I’m thinking of buying some hand planes. I don’t know anything about them, but know I will need to read a few books on the different ones, how to sharpen them, how to take care of them to make them last.
First, I will say that I was given a Stanley Handyman B3, which I believe is a #3 Smoothing Plane. I’ve read that many people will convert that plane into a scrub plane. That plane needs s lot of TLC.
Since I am new to woodworking and using hand tools, I would like to know which planes I should purchase?
I know a #5 Jack Plane is versatile in almost every application.
I’ve also read in other posts to look on ebay. I’ve seen some good bargains, don’t know if I would be buying a good straight plane or one that can’t be used.
While I am on this subject, I have seem some of the Stanley planes for sale at my local homecenter.
If going with ebay, what is a good price to stay around, and is that price include shipping?
In regards to planes at local home center, would it be beneficial to purchase one of those to learn to use and sharpen?
Replies
Do you sharpen other tools currently, such as chisels? Work on getting a great edge on chisels first, before you buy a plane. If you can't sharpen a chisel, planes will just leave you frustrated.
If you can afford it, get a premium plane to start. Get a Lie Nielsen block plane or number four. All it will need is a honing, and you will know what it's like to use a great tool.
I would not recommend a home center plane. Utterrubbish. You can hunt for one on eBay, but there's a lot of crap, and you should know what to look for. Otherwise you can end up spending more than just buying a new top of the line tool.
I have never sharpened chisels. That is another topic up for discussion. I need a good set of chisels too. I saw a set from Lee Valley, Narex 4pc set for $50, I believe. Narex may not be quality, but I read in another post in the forums that chisels is about what is comfortable and how it feels when working with it.
Narex makes various lines of chisels from meh, to pretty d%*# good. The Narex Richter line is the line that I can recommend from personal experience, first rate performance with little tune up and performance close to my Veritas VM11's or a Lie-Nielsen. The mid level Narex will definitely need more tune up but can provide good value from what I hear. I would avoid the entry level Narex or any chisel for that matter.
You bring up a point that is at the crux of your entire post, sharpening, virtually every hand tool, outside of premium brands like Lie-Nielsen, Veritas, Blue Spruce and their ilk, will need to be sharpened out of the box to perform at all and even those premium brands will need sharpening quickly and benefit from a light honing out of the box. Hand tool satisfaction and success almost always hinges on how well sharpened the tool is. I can't tell you how many times I helped a woodworker struggling with handtools simply by properly sharpening it. Tools need sharpened frequently, the cheaper the tool the more frequent the sharpening usually. Invest in a Veritas Mk.II sharpening jig with the narrow blade adapter and $60 set of glass plates and films from taylortools.com and learn to sharpen. Maybe throw in an extra coarse diamond stone for the heavy work.
The only thing I have sharpened is my Kershaw pocketknife. I will definitely be taking some beginner classes on sharpening chisels and hand planes. I don’t want to be one of the people that buy a chisel or plane and trash them by not sharpening them properly.
I would suggest the Lie-Nielsen sharpening jig. I have the Veritas jig and attachments and find that the chisels and blades can shift even when fully tightened. The Lie-Nielsen clamps from the side.
So does the Mk.II with the newer narrow blade attachment but I has a wider and more stable wheel and can easily hone a microbevel or radius a plane iron if desired with the elliptical roller. Both guides are good but I think the Mk.II is more versatile.
> Since I am new to woodworking and using hand tools, I would like to know which planes I should purchase?
For bench planes, a no 5 will get you very far indeed. You could combine that with a no 4 set very fine, exclusively for finishing. And a scrub plane, often a 4 (though I use a 5, and as you mention, others like a 3), set very aggressively, to take down rough boards. A no 6 or 7 can help if you plan to work on a lot of long stock, but it's perfectly possible to do without.
For joinery planes, a shoulder plane, a fillister and/or plough plane and a router plane are all good staples that can do most things between them. Can branch out from there to more specific.
> In regards to planes at local home center, would it be beneficial to purchase one of those to learn to use and sharpen?
No. It's likely to be an exercise in frustration, especially if trying to learn -- if the plane isn't taking a good shaving, is it something you've done wrong? Or is it just junk? In principle, some of these can be fettled into a tool that isn't a disaster, but to do that, you need to know what you're aiming for. Better to start off with a known good.
