recommended new high quality planes
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I may have to politely disagree with you, Denise, about the suitability of heavy planes from my experience. My favourite plane is a LN 5 1/2, which I use for everything from truing boards, to final smoothing. I love its considerable weight and good balance. I also use a LN #7 for jointing, and a Veritas #4 for the smaller, more nimble work. I can use the #4 single-handedly for chamfers, bevels etc.
Apart from the speciality planes such as routers and plough planes and scrapers, my other essential plane is a LN 62 1/2 low angle jack plane. I use this for end grain, shooting and rough work.
I don’t have or need many planes, but the above four planes do 99% of everything you’ll ever need. Well worth the investment in my opinion.
P.S. It’s worth noting that I have several blades and frogs which I interchange between planes, giving me different blade angle options. The LN 4 1/2, 5 1/2 and 7 planes use the same frogs and blades so they may be worth exploring if you are interested in this feature.
11 December 2013 at 3:32 pm #23640David
Normally I just keep my mouth shut but I thought I would offer my experience on some of the planes you mentioned. First I have owned both the ECE Scrub Plane and Primus smoothing plane. I love the scrub plane I call it mighty mouse it just hogs of material all day long with no problems. The Primus plane was a different story however I felt that the plane was too light and skipped over the work so eventually I got rid of it. It did glide along the wood like you wouldn’t believe.
To your question of new planes. For my money (if money wasn’t a limiting factor)I would buy Lie Nielsen’s. I would go with the following (3) Planes: 4 1/2 & 5 1/2 & 7. That way the blades all match and you swap out irons if you need to also you could get a different angle frog and make that work however you need to. Whenever I used the Lie Nielsen’s planes you can just feel the quality.
However I use old Stanley for just about everything. I would absolutely use a old inexpensive plane for the rough stock work (scrub, jack) you just don’t need to spend a couple hundred bucks for a rough coarse plane. Okay best of luck to you hope this helps
11 December 2013 at 4:55 pm #23642Some great input already but I’ll chime in with my thoughts on plane weight.
I use a LN #4 for everything except trueing long boards, when I use a Stanley #5 1/2. I also have a Veritas low angle jack, which I bought only because it was on offer at a price you’d be bonkers to ignore – it rarely gets used. If you’re going to be following Paul’s techniques and use the #4 or #4 1/2 most of the time, you may struggle with the LN – the sheer mass of it makes really hard to control when using it to make roundovers. Even with the minimum force required to take an endgrain shaving using the sharpest of irons, it gets so much momentum that I find myself using so much of my strength trying to control it. I’ve put dents into several boards after failing to get it under control and had it hit an edge. The Stanley I used on the course was far, far easier to use for this and I’m keeping my eye out for one in good condition on eBay.
The mass of the plane is great for smoothing boards but if you’re going to use it for everything like Paul does, you may want to consider putting in the time to rehab a vintage Stanley, or find a plane you can hold up (without it resting on a board) and take shavings with in funny positions for a good while. It’s far less effort in the long run.
George.
George,
This is exactly my experience with my LN #4 1/2. I’ll be keeping this excellent tool, but I’m looking for a Stanley #3 or #4 for the fine and vertical work Paul demonstrates. I have a cheap, carpenter grade Stanley #5 that is actually much easier to use for shaping than the LN #4 1/2.
I tried the Woodriver #3 and even it is heavier than I want it to be for these techniques.
11 April 2014 at 6:34 am #55991I 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=y2TqaW9YhkoThere are a lot of really good comments here and I’d like to add my advise. As someone who got off track and became more of a tool collector than wood worker- stay basic. I started with LV 4.5 and 6 because the irons are the same size and I figured I could special grind some irons and use then in either plane. I have recently found a supply of older Record #4s (new in box) and will probably never touch the LV 4.5 again (ref Denise comment). As for any #7–Why? Its macho yes, but what does it do that can’t do with a 5 or 6? I use a #6 on my shooting board. Between the 4 and 6 I can’t see having 5. I love a block plane. I choose the LN 60 Rabbet Block Plane w/Nicker because it is a rabbet style. This makes it perfect for shoulder plane work like smoothing tennons, faces and shoulders. Get a good router plane and learn how to use it. It a precision tool not a hogger! Don’t move to more tools until you have mastered these. Again, all in my opinion.
Your issue with planing an oak board is not tool related. I wish Paul would point out that old time traditional craftsmen had a tool that we don’t, apprentices. Mastercraftsmen didn’t spend hours preparing rough lumber. They had a couple young boys full of energy who could spend a whole day scrubing a 12 foot board flat. My apprentices are named planner and jointer. They are brothers from the clan Pow’ermatic who inhabit the hill country of Taiwan.
For what it’s worth, I can offer my limited experience too. Like you I’m only a novice in this woodworking adventure.
My first ever plane was a no 4 juuma. It’s a great plane but I find it on the heavy side for me. Still it was a good starter to learn how to sharpen and set up a plane.
Next was a no 5 record which is great for jointing and flattening work. It weighs about the same as the juuma.
Then I got me an old Stanley no 4 to change into a cheap scrub plane. It immediately struck me how light this one is. As it just happens I reach for the Stanley much more than the juuma and I feel this is because of the light weight. This gives me much more control. Roundovers, chamfers are all done with the Stanley. Needless to say I’ll be on the lookout for another no 4 to get a scrub plane still…
Also I found the record and Stanley blades much easier to sharpen then the juuma one which seems a lot harder. That doesn’t means it stays sharp longer though.
I still use the juuma for shooting on my shooting board and for final flattening with a very fine set.
So now I’m waiting for a 4 1/2 and a no 6 Stanley…
That should take care of all my planing needs as I work mostly with rough sawn stock.
I should also point out that I not exactly of a sturdy built posture which probably explains my preference for the lighter planes and incidentally also why some posters have problems with the heavier planes. I believe posture or muscularity also matters in what’s right for you.My 0.02 €
DiegoI have limited expirence as well and money dictates a lot of the tools I use. I have recently bought the ECE Primus smothing plane and really enjoy using. In fact, I couldn’t imagine having a different smoothing plane in my till. (although, I do have 2 stanley #4’s, and a #3, two of those planes are for my sons) I don’t know if I understand why you would need “mass” for smoothing, but then again I have never used a Lie Nielson plane. And I could never argue with the quality of a Lie Nielson plane or Veritas. However, the ECE plane leaves a pristine surface, my big hands do not get pinched in the tote and I love how the plane just glides across the surface. It’s truely a joy to use. I guess it really depends on your individual preferences and what works for you.
Cheers!
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