Thread: Options for buying a 'ready to go' #4 plane

Sounds reasonable.

A lot depends on how much you do and with what timbers.

A fettled Stanley from Jim for $150 would be a good buy, but Aussie timbers with cranky and/or hard grain really benefit from the blade upgrade and a 5* back bevel. So that's $215.

You won't need to fettle a Veritas BU smoother. Should come in under $300 shipped and in time you can add another couple of blades to give you a choice of cutting angles.

I use Stanleys that I fettle myself with Hock blades and they're OK. But the Veritas planes sing where the Stanleys are silent.

Haven't used LN or Clifton.

It's like buying a pushbike - what do you want to do with it and (a big and) what do you have to spend
Cheers,
Jim

Yep. But the spending thing is tricky.

Short term perspective or long term. Cry once if you're lucky; twice if you're not.

Originally Posted by rsser

Yep. But the spending thing is tricky.

Short term perspective or long term. Cry once if you're lucky; twice if you're not.

That's really the dilemma, Ern. I'd love to never need to buy another #4, but I can't afford $300 now.

On the other hand, a $150 refurbished #4 will probably still be worth near to $150 in 5 years time if I look after it, when I'll be better able to upgrade if I want. And I could get a replacement blade in a few months time.

A sparkly new Veritas would be much harder to smuggle past the Treasurer too - I already have to hide the Veritas dovetail saw in the drawer!

What I'm really after is making sure that the only remaining variable is my skill level, and not poorly fettled tools. My (carpenter) father says the reason a decent workman doesn't blame his tools is because he makes sure he always has decent tools.

And the "what you're going to do and with what timbers" is still up for discussion! Currently focussed on furniture, and probably being able to choose not to work with really tough wood. But who knows!

Yeah, I understand. Jim's #4 should be a buy you won't regret and can manage now. If you encounter cranky grain then whack a back bevel on the blade and go for it. And close up the mouth.

Thanks, Ern. I'll tell the Treasurer you gave the ok for the expenditure.

No worries Richard.

Tell her I was the productivity review commissioner who held extensive consultations, put out a discussion paper and achieved industry consensus ;-}

Originally Posted by rhancock

...a $150 refurbished #4 will probably still be worth near to $150 in 5 years time if I look after it...

With all respect... a fettled Stanley No.4 might still be worth $150 to you in five years, but if you try to sell it on e-bay in 5 years it'll probably fetch not much over $15.00.

I bought a Veritas LAJ 15 months ago, and boy what a revelation !! Can't blame the tool anymore, it's almost perfect !!

So an LAJ is a bit bigger than what you're looking for, so maybe you should consider the BUS (#4½ size) or the LAS (closer to #4 size). And the advantage over a Clifton or refurbished #4 is that , being BU, you can easily alter the cutting angle to suit Aussie timbers.

Originally Posted by rhancock

...A sparkly new Veritas would be much harder to smuggle past the Treasurer too...

Yeah, I had the same problem. Glad I found a way around it though...

Cheers, Vann.

Did you get it posted in an unmarked brown paper bag Vann? ;-}

Thanks, Vann. Your point about altering the cutting angle is a good one.

I don't know whether I'm after a larger plane like the LAJ, or something smaller like the BUS or LAS. I'd have to spend some time at Carbatec trying to see how I like them. I usually prefer larger tools to smaller, so maybe the LAJ is a better idea.

Whichever way I go I'll need a brown paper bag.

Ooh.. shouldn't have looked at the Veritas Low Angle Jack... adjustable mouth, long toe, nice and heavy, optional high angle blade...

But then Derek's review of the Low Angle Smoother is enticing too. Maybe Derek'll throw in his opinion too? I can see, that in comparison, the LAJ is 381mm or 15" and 2700g or 6lb, whereas the LAS is 266mm or 10 1/2" and 1575g or 3 1/2lb, there's a big difference in size and weight, and I don't know how to use that to decide between them.

The more I read, the more it seems like a single Low Angle (either Jack or Smoother) Veritas Plane will do most of the things I need- smoothing boards, end grain, shooting boards, what about jointing?

Off to have a cold shower before I get the credit card out

Originally Posted by rsser

Did you get it posted in an unmarked brown paper bag Vann? ;-}

Yes, it was about that devious....

Cheers, Vann.

the slope hath no conscience...

It could be a sad mistake to assume that spouses don't look at websites
Cheers,
Jim

Few months back I got the LV BUS, what they call the '164 1/2' - with the 2 1/4 " iron. The standard blade is 38 degrees - so you have 50 degrees out of the box for all your nice gnarly interlocked grain timbers.

I am extremely happy with it. And remember, that 2 1/4" iron is interchangeable with the LA Jack and the BU Jointer. One reason I picked it over the smaller LAS - with only a 2" iron.

At the same time I also sprung for the standad LA Block Plane with the tote and knob addition for smaller pieces. Its surprisingly useful and easy to grip (for me at least) compared to a usual Stanley #3 - the way the LV tote is suspended off the back.

I strongly can endorse the positives others have mentioned also with the LV BU line - and that would be my first choice.

Yet if you can't quite spring for them - the second choice for me would be one of the new Woodrivers - perhaps a #4 or #5. Back-bevel 5 degrees (or more) as Ern suggested. I got a set of them, as I'm using my LVs for just the final, last smoothing passes. When I did get the WRs, they were on-sale at 20% off. I think they are good value for money - far far better than any Anant - and close to fit and finish of the LV.

These are my 'workhorses' - and when I get my new blades from Helmut, they will go in the WRs. Then I might sell the original WR 3.2 mm iron on 'the auction site' - but more likely just put it in my Grandfather's Stanley Bailey #4.

With Cosman getting $100 USD for what seems a similar thickness iron and chipbreaker - we should maybe get $50 for the WR - enough for one of Helmut's M2s!

Good Luck either way..

Chris