Best Buys in Planes

[Matt Lentzner]

From reading around here I am understanding the importance of getting a quality tool even if you are a newbie. Going used and trying to refurb a plane as a beginner seems fraught with peril and frustration. So I accept the fact that I will need to lay down some $$$ to get a "starter set" that will get me planing.

From what I've read it seems like the basic plane set would consist of a block, jack (5 1/2), jointer (7 or 8), and smooth plane (4 1/2). What are considered the "best of breed" for these types?

Block: LN Low Angle?
Jack: LV Low Angle Bevel-up
Jointer: ???
Smooth: ???

Thanks in advance for your input

Matt

[Sam Yerardi]

From what I've read it seems like the basic plane set would consist of a block, jack (5 1/2), jointer (7 or 8), and smooth plane (4 1/2). What are considered the "best of breed" for these types?

IMHO, if you are going to stay with LN here would be my choices:

Block: LN Low Angle?
Good choice

Jack: LN No. 5 Jack
Or the LN Low Angle Jack for end-grain apps

Jointer: LN No. 8 Jointer
I typically see a 7 in the Stanleys used a lot but if I were going to spend this kind of money I would go for the 8. A little longer. Once you start doing a lot of edges you will want to go a bit longer on the jointer.

Smooth: LN 4 1/2 Smooth plane
Again, if I were spending the money I would go for the 4 1/2 rather than the 4 because of the width.

[Don C Peterson]

I won't argue with anybody about buying LN planes, most of mine are LN and I have no regrets. If you are asking about best buys though, the vintage Stanleys can be had for much less. I have a couple of those too and they are fine (once tuned up).

I have the LN low angle jack and I really like it, but if the main task will be board prep, I prefer the standard #5 Jack. The reason is simple, but a bit hard to explain: The low angle planes are pretty versatile, but for board prep I like to have an iron with a pretty aggressive cambered edge. The only problem with the low angle jack planes is the low angle greatly reduces the effective amount of camber, making it a bit harder to establish the camber in the first place and to maintain it thereafter. For this purpose, I definitely recommend an old Stanley.

I mostly use my LN LA Jack for shooting and even have a 90 degree iron that turns it into a scraper plane.

[Danny Thompson]

Best of Breed is a pretty tall order. I will ignore all the "boutique" infill planes and say the following are on my list:

Block: Lie-Nielsen LA Adjustable Mouth Block
Smoother: Veritas Bevel Up Smoother
Jack: Veritas Low Angle (Bevel Up) Jack
Jointer: Veritas Bevel Up Jointer

The blades on the last three are interchangeable. To be honest, I would either add or trade out the Jack for the Veritas Medium Shoulder Plane.

One caveat is that these are all essentially block planes, none has a frog. So, if you want experience with that sort of configuration, then you could trade out the jointer (or Jack or Smooth) for the LN version standard angle version.

[Jim Holman]

Vintage woodies are the most bang for the buck IMO. The time spent learning to sharpen and tune, if needed, is well spent.

[Joe D'Attilio]

Great post Matt; as I am a newbie, I'm finding planes and chisels seem to be the 2 more important tools

SO far after research and consulting my empty wallet I'm pretty set on a few things to start out

Disston saws
Stanley Bailey planes
Starett combo square
Two cherries chisels or maybe even some Vintage Stanley or Marples

Just my $.02
Didn't mean to jack your thread

[Richard Magbanua]

Vintage Stanleys are definitely a great buy but expect to learn how to refurbish and tune them up. I purchased mine from various antique stores around town.
As good as I've gotten mine to work I was absolutely floored when I bought a Mujingfang Taiwanese-style short smoother from Lee Valley along with a plane hammer. I had read about these planes having excellent performance for the money so I thought forty bucks was wasn't much to risk. After lightly honing the blade and lapping the sole of the plane on 220 grit paper a few times it was ready to go. I was surprised that adjusting the plane with the hammer was actually very easy. In less than a five minutes I was making consistently whisper-thin shavings. The blades on these planes are reputed as high-quality and a bit harder than the usual blades so they should last a bit longer between sharpenings. I was wanting to get a nice LN or Veritas handplane someday and still may, but I figure that I could get the full compliment of these wood bodied planes for less than the price of one of the other planes. That may be the route I take for now. I'm just that impressed with how well this plane works and how easy it is to use it.
In my opinion and experience the "best buy" in hand planes are the Mujingfang planes from Lee Valley or Japanwoodworker.com. Now I can save my funds for my next purchases: a Veritas router plane and the Veritas medium shoulder plane.

