Thread: Beginners Planes - what to get?

Hi,

I am wondering if a used stanley from toolexchange would be good buy?

Stanley Bench Planes and old tools

For $75 I can get this stanley #4:

http://www.toolexchange.com.au/image...anley42702.jpg

And block planes are available here too.

OLD TOOLS & Stanley Block Planes

Any idea what to look for on this site to get a good couple of planes?

Jason

My view is that you are more likely to get a good quality plane which you can use by buying an old Stanley/Record or if you are feeling patriotic Turner/Carter/Falcon. Just make sure that if it is a Stanley it is from pre 1950, if it is a Record, it is pre 1970 - the manufacturing quality went downhill after that time.

You will have to tune it, but there are lots of good articles on this (as well as Bob Rozaieski's recent video podcast) and frankly you are going to have to do the same for a Groz or Irwin (modern name of Record) and the basic materials used in the old planes were much better, and unless the plane has been abused or is incomplete, you shouldn't find it too hard at all.

Have a look at The Tool Exchange to get an idea of what the second hand prices are like - you shouldn't pay more than that!

Jason,
Jeremy has some good advice for you.
Luban White sells great planes at very good prices.
See:
Handmade and vintage tools
For example he has a very nice number 4 for $65 AND a lovely Millers Falls 75 Block plane for $70.
If you buy from Luban, you will be getting a quality product with no hidden faults.
Those are my pick if I was in your shoes.
Cheers
SG

I forgot Luban (who is also a Forum member). Those are likely to be good planes at a good price

Jason,
What the others have said. Old stanleys are the better way to go. If you cant get hold of any good old ones then the choice between Groz and Irwyn hardly matters. They will get you started.
Keep an eye on ebay,garage sales and markets for old planes too and remember hunting old tools can be habit forming.
Regards
John

Hi,

Sorry I guess I was not very clear. The first task I wanted to be able to do is clear away excess glue squeeze out. But then I would need to be able to clean up any imperfections in my panels, its all very new to me but my understanding is, its quite rare to get a completely flush panel after glue up, a little hand work is going to be necessary.

Thanks for the info so far. I can see the value in both the card scrapers and a old second hand #4 stanley and a #9 block plane or equivalent.

Will keep looking

Cheers
Jason

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

Excess glue squeeze out can be removed with a hot water damp cloth if your using PVA. This will remove the bulk of the glue.

Except for NYWS all the online podcasts and videos I have watched suggest this is exactly what you should not do as you can spread the glue into the pores of the wood and make it more difficult to stain. The suggestion is to wait until it skins over and scrape off with a putty knife. But either way once you have the clamps on there will be some parts you can't get to with either a knife or a cloth.

Originally Posted by pellcorp

Hi,

Sorry I guess I was not very clear. The first task I wanted to be able to do is clear away excess glue squeeze out. But then I would need to be able to clean up any imperfections in my panels, its all very new to me but my understanding is, its quite rare to get a completely flush panel after glue up, a little hand work is going to be necessary.

Thanks for the info so far. I can see the value in both the card scrapers and a old second hand #4 stanley and a #9 block plane or equivalent.

Will keep looking

Cheers
Jason

Jason

there's a number of resources out there that discuss how to get a glued-up panel flat using hand planes.
If flattening a panel is one of the things you want to use the planes for, I suggest you may want something a bit longer than a #4, maybe something as long as a #6.

Is there a resource which describes what a #4 is vs a #6? Hopefully it has some logical meaning....

Originally Posted by pellcorp

Is there a resource which describes what a #4 is vs a #6? Hopefully it has some logical meaning....

Google!!!

Originally Posted by artme

Google!!!

Funny

See here:
The Superior Works - Patrick's Blood & Gore: Preface
and settle down to some interesting reading
SG

For a less idiocynctratic view Hans Brunner also has a listing on the Stanley numbers

Originally Posted by pellcorp

Is there a resource which describes what a #4 is vs a #6? Hopefully it has some logical meaning....

Jason
this thread https://www.woodworkforums.com/f152/f...e-book-108546/
might be useful

I've had Hack's book for several years and find it useful

but Christopher Schwarz's new Hand Plane Essentials woodworking books from Popular Woodworking - BOOK: Handplane Essentials - Woodworker's BookShop - Save on woodworking magazines, books, projects and downloads
is probably more useful initially