Re sourcing, new Stanley is not the same as old (early/mid 20th century) Stanley. If buying from eBay, make sure if the seller is claiming it's refurbished, that this has been done by someone who know what they're doing (check other items for sale and reviews). Some people do a wonderful job, others will just as soon take a grinder to a plane sole and then spray over the rust on the body with some blue goo from a rattle can. Re prices, here in the UK, I'd expect to pay between £30-£50 for a "fixer-upper", depending on condition, more if it's unusual. And a similar caveat on "fixer-uppers" applies as DIY store planes...perhaps better done once you have a feel for it. Properly refurbished bench planes don't often go for below £80. Not sure if that's of any help.
Totally agree with what others have said. In addition to vintage Stanley, you can also search for Miller Falls and Sargent (I blanking on other brands).
This video might be helpful for choosing which planes to start with https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0VItLJTRnU&ab_channel=MattEstlea
There are lots of great hand plane restoration tutorials here and on YouTube. For example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_QKpSrKuuo&ab_channel=WoodByWright
I’ve seen the video by Matt. Great video.
There's a whole lot of opinions about how to start out with hand planes. The traditional western plane combination would be like jointer plane, jack plane, smoother plane. I like my 62 1/2 stanley block plane that I got from ebay for @ $60. I also like my stanley 95 shoulder plane, 105 ( I think) cabinet scraper, 151 spoke shave. My jointer and jack are woodies but I mainly only use them on straight grains like red or white oak. My smoothers are both 4 and 1/2 - one Miller Falls and a Stanley handy man. Of those two I use the Miller Falls, because the mouth can be adjusted tighter for final smoothing on most woods. Sometimes I like the Stanley handy man to start and finish with the Miller Falls. I would recommend the older Stanley smoothers that Bob Van Dyke says have a lower front knob than later ones. I think most of them were made pre-1960s or earlier. You'll get a lot of other opinions and recommendations. You'll pay anywhere from $50 to $80 for used planes like I mentioned on ebay unless you get lucky. Stuff seems to have been bidding higher since COVID.
It depends on what you're going to do with it. Specialty planes like shoulder and router are definitely part of the arsenal, but not absolutely necessary.
My suggestion is start with a #4 and once you get your feet wet the next plane to buy is a #6. The 5 is nice also, but the #6, often overlooked "step sister" in the plane family is very versatile - shooting, edge jointing short boards, flattening, face planing.
Truthfully, tuned up and sharp, it leave a surface almost equal to a #4, but a little cumbersome for finer work.
What planes? Absolutely forget any planes you see at the home center. Re: Stanley, forget anything made by Stanley post 1950 (the so-called "Stanley Downgrade"). If you're going the Stanley/Union/Bailey/Millers Falls route, either buy one restored or restore it yourself. There is a fellow named Don who restores and sells planes very reasonably (timetestedtools.com)
If you're considering a new plane, then I suggest you give a very strong look at WoodRiver. Yeah, made in China (yada yada yada) but they are the best bang for the buck out there. If you have a local WoodCraft store go take a look. You can always return it, but I promise you won't. Rob Cosman has some reviews on how to commission them (yes, he's a paid promoter, but the info is good and so are the planes).
The irons will need a little work and some minor things like easing the edges. Which brings up the point, if you don't have a system already, then you simultaneously need to figure out what you're going to do for sharpening.
Good Luck!
I have a Woodcraft store, Highland Woodworking store and a Rockler store. I’ve been to Highland Woodworking a couple of times. Never been to Woodcraft or Rockler.
You obviously live in the Atlanta area as do I. Highland Woodworking is a great store with a very knowledgeable staff, they can certainly help you.
As far as access to larger equipment (table saw, bandsaw, surface planer, etc.) goes there is a facility in Roswell that allows you to use the woodworking equip in their building for a reasonable fee. I believe they will "train you" before you can use anything. I have no personal experience with them but it might be an option for you.
https://roswellfirelabs.org
Yes, I do live in the Atlanta area. Great to have a fellow woodworker in same area. I’ve bought a few things from Highland, mostly books and plans. Haven’t really had time available to take any classes, as either they are full or they sneak up on me pretty quickly, and also, due to my working hours. I work nights, which is a challenge in itself to do woodworking.
