I want to purchase my first hand plane. Teach me O wise ones

[Lu Seli]

Over 10 years ago I purchased an inexpensive Craftsman 7" Low-Angle Block Plane that was made in Sheffield, England- I can't remember exactly how much I paid, but I know it was under $30.00. I have tuned the sole and sides to a dead flat surface with a mirror-type finish by using various grits of sandpaper on a 1/2" thick glass plate . I also tuned the blade with sandpaper on glass - back of the blade and the bevel. This little plane works great. It's not as handsome as a Veritas or Lie-Nielsen Low-Angle Block Plane, but transparent curls come right off with a single stroke and without any chatter.

[Doug Shepard]

I'd also recommend a block plane as a good first one. There are lots of uses for it regardless of whether you end up looking to do more handtool work or not. Whether you go with a vintage Stanley or LV/LN is a matter of personal taste. I've got a 60-1/2 new non-vintage Stanley with adjustable mouth that works perfectly well and still gets used. Think I paid something like $45 new about 20 years ago. I've also got the LN version. The LN has less backlash in the adjustments, no chatter (where the Stanley occasionally does), more mass, thicker blade, can take a bit finer shavings, and just plain feels sexy compared to the Stanley. But for easing edges, flushing inlay, champfering, cleaning up saw marks, etc, the wood often cant tell the difference. End grain does fare a bit better with the LN though.

[Peter Quadarella]

I bought a Blum Jack plane as my first plane. I have since bought a Blum Jointer, an old Stanley #3, and a LN#102 block plane. I am very happy with my first purchase and would do it again. As a first time plane sharpener, Gary Blum's fixed angle jig was simple as pie (not to mention the plane worked flawlessly out of the box so I had a good reference point).

I am not affiliated with Gary in any way except as a happy customer. His site is at blumtoolco.com.

[Marcus Ward]

I gotta say, if you DO want to buy a rather more expensive current offering from one of the great tool makers we have these days (Both Lee Valley/Veritas and Lie Nielsen) I'd get a low angle jack. I use mine for TONS of stuff. I bought it because I couldn't find a comparable vintage one for less than the new Veritas (before you crucify me for owning new bling planes ) They're wonderful, with the mouth closed up it'll plane almost anything. I can't comment on the Lie Nielsen version as I don't own one, it's probably as awesome as my Veritas is and almost the same price. That'd be a do-it-all plane and a great first plane. It'll be tuned perfectly so you'll know what perfection in a plane feels like in case you want to restore some older ones afterward. It cuts endgrain and everything else with ease, making it super versatile.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...=1,41182,52515

http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?sku=62

[John Keeton]

Someone's gotta be the voice of restraint around here with all the tool drool that goes on.

Now that is unAmerican! Dare say, it is unpatriotic to NOT spend all available discretionary funds on new tools. Someone's gotta be the voice of unfettered spendthrift around here!

[Phillip Pattee]

Charles,

The box you are planning to make for your telescope eye piece sounds like a great first project. I'm imagining the box is not large, so I think a low angle block plane may be a good first plane. I do not own any of the bling planes (like Marcus does ) but so many people sing their paises that I doubt you could go wrong with either the LN low angle block plane or the LV version. I have a vintage Stanley 60 1/2 that I picked up on eBay for about $28. I have only sharpened the blade on it and it works great.

May I suggest that you forego the dovetail jig purchase. A table saw and a router have so many uses that you will probably find them good investments, but if the only reason you want the router right now is to cut dovetails then I think you could skip that purchase too. I would have to rate my purchase of a dovetail jig as the dumbest woodworking tool purchase I ever made. Instead, buy a good dovetail saw, either western or Japanese. The saw will be so much more versatile, and when you hand cut your dovetails you will have more satisfaction in your work than I think you would ever get from the dovetail jig.

Phil

[Jim Becker]

The first plane I bought was the LN 60 1/2 low angle, adjustable mouth, block plane. Yes, it will cost you around $160, but with simple care, it will last you a lifetime, and be the most used plane in your collection.

Ditto for me...even as a tailed-tool user, my LN 60 1/2 gets used on every project and was a good introduction to what a "good" hand plane should feel like. Now I have several others, both "newly manufactured" and restored but that block plane is still my favorite.

[Pete Clifford]

Clint Jones is selling a Type 11 #5 for $40 over on www.woodnet.net\forums. He used to post here as well... He's a trusted dealer and THE expert on Stanley's.

Is Clint Jones no longer a member on this site? He posted good stuff at reasonable prices. However, I recently purchased some items from him, and tried PM'ing him to thank him but the PM bounced back.

[John Keeton]

A member search did not reflect a Clint Jones as a member.

As to the choice of planes, as with Jim, I am far from a neander, but have used my Dad's old "no name" (actually a Defiant??) block plane since I "borrowed" it from Dad about 40 years ago.

