has plastic handles and they didn't even clean up the sprue from the molding so it cuts your hand in use. I didn't even bother fixing it because it's such a piece of junk.

The other would be an old beading plane I picked up. It doesn't work well at all and doesn't really have a guide to keep it straight.

[justin sherriff]

old Stanley 62 the mouth is chipped on one side and the other has a crack and is starting to chip out so the plane just does not work very good. It looks nice other than that.