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Thread: Best Smoothing Plane Update

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    Salt Lake City
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    1,506
    if I have to ask how much the Marcou costs does that mean I cannot afford it?

  2. #32
    My grandfathers Winchester Plane. It's a Sargent plane model, not the stanley. He bought it from a Winchester Dealer in San Antonio back in the 1920's, probably shortly before my dad was born. I don't use it much for fear of damaging something or taking any of the red paint from the Winchester Logo. So, I bought a Lee Valley/Veritas #4 as my "user" to take its place. Wow, what a difference in design, time marches on and all that.

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Sioux City, IA
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    I certainly don't "need" it, but this thread has me very close to buying a LN 4 1/2. I'm making a lame attempt to justify by saying I'll leave a 45 degree blade (40 and a 5 degree secondary) in my LV Low Angle Smoother so it's dedicated for less behaved wood.

  4. Bedrock 604C with aftermarket blade
    Pre-War Norris A5

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Perth, Australia
    Posts
    9,467
    All these smoother choices are interesting but not necessarily helpful in helping someone decide what to purchase (if that is the object of this exercise), or simply to rate the Best Smoother (which is a fun alternative). So .. I will list a bunch of my smoothers, and try and do this in order of merit.

    The problem is, what is your basis for rating the Best Smoother?

    One of the factors that must be clarified is the type of wood you typically use your planes on. There is a very big difference planing softwood and interlocked hardwood, or medium hard woods with striations of soft, reversing grain.

    It is now pretty well accepted that smoothers with high cutting angle planes (55 - 65 degrees) tend do best on interlocked grain. Conversely, it is expected that soft, straight grained woods will be better served by medium- to low cutting angles (40 - 45 degrees). Is one more important than the other? Well, for me the ablity to plane interlocked wood is the deciding factor in the list below.

    I incude only those planes that are available to all. Planes I have made for myself, such as infills and woodies, are inelligible, as are one-offs such as my Krenov smoother (a fantastic user, I will add). Cutting angle in brackets.

    1. Marcou BU15 (60)
    2. Veritas BU Smoother (62)
    3. Veritas LA Smoother (62)
    4. HNT Gordon (60)
    5. LN Anniversary (50)
    6. Brese Small Smoother (60)
    7. Blum (50)
    8. Mujingfang (45)
    9. Spier infill (47)
    10. Stanley Bedrock #604/LN blade/LN capiron (45)
    11. Stanley #4 1/2 T11 /Clifton blade (45)

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Last edited by Derek Cohen; 02-25-2010 at 7:12 PM.

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    Peachtree City, GA
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    1,582
    Quote Originally Posted by Zach England View Post
    if I have to ask how much the Marcou costs does that mean I cannot afford it?
    In a word, yes. But there are pretty darn gorgeous!
    Maurice

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Spring Hill FL.
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    I don't have a "favorite" smoother. I actually have 2 smoothers in total. a #3 Stanly and an old wooden coffin smoother that an old friend of the family gave me before he died. The toe was cracked open from top to bottom all the way through to the throat. I glued it up and closed up the throat and all but I dont have the heart to try to make it work.

    However now I want a BUS. Not sure if I want to go with LV or LN. I have a feeling I will go with LV as I also now want a BU jack, and maybe the matching smoother. Problem is I am currently trying to build up my saw collection. On the list is a sash saw kit from TFWW and a couple panel saws to go with my Independence Dovetail saw and frame saws.

    Hopefully I will sell a Piece or two of furniture and be able to reinvest in my tool collection. Ooh heck My favorite is my #3 with Hock blade.
    Andrew Gibson
    Program Manger and Resident Instructor
    Florida School Of Woodwork

  8. #38
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Escondido, CA
    Posts
    6,224

    How I use this information

    Derek,

    Thank you for this fine list, which I know is based on your personal experience with many excellent planes for your personal use and for reviews. That is very helpful. Your perspective is also important to me because, although I do not live in Australia, I tend to like to work with very hard woods with interlocking grain. I don't think I have planed a piece of straight grained pine - ever.

    Let me share how I used this same exercise 2 years ago. I had accumulated a few planes, all chosen in part because they were cheap! None more than $50.

    The first photo shows what I had from left to right:

    Stanley #4
    Stanley #3
    My first Krenov - style plane
    Mujingfang High Angle Polish Plane
    Mujingfang Smoother
    Anant 4-1/2

    My sharpening technique really lacked, and only one of these planes was deeply satisfying - the Mujingfang High Angle. The Krenov and Anant also were users. I put many hours into the Anant and learned later that I got pretty lucky in the machining of parts, because it actually works.

