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Doug Shepard
03-29-2009, 8:47 PM
Well
Since I'm still recovering from hip replacement surgery and any real shop time is out for a while, I figured it was time to do some reading & studying.
A few months ago I got to looking for some quality radius plane alternatives and ran into only 2 real options - the Bridge City Tool option with radius plane soles or the more traditional molding planes. So I've been kicking the idea around for a while of trying to make my own. Nothing so grandiose as full hollow/round sets - just a few radius planes, maybe 1/8", 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" and I dont much care if they're along the lines of traditional molding planes or something more compact like the BCTW offering. I just want some real plane irons vs the available alternatives. So after researching here and elsewheres looking for reference recommendatios, I've got the following on order:
Making Traditional Side Escapement Planes - Larry Williams DVD
Making Traditional Wooden Planes - John M. Whelan
The Handplane Book - Garrett Hack
One other seems to have pretty universal praise is the Finck book
http://www.amazon.com/Making-Mastering-Wood-Planes-Revised/dp/140272022X
but I'm having some trouble pulling the trigger on this. Even used ones appear to be at least in the $80+ range and new around $175. That is one pricey book - plus comments I've read say that the book really doesn't cover molding planes? So is there something in there that would really warrant the cost, that I just cant get anywhere else?

Eric Hartunian
03-29-2009, 9:55 PM
I have all of these. The dvd from Larry Williams is excellent, and really is the only reference you need. Wheelan's book is another good one, and shows how to make other kinds of planes, not just side escapement types. The Finck book is good, but is really oriented to the Krenov style planes. I really don't understand the high price, but I will say that based on the price from amazon, it is probably my best wood working investment!

Robert Rozaieski
03-29-2009, 9:59 PM
Even used ones appear to be at least in the $80+ range and new around $175.

$80 :eek:!? Hell, I'll sell you mine for $40 :D! In all honesty, I don't think Mr. Finck's book is anything special. It covers making Krenov style planes and that's it (though it does this in great detail and is an exceptional book if all you want to make is Krenov style planes). It does not cover molding planes or specialty planes (rabbet, fillester, dado, plow, etc.). If you just want to make a set of Krenov style bench planes then David's book is all you need. If you want molding planes, forget Finck's book and stick with John Whelan's books.

Doug Shepard
03-29-2009, 10:24 PM
$80 :eek:!? Hell, I'll sell you mine for $40 :D! ....

OK - you convinced me. Where do I send the $40 ?? :D:D

Thanks guys. Think I'll start off trying to digest those 3 and see where that takes me.

Pam Niedermayer
03-29-2009, 11:11 PM
$80!? Should sell my copy immediately. It's OK, but I already knew most of it. :)

Get the Williams dvd, very good, and/or the Todd Herli dvd, also very good. The main difference is that Herli builds up his bodies and saws the mortises, whereas Larry chops the mortises. Also, Herli shows you how to build the irons and floats, Larry tells you to buy them from LN (so far, I'm about half way into Larry's dvd). Based on my Japanese dai making, I recommend chopping the mortises, but this seems pretty hard in the tall, narrow planes.

Pam

Doug Shepard
03-30-2009, 6:46 AM
Pam
Thanks. I just ordered up the Herli DVD as well.

Erwin Graween
03-30-2009, 8:06 AM
Hi.
Doug I have Herli's DVD it's a good one.
Later I'll order the clarks&Williams one too.
I also have the Finck and Wheelan ones. They're good. But the Wheelan just gives you instructions and plans. Not really easy to build a plane after reading that book.
You might also check the Lee plane book. I don't have it, but it's said to be fine (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=45260&cat=1,46096,46107&ap=1).

I'm also on making wooden planes. It's not easy to achieve something fine. I'm giving it a go on scrap wood (pine) first jsut to practice.

David Keller NC
03-30-2009, 9:32 AM
Doug - One comment on making these planes. You would likely want a "permanent" plane made out of quarter-sawn beech, birch, fruitwood, or possibly cherry or maple because of their wear characteristics (all of these woods, by the way, have historical precedence - beech is by far the most common, but there are examples of all of the above in collections).

However, I might suggest that you choose honduran mahogany as a first attempt. It is considerably easier to saw, chisel and smooth than the fruitwoods or maple, and it's a heck of a lot easier to get as quartersawn material than beech.

And after you're done, you will have a plane that's quite usable, though it will wear faster than the harder woods.

Joe Cunningham
03-30-2009, 9:44 AM
Finck's book is being reprinted, supposedly starting about now (end of March 09) for ~$25.

Not sure if I am allowed to post a link (posting it anyway), but just search on his name if SMC removes the link.

http://www.davidfinck.com/new_work/new.htm

I have both the Herrli and Williams DVDs. I learned something from both, but haven't attempted to build my own plane yet.

Bill Rusnak
03-31-2009, 11:59 PM
Finck's book is being reprinted, supposedly starting about now (end of March 09) for ~$25.

Not sure if I am allowed to post a link (posting it anyway), but just search on his name if SMC removes the link.

http://www.davidfinck.com/new_work/new.htm

I have both the Herrli and Williams DVDs. I learned something from both, but haven't attempted to build my own plane yet.

I was able to pick one up in Woodcraft a few months ago for $17.95. Haven't had a chance to read much of it (put it aside when I found a copy of the Dunbar tool restoration book).

Bill