Plough plane – advice on buying
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25 August 2018 at 9:44 pm #550564
Hi there,
I’m working through the list of tools required to build the Paul Sellers work bench (which I hope will be the first of many projects) and so am looking for a plough plane. I’ve come across a Record 050 on eBay- I’ll post the link below – but as a complete newbie I don’t really know for sure that this is a good buy or not. I understand this is a combination plane so can be used as a rebate plane as well…? Bonus. Any advice would be very gratefully received. Many thanks, Kirstyhttps://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F392105807312
25 August 2018 at 9:46 pm #550565N.b. the advert does mention “missing plating” but I have no clue what this means… if this is cosmetic or would affect the use of the plane.
25 August 2018 at 10:14 pm #550566On second thoughts I guess missing plating must mean the surface of the metal… duh 🙄
25 August 2018 at 10:45 pm #550567Hi Kirsty,
Yes, the plating relates to the chrome surface plating. It’s mainly cosmetic and wouldn’t affect the use of the plane. The plating actually doesn’t look that bad to me but the price tag is pretty high in my opinion especially with the high postage and the fact it is missing a cutter. Everything else seems to be there but you can pick these up for around the £20-£30 mark on ebay if you keep your eyes peeled (possibly cheaper if you are lucky at a flea market).
Don’t discount the Stanley #50 plane either which is basically the same plane but with a wooden handle. I have owned both and I sold the record as I found the wooden handle to be more comfortable. Both planes are good planes though so either would be a useful addition. I have only really used it for cutting grooves so can’t comment on using it as a rebate plane.
25 August 2018 at 10:54 pm #550568Hi John,
Thank you for your reply. In that case perhaps I will give this one a miss and keep an eye out for a lower price tag, and I will certainly include the Stanley #50 in my search. I have an old Stanley #4 which I’m really pleased with. I’m a total novice to woodworking so any advice such as yours is really helpful to me.
Many thanks again.
Kirsty25 August 2018 at 11:14 pm #550569No worries Kirsty. I’m a newbie too just further up the tool buying ladder I think!
Good idea on attempting the workbench as a first project though. As daunting as it may appear, it can be more forgiving to novice mistakes. I’m nearing completion of mine (first project also) and have learned so much. Fantastic for practicing planing. Good luck!
25 August 2018 at 11:20 pm #550570Yes absolutely agree the work bench is a good place to start… I’ve been watching Paul’s videos for many months, working up the courage to actually make a start (and of course a set of hand tools would be a good start!) So I’m finally getting on my way with it. Paul makes it look so easy but I’m sure in reality it’s far from it. It will be a steep learning curve I’m sure! Thanks for your words of encouragement, and best of luck for your finished bench and of course everything you make on it afterwards!
KirstyHi Kristy,
In my opinion, that plane is in very very good condition and does indeed look to be complete apart from the 1/8″ beading cutter, which I wouldn’t lose too much sleep over. The small cutter clamping bracket is there, and all of the holes in the frames are filled with the correct clamping screws. This one was what Record called the improved 50. The cardboard box is likely the original. The cutters will need some cleaning up pretty quickly but nothing that a bit of fine wet and dry paper wouldn’t fix.The only parts which you cannot see clearly in the photographs are the spurs on both sides of the skates (Americans call these nicker blades) – but you could ask the vendor about whether those are present and ask for a photo of the lower part of both skates just in front of the mouth (where the blade protrudes) You will then see if the 2 spurs are there. In my opinion these spurs are more difficult to find and replace than cutters and were often lost in the clutter at the bottom of a workman’s toolbox. They help you do cross grain rebate work so they are very important.
You could do a lot worse! And flea market finds are often vastly less complete than this one seems to be. I don’t think it overpriced at all, but perhaps that because the prices that I have had to pay for such tools in Australia are a bit over the top.
In my opinion that’s a good find!
Cheers
Mark H26 August 2018 at 2:39 am #550572I agree with Mark, this is a nice plane and the opening price is about right. These planes in the US in similar condition will go for $100+. I don’t think you would be making a mistake.
That is a wonderful looking machine, and a very sophisticated selection as a first hand tool component. (I went with a mallet and chisel, consistent with my level of sophistication). Let us know how the purchase turns out, if you get it?
Also, you don’t need a bench to start working, as Paul has demonstrated by making a bench on sawhorses, and you will need something to build the bench upon. Any stable, clamp-able surface will do (better with two to four of those 2′ long aluminum slider clamps – or pipe clamps + plumbing pipe, which is cheaper because one can swap out pipes of different lengths – but I’m cheap with clamps).
