List of basic tools
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Hello,
I’m sure we all follow a different and somwhat similar path on our way to crafting with hand tools.
Personally, I have spent to much money on junk power tools not knowing what was good and what was not. So piece by piece I have been replacing junk power tools with “quality” power tools. Now my “quality” router had the locking pin shear off and wedge itself against the spindle. Woo Hoo! Off to be repaired. I have been tired with power tools for a while now, I just did not know it. Make shift hand tools are what I have had to use to compensate for my power tools. So, out with the new and in with the old, tried, and proven. I’ve been watching the video’s on this website and have not been so excited to start a project in years. My question at the very beginning is what tools should I get to start with. Even better, what specific tools should I make to make other tools. What will I have to buy? Are older manual routers the same quality as a new manual router made today? I saw a reference in the forum to blog, but I’m not seeing it. Any advice and or links to information is greatly appreciated.Thank you,
Jason4 July 2014 at 9:12 pm #59118Here is a good place to start:
http://paulsellers.com/2014/05/questions-answered-ten-hand-tools-three-joints/As to manual routers. I have no complaints with my vintage Stanley. The Lee Valley and Lie-Nielsen both consistently receive positive reviews.
Hope that helps a little. Good luck.
6 July 2014 at 2:50 pm #59146Paul’s list is a good starting point.
Planes made in the last 30 years have been sub standard made by Record and Stanley They require a fair bit of fettling to make them work as they should from new. Some are that bad not worth the time money or effort. That said I have a few planes from Stanley and Record in the last 30 years and I have them working with good good results.
I also have older Stanley’s and Record’s probably nearer 50+ years old these planes also sometimes need fettling. The quality of castings far superior.
Next you have the premium makers LN,Veritas, Clifton (Quangsheng, Woodriver, Jumma all made by same company) even the planes made by premium Stanley range Need
No or very little fettling.
The hand router no different older are better quality for Stanley and Record. You should be able to make a new or older Stanley 71 work fine If on a budget.
I got Stanley 71 new about 30 years ago had plastic handles changed handles to wood flattened sole works fine.
The LN and Veritas routers are very good indeed but expensive.I too have spent a lot of money on power tools. I still use them now and then if I have some kind of production work to do. I still use my table saw a good bit sizing material. But I always hand plane the edges and surfaces to remove the saw marks. Now however, I find myself spending lots of money on hand tools. A file for freaks sake yesterday was $65. And I don’t think it was one of those recommended by this web site.
Paul’s list is a great starting place. But what I did was to build a tool box and put all my tools in it. Then I built Paul’s tool box with my own customizations. and when I used a tool in my shop, I put it in the new box. I was amazed that after several months, the number of tools still in the old box… Paul’s list almost covers everything you will need for this type work…
7 July 2014 at 12:06 am #59153Yes, one must be careful in the hand tool realm. There are some very nice handmade works of art out there. Take Chris Schwarz’s 2500 buck plow plane. I started looking into custom plows and other planes and damn near fell over. I see nothing wrong with them but they are not for me at this time.
I am crossing over from the power tool realm. I never had room for the big stuff. I have a bosch contractor table saw, a festool panel saw, drill press, surface planer and band saw (woodgears.ca). I’ll be somewhat a hybrid user leaning towards hand tools.
I picked up a Bailey number 5 and 8 from ebay and a # 4 from craigslist. I did get a #4 from Lie Nielsen as well and it feels great and provided a benchmark as to how they should all work. The block plane form Lie Nielsen great, fits well in the hand.
I got my Bailey #4 tuned up with a machinist’ help (it was thrashed) and it works just as well as the Lie Nielsen (maybe I’ll sell the Lie Neilsen). So I have a mix of new and old leaning towards the old.
I recommend Chris Schwarz’s advice though if you can’t see the tool in person a dealer is a great way to go. One they don’t generally sell crap, you can return things and the prices aren’t bad. Ebay is ok if they have lots of pictures and info,its cheap, sometimes its just a crap shoot.
I am looking at a 71 or a Preston router plane from a dealer site, somewhere in the range of 50-95 US depending on what you are looking for with free shipping.
The link Greg posted is great, off that page is a great review on the router planes, http://paulsellers.com/2012/11/buying-good-tools-cheap-the-router-plane/.
8 July 2014 at 1:59 am #59185I am transitioning from power tools and have read pauls blog and done some research. I bought a really nice Stanley #50 plow with all the irons from ebay. When i received it could not believe that it was in the original box with original iron box and looked like it had never been taken out of the box. I paid $75 us for it, so look around flea markets, estate sales garage sales I think you should have a good saw i took pauls advice and bought Veritas saws I think you can get a dovetail saw for 69 bucks Lee valley I bought 2 carcas saws and 1 dovetail saw. I will get a couple more probably ebay. you need decent chisels a couple marking gauges a good square and a panel saw marking knife mallet hammer tape measure i have a #4,4 1/2,5 planes total cost for all three 35 dollars. 2 of them are 1940s and 1 1950s took them home flattened the sole and frog on them all cleaned them and sharpened unbelievable how well they work. I also have a Lie Neilson Router plane, 135 dollars only has 3/8 blade. bought a stanley 71 and like it just as well cant see much difference. other than it was flat and sharp out of the box.. I think fettling your tools is a skill that needs to be learned to do this type of woodworking so why not buy an old stanley and give it a shot I dont think youll mess it up but if you do you havent lost a couple hundred bucks.
Thank you all for the information. I hit a couple garage sales today. I ran across one that the lady was obviously getting rid of her old man and his stuff. Thinking he is going scream when he finds out. But, my gain. Hand planes $5 each and 2 clamp jaws, 5 blades, 1 chip breaker, and an extra sole for $5 more. They all need a lot of cleaning, but I can do that. The Stanley up top has a flat bottom and is 13.5″ long. The 2 med are 11″ and 9.5″. They have curved bottoms. I think the spare sole is not flat but a very minor curve. I doubt I will find a cache like this again.
Jason.
Attachments:
You must be logged in to view attached files.Looks like you’re on your way. Get a look at the YouTube view from Paul and others on how to fettle a plane. Flattening the sole on a flat surface with various grits of sand paper is a good start.
Next flattening the plane iron on the back (do get some diamond plates, well worth the cost) and getting that sharp edge.
If you’re not tired yet take a look at the frog as well and flatten it as good as you can on the plates.
All that after the initial cleanup off course. The more time you spend on this, the more fun you’ll have using the planes after that. And the good news is you only have to do this once.
Just do a search on the web, there’s a ton of info on how to proceed.
Have fun
Feel free to ask any more pointers.
Diego20 July 2014 at 12:18 pm #59591Every body has pointed you in the right direction about the tools to get started and links to Mr. Sellers list.
Congrats on the yard sale score.
Is the extra sole in the picture interchangeable with one of the planes with the round sole?
I will add, when looking for tools, also check your local antique stores. I have found here in central Florida, they normally have some. I always offer less than they have marked, they normally take it. A couple have told me, these have been here for years, so they want to get rid of them.
The second most thing antique dealers have said to me is, “What is it used for or how do you use it?” Some don’t even know what they are. I have seen many put back together with parts in wrong places. It gets funny sometimes.
Good luck.
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