Something else I just thought of. Where do you buy your lumber for woodworking and what type if stuff do you build?
I get a fair amount of wood from Rockler in Sandy Springs (they have a large selection with decent prices). I also buy from Carlton's Rare Woods (incredible selection of exotic woods), Peachstate Lumber in Kennasaw, and Atlanta Hardwoods in Mableton.
I build solid wood furniture as well as smaller stuff. I use a lot of hand tools (including planes) but also have power tools.
I've attached a photo of a "shelf stand" that I recently designed and built out of Cherry and Ambrosia Maple.
What area of town to do you live in?
I live in Griffin, about 30 miles south of Atlanta, past McDonough and Locust Grove. There is a store called “The Woodyard”, located in Concord, that sells wood. I’ve visited them twice, but haven’t bought from they yet. Their prices seem reasonable. Most of my projects that I have tried making have been using the poplar or pine you get from big box store.
I will have to check out the stores you memtioned.
Oh, for some reason, I wasn’t able to reply directly to the message with the pictures. The reply link was missing.
The first question we all should be asking before answering your question is; what type of Woodworking do you see yourself doing? and what other tools do you own? Someone who aspires to build solid wood full sized furniture pieces will have dramatically different needs than someone building cutting boards and jewelry boxes.
As for sources for someone who professes to know nothing about planes I would avoid ebay and second hand sources these are mine fields that even veteran tool buyers can fall into from time to time. With the interest in vintage tools, bargains are hard to find and a bad restoration can leave a bad taste in your mouth. To really appreciate planes I feel it is critical to experience a quality tool first and experience how a plane should perform before you explore restoring project planes. Without this benchmark you will never know if your plane is performing properly. I suggest a quality #4 (few people would argue the #4 as a solid choice for a first plane) from either Lie-Nielsen or Veritas these are planes that you can take out of the box and with little fuss make satisfying shavings and while they won't truly sing until you do a little fine tuning you won't become frustrated and swear you will never touch another plane again and that you don't see what all the fuss is about either. After that maybe a low angle block plane and if you intend to do mortise and tenon joinery a shoulder plane. Someone who intends to do a lot of glued up panels yet lacks a full sized jointer will probably want a number 7 jointer, while someone looking to working with exotic woods with a lot interlocking and difficult grain may enjoy a low angle #6(my choice before the #5), then there is the router plane a must have for sliding dovetail carcass work and many other specialized joinery. So you see your tools should be chosen for the work you do not because everyone says this is what you need.
I want to build an Arts and Crafts sofa. I also want to build new bedroom furniture, as well as build a custom kitchen island and new kitchen cabinets and doors.
That's an ambitious list for a new woodworker. What power tools do you have? Or do you in vision wanting to be a hand tool focused woodworker? What type of workbench do you have? Working with handplanes requires secure ways to clamp your work piece so a stout bench is essential.
Craftsman style furniture is a lot of mortise & tenons so a shoulder plane is essential. I like the Veritas medium if you only have one, although Lie-Nielsen makes a low angled block plane with a knicker which is capable of cleaning tenon shoulders and still perform normal block plane roles it just won't be able to fine tune a dado or rabbet. The #4 I mentioned is a definite and I would opt for the low angled bevel up #62 from Lie-Nielsen an amazingly versatile tool, and if you don't have a large power jointer, a #7 or 8 jointer to square and straighten your edges prior to glue up. I will stress again for a new woodworker looking to start making shavings quickly stick with quality manufacturers like Lie-Nielsen, Veritas and a few others. While brands like Woodriver and Bench dog can be solid values if you know what to look for and how to tune them, they will not perform out of the box the way the top tier manufacturers will and could lead to frustrations that could limit your enjoyment of the experience or end it all together. I have never regretted buying a quality tool but frequently end up spending more in the long run when I tried to pinch pennies. A quality plane is something that will last a lifetime and even be passed down to succeeding generations so invest wisely in your tools.
I have basic homeowner power tools (cordless drill, circular saw, compound miter saw, vs random orbit sander, table saw, scroll saw, biscuit joiner, Bosch 1617 Router. Probably leaving some tools off. I don’t have the big tools like a thickness planer or jointer, dust collection system. Still trying to figure out where to start and how I can get started with what little I have.
