Does anybody know for certain when the new Stanley planes and chisels will actually be available. November has come and gone and I don’t believe these tools are out on the market yet. At least, I haven’t been able to find them.
Hey Mel, you and Woodcraft buddies wouldn’t be hoarding these things with the intent of selling them on Ebay for more than their worth once you create an artificial pent up demand?
Replies
gd,
"Hey Mel, you and Woodcraft buddies wouldn't be hoarding these things with the intent of selling them on Ebay for more than their worth once you create an artificial pent up demand?"
Not me. The only thing I hoard is any nice curly maple I can find at a reasonable price.
A person only needs two planes, a Jack and a block. No need to hoard planes. Besides, after fettling a half dozen Stanleys, I have decided life has more interesting ways to spend time. The #7 really was a lot of work.
Have fun.
Mel
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
I agree that only two planes are needed, but I vote for a #7 and a low angle block.
Napie,
So you only use two planes, heh. Are you primarily a bowl turner? What other types of woodwork do you do?
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
I should have clarified that if I could have only two planes it would be a #7 and low angle block. I was greatly influenced by a series of articles by Roger Holmes way back in the early (black and white) days of FWW in which he stated that the only bench plane you really needed is a #7. I found that to be pretty accurate and still do. As to my personal collection I have everything from a #3C smoother on up in a combination of Stanley’s and L-N’s plus a number of homemade Krenov styles, old moulding planes, hollows and rounds, the odd group of shoulder and plow planes, etc. I love them all but still fire up the router(s) since they are fun also. I’m obsessive about them too, current count is twelve as I hate changing bits. <!----><!----><!---->
Yes I turn a lot but also build a number of other things including a new king sized bed in a Beeksvort/Moser/Shaker style in some cherry I had been hording in addition to most of the other furniture in our house. I used to carve a lot more; I did many bird and fish decoys and am now getting back into it and have a Bellamy eagle in the works since I scored a bunch of very old clear Idaho sugar pine. I have built a bamboo fly rod and I make long bows on occasion and tried my hand at a little blacksmithing, mostly because I got a deal on an anvil. I also love to rebuild old machinery, every stationary tool in my shop is used.
This all is one reason I so dislike the turn that FWW has taken over the past few years, they used to run wonderful articles on any and all of the above subjects and they were great and provided inspiration and a perspective of the craft as a whole, not just furniture, but I’ll not get on that soap box.<!----><!---->
I can't say that I agree with you and Roger on this point. You can certainly make a case for any number of planes, depending on what it is that you do, and your fondness for tools. I would argue that 95% of what most WWrs do can be accomplished with four planes: a LA block, a #4 1/2 finisher, a #5 jack and a #7 jointer. Others would add shoulder and router planes- but the above list is pretty useful.One reason that I disagree with your list of a LA block and a #7 occurred this past week. I am having a bathroom done over. The marble vanity top extends 18" past the vanity and requires a brace to support it. The contractor furrowed his brow when I pointed this out to him, and then smiled and noted that since I had a wood shop, perhaps I could crank one out. I did, but when I went to fit it between the wall and the top, I found that the two surfaces met at 93 degree angle, my brace was set at a 90 degree angle. So I scribed the true angle, and brought the brace down to the shop and set it in a vice. A #7 would have tended to joint the arm of the brace dead flat; but a #5 jack was just the size for the job. After reaching the scribed line, I made 2 or 3 passes with the #7 and the brace fit spot on.I find the #5 to be among the most useful planes in my shop, and others I think would tend to agree, if what has been written here in the past is any indication.Glaucon
If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...
Just remember, ask ten woodworkers what is the best way to accomplish a given task and you'll get twelve different answers! Please note from my post 44347.6 that I do own a lot of planes, but you know I use the #5 the very least and the #7 the most and a #5 1/4 not at all but it is fun to own, oh well, to each his own way to get things done. <!----><!----><!---->
Napie,
Feel free to get on the soapbox anytime. I enjoy it.
I remember you helped me once with a question I had on drying bowls. You said that you turn a lot of bowls. I had no idea that you do so many different types of woodwork and blacksmithing and you have a nice collection of planes. You sound like an "all around" woodworker to me, and an old fashioned one at that. (That was meant as a compliment).Have fun.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
I enjoy many aspects of the craft and related ones, i.e. the blacksmithing. I like to combine many different ways of doing things both hand and power tools etc. I probably have what is now known as ADHD but it has served me well. I have bought and sold many old planes, chisels, saws etc. One of my best finds was a Gerstner tool chest at a yard sale for $20.00, full of Starrett and Brown & Sharpe tools, some grand kid that had no respect such things. I cherry picked a few and sold the chest for $350.00, that bought an L-N #4 ½ a good deal I thought. A Yost turtle back patternmakers vice for $50.00, that I kept and the 125# anvil for $30.00, always nice to have. There have been many such deals in the past and I enjoy looking for them. Versatility is the key to happiness for me.<!----><!----><!---->
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butchera hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts,build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders,cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure,program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.Specialization is for insects. -- Robert A. Heinlein<!----><!---->
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Napie,
I have used that Heinlein quote a number of times. Glad you like the wisdom it contains. I also practice versatility in woodwork. I try to add at least one major new set of skills each year. 2008 was the year of the carved greenwood bowls. I have gotten some bargains in old tools but nothing like you. I have gotten many great bargains in Victorian furniture at estate sales. I lood for nice pieces which most people could not fix -eg drawers with runners that are too worn to work, or missing but hidden pieces. Thanks for the exchange of ideas.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
I should have clarified that if I could have only two planes it would be a #7 and low angle block. I was greatly influenced by a series of articles by Roger Holmes way back in the early (black and white) days of FWW in which he stated that the only bench plane you really needed is a #7.