26 August 2018 at 8:56 am #550580Blimey, Prices in the US (and OZ it seems) do vary a lot. Some things are way cheaper but these plane prices seem very high. I bought a Stanley #50 in good condition complete with a full range of cutters in a hardwood cutter box for £28.00 (+2.95 postage) and I had a choice of three different planes. Mind, try getting US/Canadian tools second hand over here and the opposite is true and don’t get me started on timber(lumber) costs!
Another option is to buy two incomplete planes and combine the parts to make one whole plane. You can cherry pick the best components and end up with a better plane than if you got a complete unit. You can also sell the remaining parts as spares to other people who are missing those parts. It can work out about the same cost or cheaper overall.
I would say you don’t need pretty tools to start out with either. Just get tools you can get working with minimum set up/ restoration. This will help keep costs down as this can start to become an expensive hobby over time.
Brian is right, you don’t need a workbench to get started but it is a good project to begin with as you learn so much and if the joints aren’t perfect then hey, its a workbench after all! I’m not actually building Paul’s bench but it looks to be a simple project. Brian is also right that you don’t need a huge tool collection to start with. You can do a lot with a chisel and mallet!
Thinking about it, I would build Paul’s trestles first as they are cheap, quick and fun to build (they are one of his free videos). I realised I needed them halfway through my build. You will find them invaluable for bench building and can use them as a base for a makeshift bench if you don’t want to take the plunge with the full workbench yet.
26 August 2018 at 10:56 am #550581Thanks everyone for the great advice, it’s very much appreciated. It seems tool prices are a lot higher in US and Aus. After reading all your advice I took the plunge and bought the 050 in my link. I likely could have got an equally good one for half the price but as long as I know it’s a good buy I don’t feel too bad about paying a bit over the odds. I am impatient!
I’m planning to make a start on my work bench in the next couple of weeks as I have quite a good selection of tools to start with: S&J hand saw and tenon saw, set of chisels and chisel hammer, Stanley #4, old Stanley square, combination gauge, and now a Record #050… so there’s no excuse to get started. I agree it can become an expensive hobby so I’d better get going with it and make sure I actually enjoy it before I spend any more money! I would love to be able to make the bookcase, hope chest, and various other projects using Paul’s videos, even though it will likely cost a lot more than buying the finished furniture. But the sense of satisfaction I imagine is worth 10 times that.
Hopefully I’ll be able to upload a photo of my finished work bench to the gallery soon. Thanks again everyone.
Congratulations Kirsty, and good luck with your bench.
I am also a beginning woodworker, although I am a couple of years in now so have been lucky enough to pick up a good range of old tools.
I have a similar Record Plough Plane, and absolutely love it. I used it to build my workbench just before Christmas, and it worked a treat.
Buying and restoring old tools is a disease! I have more planes and saws that I could possibly use in my lifetime, but I can’t seem to stop buying them when I see them going crazy cheap… 😀
My tip for you as a new starter: practice getting things really sharp. Everything will be so much easier with very sharp tools. It took me a long time to realise what sharp really is.
In addition to Paul’s videos have a look for “Third Coast Craftsman” on You Tube. He has a plane restoration and sharpening video that was mind blowing for me, it just seemed to click with me and now my planes are SO much sharper, and I am able to freehand sharpen much better than I could before.
Lastly, I would also recommend building Paul’s sawhorses (or trestles) as the workbench build will be a lot easier with those.
Regards
Darren.
26 August 2018 at 8:02 pm #550596Hi Darren,
Yes I can totally imagine how easy it is to get carried away! I think it has already started for me! And unfortunately I often find myself eying up the Veritas tools – their router plane is calling out to me! Before I empty my bank account buying that, do you have any tips on buying a decent used router plane? I guess you found one on eBay?
The eze lap diamond stones are the next and final thing on my list (for now!), so I’ll be sure to practice sharpening as a priority, and will definitely check out that video too. Thanks a lot for the tip! A few people have recommended building Paul’s sawhorses so I’ll give that a look – I did buy a couple of very cheap plastic trestles from Amazon but they are so lightweight and not up to much.
Thanks again,
Kirsty26 August 2018 at 8:25 pm #550597The b eritas router plane has proved to be cheaper and better than any used plane so far. I looked and looked and found the difference in price, used mostly higher, the veritas was ano brainer. I use it almost every day and it really works.
The depth stop is repeatable and solid. I did buy the fence for it but since i got my plough it just hangs on its nail dusty and alone. -
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