Put a drum sander on that list.
Knowing more about your shop set up, but I think most people would consider a duct collector one of the core machines.
Cabinet making and furniture making are very different. You'll figure it out.
Personally, with hindsight, I would put a good dust collection system at the top of the list. 6” duct if you can (tapering to whatever your tool takes. Airborne saw dust is very dangereous and some machines create a lot of it.
Alternatively you can go the full hand tool route and skip the collection but that’s not very practical for 95% of amateurs.
My first large project was a workbench. Its a good learning project for large scale pieces such as beds and tables. It also gives you a place to work with the planes, chisels etc.
About 3-4 years ago, I purchased a HF workbench, just to have something to use. I suspect once I delve into woodworking a lot more, I will figure out what type of workbench I need and may be building my next one.
Check out the following FWW Mike Pekovich video series on Hand Planes. I am a firm believer the most expensive tools are the most economical tools. When performance becomes important the economical tool needs to be replaced with a quality tool.
https://www.finewoodworking.com/project-guides/handplanes/ep-1-fundamentals-handplanes-intro
That makes sense. You pay for quality tools, you expect quality tools. Also makes sense to spend a little more on the tool you actually want versus buying something you will hate and have to save up for the purchase at a later date.
I've been doing woodworking for over twenty years now, in a small shop with mostly hand tools.
First I would suggest reading Christoper Schwarz's book, "The Anarchist's Tool Chest." It is, in my opinion, one of the best books out there on woodworking. He offers and discusses many different tools and techniques that would be helpful.
In the past few years, I have downsized my tool collection to just the tools I really need to build furniture. Not the tools I think I need. I've used both vintage planes from eBay, flea markets as well as new Lie-Nielsen and Veritas tools. My tool chest now includes a Lie-Nielsen low angle jack plane with three different blades honed to hand various tasks such as end grain, rough dimensioning and smoothing. Buying new can be more expensive, but you spend more time building furniture than getting a vintage plane to work right, and with your limited experience, could be frustrating.
I would suggest starting out with either a new Lie-Nielsen jack plane (bevel up or down type) and a Lie-Nielsen, low angle block plane. These two planes will give you a basic start and cover a variety of tasks.
These are all great replies and suggestions. Will definitely keep the premium brands on the list, as far as hand planes, chisels, dovetail saws, etc., come into play. Just like anything else new, it’s a learning experience. It’s also great for me, as I love learning new things everyday.
I probably have 30 planes, not including repeats. I assembled the bulk of those pre internet and pre Lie- Nielsen for that matter. I use them all. With the exception of the wooden planes and a couple of Clifton's all my planes are Stanley. I hunted flea markets and yard sales. Back in the beginning I was in West Virginia. Nobody had any money there and never did so finding things of quality was difficult.But in Florida I discovered there was tons of stuff. I attributed it to all those Yankee carpenters retiring to Florida and of course bringing their tools with them- only to discover that no one made anything out of wood there! Eventually I moved to California,put myself smack in the middle of a bunch of rich people and was able to actually make a living as a result.
To assemble what I have Lie-Nielson would probably run you about 10 g's. #4 s and block planes in Stanley are a dime a dozen. Someone already handed you a #4 and searching ebay / Craigslist you could probably average out at $50 a pop for any others that you might want. I ran into an ad on Craiglist the other day for 40 wooden planes that a guy purchased in England that looked really in nice shape and he wanted $800 for the lot! It takes some time to collect this stuff. Chisels,saws there's nothing wrong going used. Thousands of woodworkers got along just fine with Buck Brothers , Henry Disston , Greenlee tools. I do like my Japanese saws though. My favorite chisels are my Swedish Bergs that are sought after by collectors but I was able to put together a set for a couple of hundred bucks shopping ebay. Someone mentioned a drum sander as a necessary tool. Really! Every cent I ever made was from woodworking and I have never owned a drumsander until TODAY! If on occasion I needed a drum sander I carried it to a guy who had a big machine but that wasn't often. I'm doing this project and having some problems and drum sanding would solve it. A friend of mine has pretty much given up woodworking in favor of Marijuana growing and I knew his shop has been converted to that purpose so I asked to borrow it. It's a Delta 18-36 that he expressed frustration with and in my 20 minutes of experience with it so far I can see what he's talking about . Once we humped it up onto my truck he said " Why don't you just keep it" so I guess I will.
