BCTW HP6v2 plane - Anybody tried one?

[Doug Shepard]

Bridge City has a small special on a dado plane set that attaches to a small plane body (cost of the body not included).
http://www.bridgecitytools.com/email.../dd1offer.html
Has anyone used this plane? I very often do 1/16" inlays using a laminate trimmer but I have to admit this plane body and 1/16" setup are pretty tempting. I love BCTW stuff, but dont always love their prices even though they're extremely well made. Just curious how useful this small plane is with the other cutter profiles that have already been out for a while.

[Derek Cohen]

Doug

You realize that the price quoted ($145) is for each blade alone, and does not include the plane?

The plane body is $249 and the fence is another $130.

The total makes for a very expensive plough plane! You could probably do the same with a Record #043 (although it would require grinding a blade this small).

I ground blades (out of Allen keys/Hex wrenches) for a Veritas Small Router Plane - did not try for a 1/16", but I did do a 1/8" and a 3/16" to go with the 1/4" supplied.

Here is the 3/16" blade making shavings ...



Regards from Perth

Derek

[Mike K Wenzloff]

Hi Doug,

I had a short play with the HP-6 at one of this year's LN Hand Tool Events. Worked very well cutting a profile (iirc it was an ogee).

While I don't think John doesn't likes the comparison, I look at the HP-6 as a redesigned Record 043 (both somewhat in looks and the way it functions) and think it is a great little plane.

Take care, Mike

[Doug Shepard]

Derek
I did realize the plane body wasn't included. I think the only payoff there is if that plane worked so well that buying a few of the other cutter profiles was worth doing later on. I wasn't familiar with the Record 043 that you and Mike mentioned so looked around last night. I dont know why I assumed (I didnt look) that the BCTW was a profiling block plane but a couple things about the 043 made me look closer at the BCTW and realized it's a bevel-down plane. I think what's appealing to me the most though is the square sides. I like the idea of not having to use a fence off the edge if you dont want to but a clamped on straight edge instead. I do have 2 other fenced handtool options that I should probably just look into making a 1/16" cutter for. Either the larger LV Router Plane or the LN Beading plane would probably work just as good. With what I've been spending on bench hardware lately, I probably ought to put the BCTW thing off limits for a while.

[Mike K Wenzloff]

Hi Doug. I probably caused some confusion. Not intended.

When I mentioned the 043, I was only refering to the general shape of the BCTW HP-6. But that is where all similarity ends. Now, take the following as coming from a confessed plow and molding plane junkie. I am and I'm happy with that

If I had the extra cash, I would buy one of the HP-6 planes and all the profiles because of how they are different from an 043 or other metal/wood plow. While I think the general style of the plane follows the 043, it uses general principles of a wood molding plane--shaped soles conforming to the profile of the cutter, tight mouths--but also for the shaped cutters, changes how the wood is typically cut. Down into the edge on some (most?) of the profiles.

As for the plow blades, the HP-6 borrows from a wooden dado plane and applies it to both cross- and long-grain grooving. That is, there is a mouth and full sole in front and behind the cutter like a wooden dado plane and very much unlike a wood or metal plow used for long-grain grooving.

Well, enough babble. Those things are why I would even consider one. And I do think about it often enough. The HP-6 is truly proof of rethinking how such planes work and putting those concepts into practice.

Take care, Mike

[Derek Cohen]

Derek
I did realize the plane body wasn't included. I think the only payoff there is if that plane worked so well that buying a few of the other cutter profiles was worth doing later on. ....

Doug

Mike has already said what I would say. In short, I think that if you are looking at this plane with a bigger picture in mind than just the 1/16" blade, and are willing to pay the price, then I suspect (having only ever seen pictures) that you will have a super tool. I'd love one too.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Doug Shepard]

Derek/Mike
Maybe you two experts can answer something for me. But a couple things just aren't making a bunch of sense to me based on the pics of this plane. For the 1/16" and 3/16" plough plane cutter profiles that are the new one's on special, the pic shows a ridge fore and aft of the blade.
ddfig2.jpg

I guess I can understand why it's there, but that effectively means that you're never riding on the plane sole unless you go to the full depth of that ridge? And you're potentially rocking back and forth on that narrow ridge unless you do something about that? So I'm looking at the #1101-184-15 Depth Fence (not the other fence for edge distance) that looks like it was origally designed to set the cutter depth for their V-groove profile. Am I right in thinking that any of their dado profile cutters would pretty much require the use of this Depth Fence too, not so much to control the depth, but just to have an outrigger to stop from tipping all along that sole ridge? So then, as you cut the dado increasingly deeper, you'd also have to stop and fiddle with the depth fence too just to keep the sole level and cutter perpendicular? Is that the way you guys interpret this?

[Mike K Wenzloff]

Hi Doug,

Yep, looks like it requires the "depth fence" or self-made shims attached to the sole. That would definitely be one area the plane could be improved, a conventional depth stop.

I would send them an email and confirm whether it is a separate purchase or whether it is part of the two fences which come with the body.

In use, every plow plane requires a fence to maintain squareness of the plane to the stock. It seems like it is difficult, but with an add-on taller wooden fence attached to the metal portion, pressed against the stock during use, one can maintain it square. Old wood plows like one I have typically have taller fences, but all my metal plows require adding one to the metal fence. And it's worth it.

Take care, Mike