Reply To: recommended new high quality planes
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I had a nice long reply as I am curious to see what path you have chosen. but it disappeared suddenly. I hope you haven’t given up on woodworking.
I consider myself a hybrid woodworker. I own some Festools, a 16 inch bandsaw and several Shopsmiths and their accessory tools. (A drama in themselves, those Shopsmiths)
Here is my suggestion after going down the old plane route and all of its associated headaches. I have 3-#4s, 5 1/4, 5, 5 1/2, 6, 2-#7s (all older Stanleys) a Veritas Bevel Up Jointer. New Stanley SW Low Angle Jack, Stanley SW Block plane and several other block planes. various specialty planes.
Buy new if you are a woodworker that doesn’t have a mentor that is readily available.
Buy a L-N or Veritas 4 1/2 smoother, (oh no, he is gonna say it…) yes, a block plane. Specifically the Veritas Low Angle Block plane. The best and most versatile ever made. Why a block plane? mainly for those with issues with weight and manual dexterity. They are far less cumbersome than a smoother, I don’t care how low the number on the Stanley system goes for the smoother in question. And I don’t care what anyone says, they work well. Lastly, for the necessary planes buy one of these, a #5, 6, or 7. Possibly the Sweet Veritas Bevel Up Jointer.
Done
Now you can worry about router planes, other specialty planes, saws, measuring and marking tools, benches, vises, etc…
Even Chris Schwarz is debating the merits of older planes for the novice woodworker.
Once you’ve been making furniture you can begin to know what to look for in vintage tools and how to tune them properly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2TqaW9Yhko