Thread: Plane help. I am capitolly confused!!

Some reviews ..

Veritas LA Smoother

Veritas Bevel Up Smoother

Veritas LA Jack

Veritas BU Jointer

HNT Gordon Smoother and HNT Gordon Trying Plane

For starters

Regards from Perth

Derek

my advice for what it's worth is

if you enjoy tinkering with an old tool to get it to work at it's best -- buy a pre 1970 plane (there's some debate about the actual cut off date, some say pre 1960, others pre WWII. I think it depends on whether you're looking at planes made in the US, Australian or UK.) Also consider upgrading to an aftermarket blade.

if you want a tool that works well without any tinkering on your part but don't want to spend a motsa buy an old plane that has already been tuned by someone like Jim Davey. Or buy off ebay and send it to Jim to be turned into a superb user. Again be prepared to fit an aftermarket blade.

if your budget permits, look very seriously at the bevel up planes from Lee Valley/Veritas or Lie Nielsen -- but get at least two blades, one ground to a high angle.
While these planes offer differing ergonomics, both manufacturers produce superb tools, and I'm not prepared to recommend between them.

Have a look at Derek's web site In The Woodshop to get some ideas on what different planes, and bevel angles, can do.


BUT
most importantly, before you start spending significant $$, do some research on what different planes can do and how they are used -- Chris Schwarz's book Hand Plane Essentials is a very good start

and then Derek beats me to it

Imagine an exam paper based on all this information!!!

Originally Posted by artme

Imagine an exam paper based on all this information!!!

but before the exam you need to read and study the set text

maybe we should call for "text book" recommendations
mine are
1) Chris Schwarz's book Hand Plane Essentials
2) Derek's intheworkshop site

other suggestions?

Garret Hack's "Handplane Book"
Handplanecentral.com

As others have said, your desired budget makes a big difference to any recommendations.

Your choices will also depend on how shiny and new you like things to look.

I pretty much agree with Ian's summary. Dereks reviews of the tools will give you a great start on choices, as well as an idea of how each of them work when compared to other/older/different planes.

If there is a chance you will get caught by the "japanese plane bug", don't forget to do some google searches on Japanese Planes (kanna).

If it were me, and budget was not an issue but I wanted the best all-round set and wasn't obsessed with getting the most gorgeous planes I could find, I would get the 3 bevel up planes (smoother, jack, jointer) from Lee-Valley (Veritas) and a low-angle Lee-Valley block plane.

The equivalents of the above from Lie-Neilson are also fantastic, and I agree again with Ian that I wouldn't be picking between them on quality. The LN's are, however, a bit more expensive in most cases.

If my budget was a little tighter, I would get (and have got) HNT Gordon planes. For the price, I'm not convinced that there are any better quality planes out there. Do not be afraid of the manual adjustment (although Terry now makes adjusters for some of them) - the learning curve is pretty quick.

Do not confuse the fact that these planes are made from wood with them being of lower quality. Steel planes took off not necessarily because they were better, but because they were easier and cheaper to manufacture after the industrial revolution (OK - that might be a contentious statement and I'm not married to it or anything).

Also - planing with a wood plane is a very different, more tactile, experience than planing with a metal plane.

Food for thought. Have fun in making your decision.

Cheerio,
sCORCH