[Joe D'Attilio]

HEy Rich

Can you pm a link i havent been able to find these wood planes you speak of

[Matt Lentzner]

Best of Breed is a pretty tall order. I will ignore all the "boutique" infill planes and say the following are on my list:

Block: Lie-Nielsen LA Adjustable Mouth Block
Smoother: Veritas Bevel Up Smoother
Jack: Veritas Low Angle (Bevel Up) Jack
Jointer: Veritas Bevel Up Jointer

The blades on the last three are interchangeable. To be honest, I would either add or trade out the Jack for the Veritas Medium Shoulder Plane.

One caveat is that these are all essentially block planes, none has a frog. So, if you want experience with that sort of configuration, then you could trade out the jointer (or Jack or Smooth) for the LN version standard angle version.

I regret saying "Best of Breed". I really meant what I titled the post, "Best Buy". I'm looking for solid tools, not the ultimate.

I was already looking seriously at the Veritas triumverate. It seems like a good way to get a lot of flexibility with just three planes. As you point out, they all share the same blades, plus you can change the pitch by just regrinding the blade or swapping out to a steeper blade.

Is there a downside to using these oversized block planes?

Matt

[John Hain]

From reading around here I am understanding the importance of getting a quality tool even if you are a newbie. Going used and trying to refurb a plane as a beginner seems fraught with peril and frustration.

.....and lack of confidence.

I would agree with this. I started with a couple old stanleys that I fixed up and think it would have been easier for me to have started with a finely tuned, sharp, level plane. This way one knows how a nice plane should work and gets to know what a nice plane can do for you. Once you have the expectations and firsthand knowledge of the proper functioning plane, I think it's much easier to refurb older planes with that experience under your belt.

[Jim Belair]

I agree, I have a few of the muji wood planes and they are great value. The blades are very hard, thick steel. Some of the ones from Japan Woodworker have a brass inlay wear strip at the mouth.

I'm not sure if as woodies they have the long term durability of a high quality metal plane. This is less of an issue with specialty planes like high angle that may be used more infrequently than a "bread and butter" block or smoother. For those planes I like the idea of a metal sole. Maybe this is unfounded.

Jim B

[Brian Kent]

"In my opinion and experience the "best buy" in hand planes are the Mujingfang planes from Lee Valley or Japanwoodworker.com." [/QUOTE]

Richard! Thank You! I Agree totally!

I have often wondered why I hear so little about these great planes. They are effective and about the cost of a good blade.

I especially would not be without a Mujingfang High Angle smoother. Very often it works when nothing else will.

[Richard Magbanua]

Here is how you find the Muji's on Lee Valley: Lee Valley, woodworking, planes, then wooden planes. Take your pick! You can also find them at japanwoodworker.com. Look under woodworking tools, then handplanes for woodworking, then rosewood and ebony planes.
I hesitate to let everyone know about these because I want to buy them all while they're so cheap. I also want to make my own planes because Lee Valley sells replacement blades for ten bucks or less!!
As far as having a wood sole, it may have disadvantages for some. But I think it's a wonderful advantage because it took just a few minutes to get it flat on a piece of sandpaper on my table saw and wipe some wax on it without breaking a sweat. Try that with an old Stanley. Also, you can't get much more Neander than a block of wood, a wedge, and a blade. Good luck!!

[Danny Thompson]

By the way, I have seen many posts by people who feel you can get by pretty well with just a block plane and a Jack plane. The LN LA adjustable mouth plane can do a lot of fine smoothing and the Jack can work as a long smoother or short jointer. Many say the jointer is only needed to flatten very long or very wide boards.

Just a thought.

[Jameel Abraham]

I've used Lie-Nielsens for many years, but before I had those I went with old Stanley planes. I bought a #4 and a #7 from Patrick Leach when the internet was just getting rolling, and I'll never regret it. I didn't buy collectors planes, but user grade and only paid about $35 for the #4 and maybe $85 for the #7. That was over a decade ago. I recently upgraded the iron and chipbreaker on the #7 with a Lie-Nielsen iron and improved chipbreaker. I think for the money, that is a great bang-for-the-buck. You get fresh flat modern steel (A-2) and a chipbreaker that's ready to go. The only fettling you might need is to flatten the bottom a little. For years I used this plane as my only jointer before I got a powered jointer. I flattened boards, jointed edges, smoothed surfaces (even bird's-eye maple). On the other, if you can afford new L-N planes, go for it. But I disagree that you shouldn't buy a user-grade old Stanley as a beginner. I was forced into it due to lack of funds, and I wouldnt trade the experience for anything. Taking that plane apart and learning how it works and how to make it work is a skill that you'll need even with a Lie-Nielsen. And when you get those first strokes that go "sniiick", it will satisfy you and give you a confidence in your work.