Hi Napie
Of course you can do a lot of jobs with just a #7 and a block plane. No disagreement from me.
I built this with just a LV BU Jointer and a spokeshave (Stanley #53) (excluding a mortice chisel, shoulder plane, tenon saw) ..
View Image
It was interestting using the jointer as a smoother, to bevel edges, etc.
The thing is, why would one want to do this (except here on a personal dare to myself)? I have a shop full of tools and love using every single one of them.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Of course you or I would not want to, except as a challenge of course. But there are many young, and not so young, woodworkers out there who do not have your considerable resources to have “a shop full of tools”. They should know that one can still accomplish great work with a simple kit that focuses on skill versus who can buy the next greatest gadget from L-V or L-N to post on various forums and who would rather make shavings instead of writing tool reviews. <!----><!----><!---->
Does anyone have an answer to the OP's original question?
Neil
It sure does not look like it. But like most of these threads they take on a life of their own….<!----><!----><!---->
Noviceneil,
I've seen them advertised in the Rockler flyer..at least one Stanley
I just contacted Stanley, they write that the projected release for the chisels (and planes) is now Feb of 09
You are now free to move about the discussion
Thanks. I had emailed Stanley and never got an answer.
g,
Don't contact Stanley. Contact Mike Wentzloff. I heard a rumor that he has bought out Stanley. Don't tell anybody.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
yes, early in 2009
Your list of planes is pretty limiting. Not much has changed about woodworking in the last 250 to 300 years. The wood is still the same and the tasks are pretty much the same. If you'd like to build about anything you can imagine with hand tools you'd want a few more planes but you don't need all the planes that are out there today. In 1736 Richard Neve published his 3rd edition of the City and County Purchaser's and Builder's Dictionary. In it he listed the planes necessary to make what ever you might dream of. Here's his list:
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Larry,
The Strike Block Plane, can you elaborate a bit on this, I've never heard of that before. Thanks
BG,My business partner Don McConnell recently posted the following on another forum. I think it answers your question.--------Based on the descriptions of the uses of the strike block plane in Neve and Moxon, I would characterize it, functionally, as roughly analogous to the miter plane. They could be used to shoot miters, end-grain, etc., as well as long grain edges, in smaller work, in preparation for glue-ups. Moxon additionally describes a method of holding the strike block plane in one hand and a mitered work-piece in the other and shooting the miter without aid of any appliance.There has been a lot of speculation about the origin of the term, strike block plane. The discussion is far from over, I suspect, but my conjecture is that one or another (or possibly all, collectively) of the "shooting" appliances in use with these planes was known as a "strike block" at some point in time. Again, note that I characterize this as conjecture - but, it makes more sense, to me, than any of the other conjectures put forth so far.Sometime during the eighteenth century, analogous planes, in terms of function and features, came to be called straight block planes. So far, I've not found both terms in the same source, so my conjecture is that the primary change was in the nomenclature. Though straight block planes seem to have been somewhat shorter (at 12 inches, compared with Neve's mention of 14 inches), as well.As best we can determine, strike block planes had no totes and they had bedding angles of about 40 degrees. In keeping with this, they were bevel down planes. Forty degrees is about the lowest practical angle for any bevel down plane due to the need for maintaining an adequate clearance angle. Lower bedding angles would necessitate more acute bevel angles for the iron, which would begin compromising the integrity of the cutting edge during use.Hope this helps.Don McConnell
Eureka Springs, AR
Larry,
Fascinating, thank you and Don
Geez Mel, teach me to take a stab at humor at your expense. You skillfully changed the direction of this post from "Are the new Stanley planes and chisels on the market yet?" to what planes do you really need. You are the master of controversy.
Please, does anybody know if the new Stanley planes and chisels are out yet or if they ever will be?
gd
PS -- Mel, you've spent enough time on Knots that by now you should know you need a jack (or fore), jointer, smoother, and cabinet scraper for basic cabinet work. If totally unplugged add a rabbit, plow, shoulder, router, spokeshave or two, and maybe a block plane (my preference is the LN rabbit block plane). And oh, I always have fun. Thanks for being a good sport.
GD,
Always fun talking to you. I got a nice answer from Napie saying that you only need a #7 and a Block plane. He read an article about that years ago. Why don't you contact Stanley and ask them when the stuff is coming out? I asked down at Woodcraft and no one at the store knew about it. I didn't either. Enjoy,
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Here's some more info on their release date
http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/New+Stanley+Planes+Coming+In+2009.aspx
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