Replies

1. 
   JeffHeath | Oct 22, 2006 07:43pm | #1

   Ohiobob

   My recommendation to you would be to first get The Handplane Book by Garrett Hack.  It will help you understand planes and their uses.  More importantly, the book will teach you how to properly tune a plane, and get it to sing for you.  Then, with this basis of knowledge, you can decide for yourself what you would need, applying this knowledge to how you work wood.

   In trying to provide my opinion, my first two planes, bought at the same time, were a block plane, and a #5 Jack plane.

   Jeff

2. 
   tms | Oct 22, 2006 08:02pm | #2

   Hey Bob,

   I agree with Jeff, get yourself a low angle block plane. You'll find more uses for that than anything else.

   Tom

3. 
   mufti | Oct 22, 2006 11:15pm | #3

              A very sharp bladed one, otherwise you will hate and not use it.

4. 
   alanplanesaw | Oct 22, 2006 11:33pm | #4

   Bob,

   Clearly you have some good woodworking skills.  The conventional wisdom is that the better you are with handtools, the better you will be with power tools; however, the reverse is not true.

   So, in my humble opinion, you are asking the right question and heading the right direction. 

   What the others have said about a #5, or even a 4, and a block plane, is sound advice. 

   Having had several hundred planes (metal and wooden) I can tell you that there are two things you must learn -- how to tune or fettel a plane, and how to sharpen and hone one. 

   If you can, take a class at a woodworking store or club on sharpening.  The "scarey sharp" method is probably the cheapest -- and just as effective as anything else.  Lee Valley has great waterstone systems.   A Tormek is expensive, but when you are taking a number of old planes and making them good users, it is almost indispensible. 

   If you have money and want to start with a great plane, my recommendation is go straight to Lie-Nielsen.  You can also consider Lee Valley - Veritas.  That will come down to personal opinion.  Both of them are great.  A used Lie-Nielsen will sell on ebay for 90 percent of what it cost new.

   If you want to get something cheap to learn how to clean it up, tune it, sharpen and hone, then get a used Stanley and jump in.  Then, when your budget allows, go for the L-N or the Veritas.

   I actually have Stanley's hanging on the wall by my bench, and L-Ns in the drawer.  The more challenging the wood, the quicker I reach for a L-N.   But I learned on the Stanleys.

   Whatever you do -- have fun makin' sawdust -- or shavings in this case.

   Alan - planesaw

5. 
   9619 | Oct 22, 2006 11:44pm | #5

   Bob,
   You have already gotten good advice on planes. I have a question for you. Did you design that nice hutch or did you use a set of plans that is published. I'd like to get hold of them. What do you recommend? Now that you have built the hutch, what about it would you have designed differently?
   Thanks,
   Mel

   Measure your output in smiles per board foot. 

6. 
   mgumaer | Oct 22, 2006 11:50pm | #6

   I would go with a block plane, probably low angle. I love my Veritas low angle block plane but periodically wonder how it would compare to a Lie-Nielson. I have decided that ultimately they probably both do the job equally well (but this is without first hand experience with the Lie-Nielsen block plane). I can't say enough about Garrett Hack's Handplane Book either.

   Matt

1. 
   ohiobob | Oct 23, 2006 12:25am | #7

   I'm getting some nice advice. Sounds like i should start with the block plane. What it's used for i'm not exactly sure. As far as the hutch in the pic i don't believe i would change anything. If you do a search on Amazon for David Smith. It came from his book. I have built about six different projects from his book. The plans are easy to understand and go step by step.

1. 
   JeffHeath | Oct 23, 2006 06:27am | #8

   bob

   you stated   "I'm getting some nice advice. Sounds like i should start with the block plane. What it's used for i'm not exactly sure."

   The book I recommended will thoroughly go through all the intended uses of each plane, as there are many.  I currently own over 30, and counting, emphasis on counting. 

   For me, hand work is far more enjoyable than machine work.  You'll find that as your skill grows, you will reach for a hand plane, or hand tool, for that matter, before a machine. Many of the tasks that I use to reach for a power tool to complete, I now can complete faster, with better results, with a hand plane.  They're quiet, they don't require a plug in tail, and they don't make dust.

   Enjoy.

   Jeff

2. 
   alanplanesaw | Oct 23, 2006 06:43am | #9

   Bob,

   No, unless you KNOW you need the block plane, that would "typically" not be the one you would start with.  A #4 or #5 is more typical. 

   But, what you should start with is either the book, or some other way of learning what each plane does -- and then, based on your dreams or needs, you can prioritize what you are going to get.

   Chris Schwartz had an article in Popular Woodworking (I think) on Coarse, Medium, and Fine in the past 12 to 18 months.  Which planes do what.

   Alan - planesaw