Thread: A less fussy plane till (all by hand, if you count pushing a tracksaw as by hand)

Chris, if you can fit narrow separators between the planes it does make it easier to avoid clanging metal on metal when you are putting back/taking out planes. However, even very narrow boards take up room. I started out with partitions between each plane when I first made my tool cupboard, but a few more planes followed me home & space began to get rather tight. I've re-arranged this section 3 or 4 times over the last 20-odd years & removed most partitions in order to squeeze more planes in, but I think I've just about reached the limit (there's another couple hiding behind the lift-up ramp the #7 is sitting on, so every available space is filled). Plane storage b.jpg

It's not ideal having them cheek by jowl like this, I have to be careful taking out & putting back. But if one more plane decides it wants to live with me, someone will have to give up their place!

Wow Ian - what a setup!

The whole arrangement with the angled board was intended to make it easy to lift planes in and set them back. If you're setting the whole sole down at a high angle you have a lot of control. I also (forlornly?) hope I will not overcrowd it!

It seems if they're going in flat and closely packed that is when the jostling is likely.

What a great arrangement you have. One of the reasons I have for not wanting to make my storage too prescriptive is I feel I am still finding my legs for my regular users, and ones that can be kept in another room and bought out rarely. I simply do not know what I really will want handy in the medium-long term to think about such a well-organised affair as yours is.

Hi Chris,
I like the idea of placing the till on the cleat wall for easy removal.
On the last photo, it appears that there are three planes sitting on the till. What type of plane is the one at the back (with the tote against the wall)?
Thanks for the encouragement, I also had my first plane about a year ago but haven't done much joinery yet. Spent most of the time fettling the planes trying to get them to work. Getting there... after some useful pointers from Ian on my #4.

Ian's setup will look even more impressive if the photograph were zoomed out a bit to capture the whole cabinet!

Andy

Chris, mine is even more basic than yours: angled boards with cleats for the planes.



The angled boards are hinged, so “stuff” can be lost hidden stored behind.

Note that the planes have their handles on top - as the planes angle, the handles are tucked away this way (saving cabinet depth).

These are my more common working planes - I like to keep the most used tools near to hand. Less used planes are in either cabinets alongside, or specialist planes/hand tools are in dedicated cabinets ...

Regards from Perth

Derek

Gday Andy,

It's a Veritas shooting plane. Definitely a luxury item!

(It's quite the looker but a left-hand version and very heavy so I have to face it that way to get at the handle easily)

Originally Posted by Cgcc

....One of the reasons I have for not wanting to make my storage too prescriptive is I feel I am still finding my legs for my regular users, and ones that can be kept in another room and bought out rarely. I simply do not know what I really will want handy in the medium-long term to think about such a well-organised affair as yours is.....

A very wise approach Chris. I'm still "finding my legs" after 40 years of being a reasonably serious woodworker...

The reason my storage is so 'constrained' is because I thought I had my plane preferences (and my other hand tools) well-sorted by the time I made my current tool chest. I'd been using & acquiring tools pretty seriously for at least 30 years at that point, & I told myself I had all the tools I needed or wanted. Yeah, right! Luckily I had a sneaking suspicion I wasn't being entirely honest with myself, there were still one or two items I knew I'd find hard to resist if they popped up at a price I reckoned was sensible,so I did allow some extra space in the cabinet for 'future expansion'. I also started making tools at about that time, so it wasn't long before the tool cabinet that was going to serve me to the end of days started to look a bit very over stuffed. I've lost track of how many times I've re-arranged it to make better use of all available space.

In Vers1.0, I had the planes stored on ramps (more like yours than Derek's), but my chest is quite deep because I wanted deep drawers for things like chisels (down under the plane section), and having the planes on ramps although neat & convenient, just used up too much vertical real-estate. First I tried having some individual hinged ramps so I only had to remove one plane to get at what was behind it, but no matter how I arranged them, the plane I wanted always seemed to be at he back of the queue & I had to dig it out. In the end, I opted for the straight shelf arrangement, simply because I can stack more in that way. The only plane on a ramp now is the #7 because it's too long to sit flat.

I suppose there are a few strong-willed folks who get all the tools they need and stick with them for life, but I haven't met one yet. Who can resist when an "irresistible" tool presents itself? So my advice is, the earlier in your woodworking career, the more extra space you should allow in your tool chests for future acquisitions you don't yet know you must have.

I'm resigned to the fact that I will probably still acquire a few more I didn't know were vital to my future happiness & comfort, but at least the rate has slowed to maybe one per year or less, now. There are a couple of things that I use very rarely, and don't really earn their place, but have been with me for a very long time & I just can't part with them to make more room. For example, I have a Stanley 110 block plane that I bought new in 1958 when I was 12, my first-ever plane. It's the most basic block plane in the business, and not a terribly good performer at the best of times. I once used it quite a lot, but these days I go for one of my chariot planes whenever a block plane is called for & the 110 come out only very occasionally. But it's been with me for more than 60 years and it did teach me some important basic lessons on planes, so there's no way I could abandon the old thing at this late stage of our lives.....

Cheers,

You need another one for the three sitting on top.

Originally Posted by IanW

A very wise approach Chris. I'm still "finding my legs" after 40 years of being a reasonably serious woodworker...