    But I was not really having consistent success with anything but the Mujingfang HA. I started the thread last time so I could find out from woodworkers - nearly all with more experience than me - what worked. I was asking before I had any money in hand so that I would have a better idea of whether I needed to save $150, $300, or $2,000. I had read as many reviews as I could find and still wanted the practical experience of fellow woodworkers.

    At that time you posted your Stanley #3 infill. While waiting for my lottery ticket to win, that is one I could work on right then. I traded for a #3 body, used some nice leftover cocobolo, and bought a 5/16" thick Hock blade.

    I used your technique for making a thumbscrew and made a cap out of a thin piece of brass epoxied and screwed to a piece of cocobolo. I made many mistakes along the way (never try to peen on old, thin cast iron) and kept on patching and ended up with this plane.

    That's why this "Your Best Smoother" exercise is useful to me.

    Brian

    PS. I later made an infill from scratch, but that will be in another thread.
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    Veni Vidi Vendi Vente! I came, I saw, I bought a large coffee!

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Dickinson, Texas
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    I commissioned my new LV BU smoother today. I don't know what the anti-rust coating was, but it was a bit difficult to remove. It took me about 15 minutes of solvent washing and then Johnson's wax.

    I spent all of 10 minutes on the water stones,taking it to the 8000 stone. The shaving on walnut was .0006" thick. It will be my favorite.

    I have a #3 Stanley Bailey and a 604 Bedrock I use. They will not handle the difficult grain like the new one handles.

  10. #40
    Derek,

    Thanks for your listing of smoothers according to merit. A couple things I wanted to ask for clarification. First, a LN low angle smoother wasn't mentioned at all, how come? I don't own one, but I have been very satisfied with several other LN planes so far.

    Second, it was encouraging that Veritas made it to #2 and #3, considering some of us are more limited on our budgets for future plane purchases. I can't manage an infill yet, but a Veritas plane could be within my sights eventually. Are you advocating that we buy the 50 degree bevel blade to get to the 62 degrees of cut?

    Thanks,
    Jim

  11. #41
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Ashburn, VA
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    21
    Clark and Williams 2 1/4" Smoother. Amazing!

  12. #42
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Escondido, CA
    Posts
    6,224
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Paulson View Post
    Derek,

    Thanks for your listing of smoothers according to merit. A couple things I wanted to ask for clarification. First, a LN low angle smoother wasn't mentioned at all, how come? I don't own one, but I have been very satisfied with several other LN planes so far.

    Second, it was encouraging that Veritas made it to #2 and #3, considering some of us are more limited on our budgets for future plane purchases. I can't manage an infill yet, but a Veritas plane could be within my sights eventually. Are you advocating that we buy the 50 degree bevel blade to get to the 62 degrees of cut?

    Thanks,
    Jim
    Jim,

    I can't speak for Derek, but what kind of wood do you use the most? Softwoods, hardwoods, straight grain, interlocking grain, twisty grain. That will make a huge difference in the answer (including if you say "all of the above")

    Brian
    Veni Vidi Vendi Vente! I came, I saw, I bought a large coffee!

  13. #43

    mostly domestic hardwoods and soft woods

    Hi Brian,

    Looking at Derek's list, my smoothers came in #10 and #11. I work with domestic woods like pine, popular, maple, cherry, oak for my furniture work. I have been incorporating some accents like birds eye or highly figured maple as drawer fronts. I remember the first time I tried to hand plane some birds eye maple, it was a disaster with tear outs and chipping. I didn't have a high angle capability or a BU smoother LA or otherwise either. These are things I am planning to acquire eventually.

    Hope that answered your question. Great job on your infill BTW too. I still hope to make one at some point when things stabilize financially.

    Jim

  14. #44
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    South Dakota
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    1,627
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Paulson View Post
    when things stabilize financially.
    Jim
    Financial stability is for those that don't buy tools!
    The Plane Anarchist

  15. #45

    it's my dad's fault

    Leigh,

    I've been hooked on tools for some time, but at least now I can focus more on what is more beneficial. My dad got me started on buying well made tools so I blame him . I am thankful that he did that BTW.

    I love the beauty of the infills, but I can't tell my wife or my wallet that I want a metal working mill or something. I'll have to find another way to do it. My guess, and it is a guess, is that making an infill is like working on a black powder gun kit, you do it slow and steady, with no rushing allowed. For now I think I'll stick with my LN 4 1/2 and save up for a BU plane.

    Jim

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