Thread: Stanley 12-004

The new Stanley planes have a very poor reputation for being straight and quality of parts. You are better off (and it will cost less) to purchase a used Stanley off eBay, preferably USA- or UK-made from before 1950.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thank you for your opinion...IMG_20171204_115839.jpg

Is irwin above much better?

I wouldn't buy any of the offerings from Stanley or Irwin these days, they're overpriced for the level of quality on offer. I'd pick up an old Stanley off ebay and spend some time tuning it up after watching some videos on Youtube. Do a search for Paul Sellers videos on Youtube, he has a number on sharpening and one for restoring old hand planes.

But at my country,most of rhem using powwe tools. And I buy used tools from eBay, the shipping cost is much greater then the item price.

So only stanley 12-004 is for me a good tols to find here... Is it worth it to buy?

Originally Posted by Idan

But at my country,most of rhem using powwe tools. And I buy used tools from eBay, the shipping cost is much greater then the item price.

So only stanley 12-004 is for me a good tols to find here... Is it worth it to buy?

Idan.

For the price on the inferior modern Stanley you will be able to buy an older craftsman quality tool from Australia AND pay the shipping for less than you are considering spending on the new one. You would need to learn how to sharpen the cutter and set the plane up to work at it's best, but if you are going to be a hand tool woodworker you need to learn these things anyway.

I would help out myself, but although I often have extras, I don't have a spare No 4 of good quality at hand right now.

Might I suggest that you ask a different question. Ask if anyone can sell you a good vintage worker plane at a fair price.

There are many knowledgeable people here who are also generous and helpful. I am confident one of them will help if you ask politely, and you are obviously a polite person!

^ that would be my suggestion as well. I think someone on the forum should have a decent #4 and the shipping from Aus to Malaysia isn’t that prohibitive.

Good suggestions...... Hope can find it.... Thanks guys for youe help.... Will search it...

I agree with the other posters (that a good second hand older Stanley is a much better proposition than a new one) however I'm not sure it will be that easy for you to pick up one on eBay. I sell a few planes there like this one that I currently have listed:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/18294671...84.m1555.l2649

which I think would be perfect for you. But because I didn't choose the option for international postage I don't think you'll even see it let alone have the option of bidding on it.

As far as postage is concerned I tried to list a dummy plane (and chose the international postage option) but it still doesn't give me the $$ amount, probably because I can't choose a country. I think that will only happen when you buy it. As a guide a Stanley No.4 weighs 1.57kg and is 250mmx170mmx70mm. I used the Australia Post international postage calculator and they quote $63 to deliver a package of those proportions to Malaysia. So I think you're right in guessing that eBay price plus postage makes it an uneconomic proposition.

So all things being equal, if it was me, I'd be seriously considering the Record @ RM260.00. Sure it's not the perfect solution but it can be made to work.

Originally Posted by Tccp123

I agree with the other posters (that a good second hand older Stanley is a much better proposition than a new one) however I'm not sure it will be that easy for you to pick up one on eBay. I sell a few planes there like this one that I currently have listed:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/18294671...84.m1555.l2649

which I think would be perfect for you. But because I didn't choose the option for international postage I don't think you'll even see it let alone have the option of bidding on it.

As far as postage is concerned I tried to list a dummy plane (and chose the international postage option) but it still doesn't give me the $$ amount, probably because I can't choose a country. I think that will only happen when you buy it. As a guide a Stanley No.4 weighs 1.57kg and is 250mmx170mmx70mm. I used the Australia Post international postage calculator and they quote $63 to deliver a package of those proportions to Malaysia. So I think you're right in guessing that eBay price plus postage makes it an uneconomic proposition.

So all things being equal, if it was me, I'd be seriously considering the Record @ RM260.00. Sure it's not the perfect solution but it can be made to work.

On the contrary.

Idan is looking at a current new Stanly piece of junk for $90 US.

From Australia, you are indeed looking at $60-70 Aust in postage. Which leaves a bit more than $49 AUD for the plane. Which is about par for the course for a decent No4.

I understand that the polished and preened jobs you do can sometimes bring twice that if there are two ambitious bidders; but not typically.

Why not read this and see if you can do the new woody a small favour by personal mail on the forum so he doesn't have to stumble in the dark on Ebay?
THe Hand Tool Woody Pay it Forward Thread

Yup thats true....Is uneconomic for the postage + item price...

Any way thanks for the suggestion....

Learn a lot form this forums.....

why not look at local wooden planes?

Originally Posted by coffeefro

why not look at local wooden planes?

I was going to suggest the same thing - a much cheaper alternative, I would've thought.

However, I do appreciate that most beginners are intimidated by simple woodies; I certainly was. I thought all-metal planes with adjuster screws were the only way to fly when I started out & it was years down the track before I discovered that hammer-setting is no more difficult and almost as quick as screw-adjusters (well, it is if I can find that little brass hammer I had in my hand just a minute ago! ). And much as I like the woodies I have, they are a capricious lot when you live in a climate with big humidity swings as I do. You can't just take out the plane you were using a week or so ago & expect it to have kept the set you had on it then. These are minor issues you barely think about with experience under your belt, but perhaps unnecessary extra hassles for the newbie. If you start out with something that you can easily & repeatedly get to work well, it's more likely you'll enjoy the experience & it will be the start of a long & happy friendship with your tools.

Cheers,

Ian,
I don't know where Idan is, but in the part of Indonesia I'm most familiar with there is basically a wet-ish season and a dry-ish season. A cold day is 24C, a hot day is 33C; the weather there is actually pretty stable. I'd expect something similar in Malaysia. Finding someone local to help with the initial skillset would be the ideal.

Greg

I understand that the polished and preened jobs you do can sometimes bring twice that if there are two ambitious bidders; but not typically.

In fact that particular "polished and preened job" as you put it sold for $132.50. That's more typical than you think...