Then, several years ago I purchased a Stanley jack plane at an auction . Those two have been my mainstays until recently purchasing various Veritas planes.

I would add though, like others have stated, the art of sharpening and tuning a plane will add to the satisfaction level of owning any plane far more than the type of plane purchased. It is only in recent years that I have made the effort to take care of my planes properly. Big difference!! My appreciation level for even Dad's old block plane increased substantially.

Personally, I would purchase a good used low angle block plane, practice your sharpening and tuning technique, get some experience, and then buy use specific planes. Veritas and Lie Nielsen are first rate quality tools.

[Alan DuBoff]

Updating is not restoring. I don't buy new irons. None of mine cost more than 20$ and that was for a new tote. And mine have already outlasted me. My vintage 1899 #8 is what, 109 years old? That's fine if you have the disposable income to blow 400 clams on a plane. I don't. And even if I did, I wouldn't. Someone's gotta be the voice of restraint around here with all the tool drool that goes on.

I don't have a problem with vintage tools, I have many of them, but I have to say that I have a few LN planes also, and I appreciate the quality level that is achieved. They are easier to adjust than some of my old Stanleys, but not all of my Stanleys are sloppy. I have an old 60 1/2 I bought some years ago for $25, it's a very useful and tight plane that I use all the time. But I also use a LN rabbet block, payed about $120 on sale from Woodcraft. It's also an excellent tool.

For me I like both old and new tools, and have an appreciation for both of them for what they are. I appreciate not only the value but the tradition and classic styling of vintage tools. At the same time I make some of my own tools also, and I like those also. I think it's best not to get too hung up on any particular type of tools, they're all good!

[glenn bradley]

I have a couple old planes I am still wanting to get around to making workable. I really enjoy getting value out of older tools or just ones that are a great bargain. The planes still wait . . over there in that cabinet . . . patient fellows, I'll get there one day.

In the mean time I have been making furniture. I have realized how some things work for me and this is not the right way for someone else or meant to be. I go to work and do what I do to make money to pay people who do what they do for me if I have more money than time for that particular pursuit. In the case of used planes that require a bit of TLC; I have been enjoying using my new LV low angle block with a second higher angle blade.

I send a message to those used planes in the cabinet over there; Don't give up hope; my priorities shift and time is fleeting . . . we may yet meet again.

[Greg Cole]

Wow - Marcus...

Welcome back!

What he said!
Then again there hasn't been a good lively spirited debate about vintage planes lately either....

Greg- Who just bought his first vintage stanley.

[Marcus Ward]

What he said!
Then again there hasn't been a good lively spirited debate about vintage planes lately either....

Greg- Who just bought his first vintage stanley.

Oooh young Skywalker, down the darkside you must travel...

[David Keller NC]

I think that 160$ for a low angle block plane is absurd. Buy a used vintage (VINTAGE!!!! The new ones are bad) Stanley 60 1/2 for 40$ or so and use that. I agree that the #5 offered above is another good choice. No matter what you're going to do, a #5 and a low angle block plane will have loads of utility in any job.

You're certainly entitled to this opinion, of course. But there are those of us that do most jobs in the shop with hand tools and have an appreciation for the rather steep performance improvement that these "high-dollar" tools offer. Don't get me wrong - I'm not one of those guys that turns up his nose and sniffs at buying a used tool. In fact, if they were totalled up, most of my hand tools exceed 100 years old, each, and some of them pre-date the Revolutionary War.

But I have both vintage type 11 Stanleys (and older ones, with a few Sweethearts mixed in) and Lie-Nielsen bench planes. Both the Lie-Nielsen low angle BP and the standard angle BP perform far better than their antique Stanley counterparts, which often chatter excessively in a cut (especially on end grain) and require greater force against the wood because of their lighter weight. The LN bench planes perform similarly better than their Stanley counterparts, even with new Hock blades and chipbreakers.

The only one that I haven't replaced with a L-N is the #6 Stanley fore plane. In this particular case, I use it as a roughing plane, I expect a rough cut, and lighter is better, so I stick with the Stanley.

My overall take is that you get at most what you pay for, and yeah, the $3500 Sauer and Steiner A6 smoother performs far better than the $350 L-N #4, though it could be argued not $3000 better. Nevertheless, it is sometimes the only handplane I have that will function on gnarly, highly-figured wood without tearing it out.

[Jim Becker]

Is Clint Jones no longer a member on this site? He posted good stuff at reasonable prices. However, I recently purchased some items from him, and tried PM'ing him to thank him but the PM bounced back.

As our Free Classifieds do not allow commercial business postings, Clint chose to discontinue posting here. You should be able to reach him via Woodnet to pass on your thanks.

Jim
SMC Moderator