You will find it necessary to become proficient at sharpening and after you have a couple of hundred edge tools you'll realize it can be a full time job. I sharpen as I go. If this is a hobby then you can spend any amount that you want but if it's a job then you need to keep it to a level that there's something to put in your pocket at the end! Wood is what you need to concentrate on. Commercial sources are really militant in their pricing, quality is becoming increasingly difficult and will only get worse. So you hunt constantly. Ideally you decide what you want to make a project with but in reality ,for me at least, is what I have or get is what dictates.
I was in your position about 4 - 5 years ago. Was interested in woodworking but really didn't know what to buy or where to start. What I would say is figure out what you are interested in making / building and that will guide your tool buying choices. You may end up buying a lot of tools you think you need but actually don't use at all. Of course there are some staples that nearly every project needs like a measuring tape, bevel gaueg, jack plane, block plane, set of saws, chisels. Personally I buy 90% second hand. Old stanley and record planes are solid and even if they have to be taken apart and tuned then you gain that skill and in the process really find out how the tool works. As your projects get more ambitious you can buy tools to suit those ambitions such as router planes, dado planes, etc. I'm currently building a tools chest to house all the tools I've gathered over the last 5 years and finding I need some new tools to finish it properly.
The Mike Pekovich video(s) are an excellent place to start in selecting, using and sharpening hand planes.
The recommendations on this page to buy a quality hand plane first (Lie Nielsen or Lee Valley) for the beginner is sound advice.
Getting good results out of any hand plane requires a sound sharpening process - I use the Lie Nielsen Honing Guide, water stones, lapping plate and follow the steps in their YouTube videos on sharpening. Don't forget to use Jojoba Oil or equivalent to prevent rusting and I use HoneRite Gold added to water to prevent oxidation in the sharpening process.
Mike Pekovich's recommended list is very similar to the Lie Nielsen recommendations. Here is the text from Lie Nielsen on First Hand Planes:
https://www.lie-nielsen.com/nodes/4219/home-education-getting-started
"Planes:
Everyone needs a Block Plane, and our No. 60½ Adjustable Mouth Block Plane is the most versatile design. If you start with rough wood, the next tool you need is a Jack Plane – our No. 62 Low Angle Jack is our favorite.
Next (or if you start with pre-surfaced wood), comes a flattening tool, which would be a Jointer Plane, usually a No. 7 or 8.
For finishing surfaces you will need a Smoother – a No. 4 or 4½ is a good place to start. Then, consider a shoulder plane for trimming joints – the No. 073 Large Shoulder Plane will handle large and small jobs – and other Joinery Planes, like the Router Planes, depending on your work."
I am a Hybrid Woodworker. I use machines to dimension the wood and Hand Tools for joinery and final surfacing. I started incorporating handtools with the Lie Nielsen No. 60-1/2 Adjustable Mouth Block Plane and the No. 62 Low Angle Jack Plane. These planes are easy to use and set up. Also you can purchase additional blades for the No. 62 and sharpen with different secondary bevels for difficult wood grain. You can accomplish most Hybrid Woodworker tasks with the No. 60-1/2 and No. 62. The No. 62 is a mid size Bench Plane and can do duties of the No. 4 or No. 7 although it is a compromise.
I subsequently added Lie Nielsen planes: No. 4 Bronze Smoother, No 5-1/2 Jack, No. 7 Jointer, No. 42 Medium Shoulder Plane, No. 71 Closed Mouth Large Router Plane and LN Boggs Flat Spokeshave. If I add any others it will be for convienience rather than necessity.
This can all seem overwhelming and daunting but if you study and follow Mike Pekovich's hand plane usage and sharpening videos and the Lie Nielsen YouTube videos with new Lie Nielsen hand planes you can get amazing results "thin shavings" the first time. The rest of the journey will take a life time.
Cheers!
I did a little bit of research on the Stanley Handyman plane that I have and noticed in the pictures on the iron was the type. That got me to looking at my plane a little further. I didn’t see it at first due to the surface rust, but it turns out, I have a Handyman H1204. As stated, it needs a lot of TLC to get it back to producing shavings. I figured I will put that plane on my list of restoration projects until I learn more about planes and how to restore them. My main focus now will be to purchase a good Veritas or Lie-Nielsen block plane. I just don’t know what style - standard angle or low angle.