The reason my storage is so 'constrained' is because I thought I had my plane preferences (and my other hand tools) well-sorted by the time I made my current tool chest. I'd been using & acquiring tools pretty seriously for at least 30 years at that point, & I told myself I had all the tools I needed or wanted. Yeah, right! Luckily I had a sneaking suspicion I wasn't being entirely honest with myself, there were still one or two items I knew I'd find hard to resist if they popped up at a price I reckoned was sensible,so I did allow some extra space in the cabinet for 'future expansion'. I also started making tools at about that time, so it wasn't long before the tool cabinet that was going to serve me to the end of days started to look a bit very over stuffed. I've lost track of how many times I've re-arranged it to make better use of all available space.

In Vers1.0, I had the planes stored on ramps (more like yours than Derek's), but my chest is quite deep because I wanted deep drawers for things like chisels (down under the plane section), and having the planes on ramps although neat & convenient, just used up too much vertical real-estate. First I tried having some individual hinged ramps so I only had to remove one plane to get at what was behind it, but no matter how I arranged them, the plane I wanted always seemed to be at he back of the queue & I had to dig it out. In the end, I opted for the straight shelf arrangement, simply because I can stack more in that way. The only plane on a ramp now is the #7 because it's too long to sit flat.

I suppose there are a few strong-willed folks who get all the tools they need and stick with them for life, but I haven't met one yet. Who can resist when an "irresistible" tool presents itself? So my advice is, the earlier in your woodworking career, the more extra space you should allow in your tool chests for future acquisitions you don't yet know you must have.

I'm resigned to the fact that I will probably still acquire a few more I didn't know were vital to my future happiness & comfort, but at least the rate has slowed to maybe one per year or less, now. There are a couple of things that I use very rarely, and don't really earn their place, but have been with me for a very long time & I just can't part with them to make more room. For example, I have a Stanley 110 block plane that I bought new in 1958 when I was 12, my first-ever plane. It's the most basic block plane in the business, and not a terribly good performer at the best of times. I once used it quite a lot, but these days I go for one of my chariot planes whenever a block plane is called for & the 110 come out only very occasionally. But it's been with me for more than 60 years and it did teach me some important basic lessons on planes, so there's no way I could abandon the old thing at this late stage of our lives.....

Cheers,

”I told myself I had all the tools I needed or wanted”.
No, no you didn’t. 😆😆😆

Hi Chris. My plane till no longer has enough room and I am looking at new designs too. Your post comes at a perfect time. Thanks

Originally Posted by riverbuilder

”I told myself I had all the tools I needed or wanted”.
No, no you didn’t. 😆😆😆

Yes I did, I swear! I TOLD myself that, but I obviously had no intention of taking any notice of myself.....

Originally Posted by Cgcc

Gday Andy,

It's a Veritas shooting plane. Definitely a luxury item!

(It's quite the looker but a left-hand version and very heavy so I have to face it that way to get at the handle easily)

Ah, that make sense. Couldn't wrap my head around it when looking at the shape, didn't think of a left-handed plane! Thanks Chris.

Andy

Originally Posted by IanW

... For example, I have a Stanley 110 block plane that I bought new in 1958 when I was 12, my first-ever plane. It's the most basic block plane in the business, and not a terribly good performer at the best of times. I once used it quite a lot, but these days I go for one of my chariot planes whenever a block plane is called for & the 110 come out only very occasionally. But it's been with me for more than 60 years and it did teach me some important basic lessons on planes, so there's no way I could abandon the old thing at this late stage of our lives.....

Just tripped over a blog by Paul Sellers where he shares your opinion of the Stanley #110, but not your sentimental attachment to it, Ian.

Originally Posted by Paul Sellers says

... Two planes stand out to me as planes that should never have been made and should never be bought. The models Stanley #110 and #102 or the Record equivalents of them. They were the cheap and nasty, dead ugly and pretty useless. They were indeed by far the worst planes ever designed and made and they just keep popping up in places. I was asked again for my feelings on the them recently. So here it is. They are nor cute, nor nice. They’re awkward to use and rarely work. They bite like unpredictable horses and dogs, just when you least expect it. My best use for them so far is to use the blades to make scrapers and scratch stock blades from. Landfill burial is too good for them!

Source: Planes to Buy and Planes You Best Avoid - Paul Sellers' Blog

Wow!! I get the impression Mr. Sellers doesn't like the very basic block planes much, Graeme?

I guess I better not repeat that tirade to my dear old 110, it would send it into irrecoverable depression. It already has bruised feelings from being passed over so often these days in favour of a couple of fancy-pancy brass-sided, rosewood-infilled pretenders.

Although I agree the 110 is not a fine bit of toolery, it's a bit of an overstatement that it "won't work". Mine has made shavings ever since I got it (once I figured out the blade bevel went UP ). It's definitely capable of acceptable, if not brilliant work. Much depends on what you ask it to do, of course, and fine-finishing of cranky-grained woods is not something you should ask from it. But it's as useful as any other block plane for the sort of one-handed knocking-off corners & general rough work I use it for. I've got a few other planes that can handle the fine work...

Cheers,

They have their uses...

I have a generic Made-In-China copy of a Stanley 102. I purchased it from the old (pre warehouse) Bunnings in Darwin around 15 years ago when they were consolidating all their stuff ready for the big move to the new premises. I paid I think $4...

Anyhoo; the blade is reasonable quality, the sole flat enough and it doesn’t feel awkward in the hand. It’s a good training aid in that if you can hone the blade and set it to take a fine shaving you shouldn’t have any issues moving on to a quality plane. It’s the one I’m most likely to hand to or loan out to a novice.

But it’s BEST use is in quickly scrubbing down a bit of old, dirty or rough sawn timber to check out the grain. I have no fear of grit or embedded foreign objects; so what if it hits old tacks or staples? It’s not like I paid a fortune for it!

For that reason alone I highly recommend having a junk block plane in your arsenal.