It serves as a reminder ...
Regards from Perth
Derek
Hi Glenn
It was a fun review with a serious undertone ..
http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolRev...k%20Plane.html
Regards from Perth
Derek
Sharp solves all manner of problems.
In 60 1/2's I have lots of old, real old, 2 newer English made and a LN 60 1/2. One of the newer Stanley's is modified to plane bamboo rod strips. Of them all the LN is the least used. I have no real problems with English made Stanley's, especially 60 1/2's. The LN is nice, but a bit heavy and weight is not needed for my block plane. Do get a good blade if you get a stanley.
Here is a pic of one with an old hock in it. I called hock and ron said it was from when he was making them in his back yard. I ordered it new but thought it was the late 90's. He seemed to think older.
the veritas is just too modern for my taste, but their blades aren't.
Last edited by mark kosse; 04-27-2017 at 7:02 PM.
A couple of quick considerations.
If you don't have much experience with handplanes, then do yourself a favor and get a new premium plane (Lie-Nielsen or Veritas, perhaps Clifton if you're in the UK). Why? Because it will save you a lot of fumbling about trying to figure out whether the old rescue plane you got at the garage sale across town is junk, or you don't know how to set it up. In short, the premium plane will give you a fixed, objective reference. The good news is that block planes are the least expensive of the common planes. Given that a metal bodied block plane will, for all intents and purposes, last a couple of millenia as long as you keep corrosion at bay and don't subject it to trip hammers, you can consider one to be a lifetime purchase.
The second consideration is your hand size. Large hands tend to find the Veritas Standard and Low Angle Block Planes more comfortable. Small hands lean heavily towards the apron planes. The LN/Stanley/Woodriver/Benchdog (Rockler) 60 1/2 is in the middle, as is the Veritas DX-60. Beyond those very general guidelines, it's hard to say much more about how you and any given plane will get along, because it's very much a personal fit thing.
Recommended to avoid any plane from a big box store, regardless of the maker. Any plane from Harbor Freight. The can be made to work, sometimes. If you want to spend the time to get them working, have at it. Or you can spend the time working wood instead.
It came to pass...
"Curiosity is the ultimate power tool." - Roy Underhill
The road IS the destination.
A block plane is about the most simple plane to set up......all you need to do is sharpen the iron. Set the depth to where it will make a shaving, and go to work, Every last block plane I have...works, and needed very little work to get that way.
Open a box for a new plane? What does that teach anyone? Other than how to open a box? Does it teach you how to set one up? Does it teach you HOW to sharpen it up when it gets dull.
I'll keep buying them "junk" 60-1/2 low angle blocks planes from that "sale across town" for the $5 they go for......hour later ( if that..) and it will be ready to go to work. I merely ask planes to do their job, not to look pretty, sitting un-used on a shelf...
I tend to agree with Steven. A fellow woodworker in Portland and I met at a tool event. He had a new LN #4-1/2 that didn't work out of the box. Something shifted in shipping as is prone to happen. He was afraid to do anything to the plane to try and set it straight. Fortunately he was able to take it to the tool event the next day to get help setting it up.
My knowledge of setting up and using hand planes to work to the fullest of their capability didn't come from opening boxes of new planes. With so much knowledge being shared on line and so many folks willing to help those new to the hobby a person with minimal abilities shouldn't have trouble getting good results from a second (or third) hand plane. The best reason to purchase a new plane is because one has less time than money or for the personal pleasure of owning amazingly well engineered new tools. It is easy to understand and accept such reasoning.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Hah, I also remember the orange plane.
I have a 60 1/2 I've fully restored, including lapping the base and the bed/frog area. And it still doesn't hold a candle to my LV LA block.
Lie Nielsen Rabbet Block. It handles several jobs, and does them all to near perfection.
So does the Stanley #140.......and there was a Sargent made one, and a millers Falls made one......Point?
Yeah I have a #140 too, it works, not as nice. Not to mention with these planes you don't get the big cost difference as the old ones generally are pretty pricey.
I have both Lie Nielsen 140 and 60 1/2 planes. They are both sweet planes, but I use my Veritas apron plane more.
I will not part with any of them.
I like the old STANLEYS but also like my LN blocks
Jerry