From what I am gathering here, low angle is slightly better or is more useful?
CDawley4, I think most woodworkers choose the Low Angle Block Plane first. Usually the No. 60-1/2 Adjustable Mouth. Some prefer the No. 102 Low Angle Block Plane. A "bevel up" plane (No. 60-1/2, No 102 and No. 62) can be sharpened with a micro bevel to increase the angle of attack for difficult woods effectively giving you the same angle of attack of a "high angle block plane".
Walk before you run handplanes are a deep rabbit hole that I would suggest getting to know a few woodworkers that are into them and show you a few tricks of the trade before purchasing ,I would venture to say there are a lot of nice planes collecting dust on woodworkers shelves not being used.maybe try a woodworkers guild.
Is that a rabbit hole or a rabbet hole. Sorry, I couldn't resist the terrible pun.
Please!
You don't need to spend a fortune on planes to get great results. Paul Sellers is the best resource out there I think to dispell myths on hand tools. He has a website dedicated to helping beginners called Common Woodworking it's free to register and has a ton of info.
I would skip the home centers. I think vintage is the most economical way to go. I have Lie Nielsen, vintage Stanley's and a vintage Craftsman plane. I paid $250, $80, $25 respectively (round numbers) for these planes. In all truth, I get about the same quality out of my Craftsman $25 No 4 vintage hand plane as I do the others. It is as refined as a Lie Nielsen? No. However, the results on the wood are indistinguishable.
Without knowing any more, I'd say start with a vintage No 4 hand plane as it is very flexible at what you can do with it. After watching YouTube videos, take it apart, clean and oil it, and most importantly just use it. You can certainly spend more but you don't have to.
I will have to check that site out.
I was just looking at both the Lie-Nielsen 60 1/2 Block plane and the Veritas Block plane. Both can be had for around $200. My next question is how do they feel while using them?
While $200 is a fair amount to spend on a great quality hand plane, I’d hate to purchase one and find out it does’t feel comfortable in the hand.
Not sure if planes are designed for comfort, or if they are basically a standard block plane and most are created sort of equal.
I can say the Lie Nielsen feels much like a standard Stanley block plane and is basically a similar design though better executed and heavier. I do not have a Veritas for comparison but they claim to more ergonomic. I doubt you can go wrong with either.
I don't have the Veritas. But I use the Lie Nielsen nearly every day. It's as close to perfect as I can imagine.
The 60 1/2 would be and excellent choice as it's almost two planes in one it functions beautifully as a block plane yet because it has a full width blade and knicker it is excellent at trimming tenons as well, better than a shoulder plane on most tenons. I use mine constantly.
esch5995, Did you mean the No. 60-1/2 Rabbet Block Plane with Nicker instead of the regular 60-1/2 Adjustable Mouth Block Plane?
It could serve two purposes, but the only downside I've heard is people getting cut with the exposed blade on both sides. I don't own one so I haven't formed my own opinion.
Yes mine has the nicker which is retractable. The blade is flush with the sides not protruding. I've never cut myself with it.
I second the recommendation for the Anarchist’s Tool Chest with one caveat; don’t treat the list as tools you need to have. Take his insight into what the tools do to help buy the tools you need for the project your working on. My first hand plane was a LN 60 1/2 block plane. I was using S4S lumber and used it for chamfers and cleaning up some curves across end grain. I didn’t need anything else. If your project calls for squaring rough lumber and you want to do it by hand, a block plane is a poor choice. What is a good choice depends on the size of your parts. Whatever tool you choose, I agree that going with a quality maker (LN, LV, amongst others) is a good idea. You’ll know how a properly tuned and sharpened tool works and that gives you a baseline to compare anything you restore later. It also gives you a baseline for comparing what a sharp tool looks and feels like, because even without a hone, LN and Veritas tools are plenty sharp out of the box.
My favorite block plane ad I've never cut myself. I like the 10 1/4 bench rabbet for similar reasons. It's a decent smoother, jack and rabbet all in one.
I have the Veritas and it very comfortable, my go-to plane for any edge work and I have at least a half-dozen alternatives.
I have a lot of Veritas planes because I’m Canadian. I’ve never owned a Lie-Neilsen but I want to. A good friend has both and prefers the Veritas, and they are cheaper given the CDN exchange rate.
As you see from the many answers, cdawley 4, handplane ownership can be a seductive mistress.
Allow me to add one more perspective, addressed to your original question as you begin your journey into the world of handplanes. Buy one plane that you can fall in love with and that you will still be reaching for years from now. Learn to sharpen and tune it and enjoy the sensual experience of taking thin, even, full-width shavings. Learn over time how it can do what you wish to accomplish in terms of truing, adjusting, and smoothing the wood to which you apply it.
If I were starting where you are, I would:
1) Purchase an old Stanley or Sargent #4. These are great workers, widely available, and one that will serve you well for a lifetime can be had for somewhere around $100-150. My favorite source in this situation is Patrick Leach ([email protected]). Let him know your situation and what you're looking for. He is fair and honest and very knowledgeable.
2) Take advantage of the many excellent FWW handplane articles and videos on this site. A good place to start is their Project Guide on Handplanes. (https://www.finewoodworking.com/project-guides/handplanes)
3) Start practicing on scraps and cutoffs---hardwoods and softwoods. Learn to read the grain and to appreciate the sound and feel of the plane when it's working with the grain vs. against the grain. Adjust your plane initially to take very thin shavings.
4) Then add to your arsenal as the need arises, remembering with each addition that if it disappoints, it's probably not the tool but rather that you have yet to master the technique required for that specific plane. With practice and learning from others, you will be amazed at how satisfying it can be and at the level of precision you can rather quickly attain.
In short, planes are just....
Having not that long ago traveled a not-too-dissimilar road, my 83-cents’ worth:
As I began to get serious about woodworking, I already owned a Stanley #4 (not vintage, not new—it needed a fair bit of attention, and with the help of YouTube and the like, as well as a new iron and chipbreaker from hocktools.com, it’s now very serviceable, though I’m looking to replace it in the not too distant future).
My first hand plane purchase was the L-N 60-1/2 block plane. I became an instant fan of the L-N experience, and that plane is now always within reach, and sees lots of use. (Side note—it’s true that it performed well out of the box, though some honing made it “sing”, as another poster said.) I then followed the L-N recommendation quoted by another and got their #62 Low Angle Jack, with an extra iron for alternate use. I absolutely adore that plane. It can do a more-than-passable job with just about anything I throw at it.
Time passed, my wife’s attention to my spending lagged a little, and I then got the L-N #7 jointer. A superb tool that I find myself using more and more as I do more hand jointing. Then along came their large shoulder plane.
Yes, there’s a trend here. I’ve looked long and hard at Veritas planes, too, and will likely pick up their plow plane as my next purchase, I think. I don’t think one can go wrong with either, though the L-N folks have gotten a lot of business from me. (Yes, I also have L-N bevel edge chisels, purchased gradually over time. A major step up from the Buck Bros. chisels I used previously.)
The lesson I’ve learned is that preached by several already here: buying a good tool up front is the best investment, I believe. One avoids frustration, bad habits, etc., and at the same time can more readily focus on tool use and craft rather than constant “tuning” that is more like a never-ending rebuild.
And yes, learn how to sharpen. I’m not going to recommend a particular method or system—most all can be effective, I believe. But find one that works for you, and then work to master that method. FWIW, two texts I found very helpful in that were “The Perfect Edge” by Ron Hock, and “The Complete Guide to Sharpening” by Leonard Lee. And of course there are myriad YouTube videos, etc. on the subject. Try to stick with known and respected sources. The guy who shows his miracle sharpening system in one video, and the next on his channel is on the finer points of skinning a wild hog with a hatchet, might not be the expert you’re looking for.
Best of luck.
Another concern of mine is my shop doesn’t have electricity. Is there some type of wax or lube I can apply to my tools to keep them from rusting?
My concern is that I don’t want to invest $200 on a LN or Veritas plane and have it collecting rust due to the humidity in the GA.
I would love to one day equip my shop with electricity and put in a portable a/c in to try to control humidity.
I also read a couple of posts that a lot of people don’t have electricity to their shops.
My shop is a 10x16 Lofted Barn style shed.
I like Boeshield T-9 myself but there are many out there. Avoid silicone as it can interfere with some finishes.
L-N recommends Jojoba Oil.
https://www.lie-nielsen.com/products/tool-care-jojoba-oil-?path=tool-care&node=4117
Select "Tool Care" tab
https://www.lie-nielsen.com/products/adjustable-mouth-block-planes-?path=core-tools&node=4086
Also waxing the sole during use helps. Other products also work.
https://www.lie-nielsen.com/products/wax-stick
Keeping your tools properly coated with oils or more BoeShield, WD40 or CRC will all work but you can also store your tools in a closed box with some type of desiccant material to absorb humidity. Desiccant material comes in many forms from drawer/shelf liners to containers that can be dried in an oven and reused. They are definitely worthwhile if you are in a high humidity environment to protect your tools.
I have a rolling workbench style toolbox that came with drawer liners. I may have to invest in silica packets or something else to put in them. Is that similar to what you are referring too?
You can get silica gel in perforated metal containers in many sizes. Put them in the oven to dry them out, then pop them in a drawer or box.
Yes
You can keep everything coated with oil, but I'm telling you its not a guarantee. Now I keep everything in a climate controlled room which has 100% eliminated rust issues. Smartest thing I ever did.
I really do think the rust preventing drawer liners Lee Valley sells work.
Humidity rods did not work at all for me. Neither did DampRid.
One... buy a few good books. LAP anarcist tool chest, Taunton press on shapening, etc. Two... only buy tools for what you absolutely need on your current project. Use the big machines from maker spaces. Three... take core fundamental classes from Highland, Woodcraft. For me it was Mike Siemsen in MN. Four... stay away from Instagram. It is the crack of WW. When I started I thought FWW was too good for my ability. Wrong - it's for everyone. Lastly.... from the Naked Woodworker. "To learn you must do." Fwiw... get Mike's video from LAP. The audience is targeted at beginners.
If you're serious, about woodworking I have a Sargent 7 and a Miller Falls number I can't find. It's from my late father's stuff I'm trying get out of my basement. Would anyone care to suggest what is a good deal?
It depends on how much rust damage or if there are missing or nonworking parts. If they are still good or can be restored, my guess would be that they could fetch anywhere from $50 to $80, depending on their condition. The used planes I have I restored relatively easily. Pitted rust spots on the blades were minimal. Otherwise, I would not have bought them. Pictures were available showing the plane parts separately and both sides of the blades. A picture of the sole of the plane is also important, it should not have deep pits caused by rust.
To add a voice to several others: stay away from the big box stores. They sell only cheap hand tools. Your Stanley Handyman #4 was a very cheapened version of the contemporaneous Stanley Bailey that was cheapened from the vintage ones. I wouldn't buy a hand plane from eBay, as you can't see it before buying. Unless you plan on immediately replacing the blade and chip breaker (which I have never done with my various planes), you need to be able to look at the iron, the sole, the frog (that supports the blade and chip breaker.) I have a vintage Craftsman that I got from my father; its frog stops way above the bottom of the blade, allowing for flexing in the blade that prevents chatter-free work. By comparison, the Stanley Bailey frog goes much closer to the sole of the plane, and the Stanley Bedrock has the best, and most easily adjustable, frog. This supports the blade the best, and also allows easy adjustment of the frog to narrow or widen the mouth of the plane. Bedrocks are the top of the line for this type of vintage hand plane. The quality of the frog makes a huge difference in how well the plane works.
For the last few years, almost all of my projects for customers have involved really difficult wood: crotch mahogany planks, quarter-sawn sycamore, tiger stripe mukulungu, curly cherry, ebony, tiger stripe hard maple ... I have relied on my cabinet scraper to smooth this wood. My favorite is a Stanley #81, which has a rosewood sole. A #80 is my second choice. They take the worry (but not the work) out of working highly figured wood.
That is some beautiful wood and, no doubt, difficult to hand plane.
My favorite solution to working that kind of wood is a Veritas bevel up smoother and jack plane. I grind the bevel to about 45º and then add a secondary bevel giving me about a 60º angle of attack factoring in the 12º bed angle. I also love the easily adjustable mouth which helps eliminate any tear out. It can be a bear to push but with lighter passes it's no problem.
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