Recommendations for first hand plane

[ryan.s]

I've never used a hand plane before and thought it's about time I get one. What would you guys recommend for a first hand plane?

[Warren]

What do you want to do first? Not knowing that, I'd probably suggest a number 5 Jack as a good all round plane. I have a jack and a block plane which meet almost all of my needs. The jack is good smoothing plane and I use it most for removing any marks from the planer. The block plane is good for end grain and smaller detail work. I'd suggest you read up on how to sharpen irons. I've yet to purchase a plane that was as sharp it should be out of the box. You don't need "scary sharp" but you do need a good edge to start with.

A good diamond stone, 8", course and fine will get you started. A budget plane with a great edge is better than an expensive plane with a dull iron. While you don't need a honing quide, they do speed things up a bit.

Hope this helps.

[ryan.s]

Like you said I guess I'm looking for an all around plane. They have some at HD for pretty cheap, 10 bucks or so. I figure I could pick one of these up and tune it and sharpen the iron or is that a bad idea.

[Warren]

Sounds like you're referring to a Stanley block plane, dunno. In my mind there's a difference in cheap and budget. If you give this thread a couple of hours you'll have more information than you can process (most of it good) and the information will be accompanied by web site addresses and other retailers with inexpensive but, not cheap planes.

You can get good block planes for $30.00 up. But, I think a good bench plane will be more versitile. A decent jack plane will probably start in the neighborhood of $60.00 or so.

You're gonna find that a couple of versitile hand planes are a necessity in any shop. And, I'm one of those who believes that you should buy as good a tool as you can afford at the time. $10.00 isn't much but, if it is of poor quality you my never get an edge on it and it may just frustrate you.

So, that was of no help at all was it? I just hesitate to urge someone to spend money on something I haven't seen or used.

[ryan.s]

I completely understand what you mean. I believe in buying good stuff that will last. But at this point since I'm new to hand planes i guess it's more of an experiment whether i could really get good use from one or not. I have all the power tools i need for wwing but never really considered a hand plane although deep down inside i know every wworker should have a good assortment of hand planes. I was also considering picking up a used one from ebay and refurbishing it. Like i said i really have no experience with hand planes but common sense tells me as long as i can sharpen the iron and flatten the base i should be okay with whatever i get?

[jnesmith]

I was in the same boat about 3 years ago. Wanted to give hand planes a try, but didn't want to jump in head first. I checked ebay and various woodworking buy/sell forums. Finally found a guy selling a very old Stanley #5 for $25 plus shipping. He kept it in pretty good shape, so it didn't need a lot of work when I got it. It was a great starter.

I've only added a couple of Veritas planes since; a low angle block and a medium shoulder plane. I don't fell the need for any more planes for a while.

[Pappy]

WARNING: You asking questions on an area of woodworking that is highly addictive!

Now to address your question...

No one plane is truely a multi-purpose tool. For general use as a smoothing plane, I would go with a #4. The Stanley planes made between 1933 and 1961 are plentiful and make good users without a lot of money invested.

I would also suggest a block plane, either standard or low angle. You will be amazed at how often it you reach for it.

Yes, you can tune a cheap plane so it will work. How well and for how long is the problem. I did this to a $5 Wally World special once, just to see if I could. Then I tossed it in the trash.

[messmaker]

I would go for a block plane. You will use it more often. A cheap Stanley will work but is hard to adjust. Shop Fox has a nice looking one for not much more as do a number of other WW stores.

[Russianwolf]

they aren't cheap but I've never seen a bad word about them.


www.knight-toolworks.com

[SteveJ]

technical video rental has a really good instructional DVD on how to sharpen planes and chisels. the rental fee is $10.

www.technicalvideorental.com

Steve

[mschrank]

Would this one be a good starter?


It's $1,520.00...sure would hate to drop it!

Seriously, I'm glad ryan posted this question. Please keep the replies coming, as I am also interested in hearing opinions. There is such a variation in prices on planes out there...I'm sure there must be some decent ones that don't cost as much as a Unisaw...or even a BT3x

[Warren]

I told you that you'd get some good responses. As a further note, Groz makes some reputable and inexpensive planes. They're an Indian company and the two I've seen are a step or two up from Stanley with regard to fit and finish. A no. 6 Jack has a list of around $45.00. A no. 4 for less than $40.00.

Planes can be addictive as Pappy stated. And you really do need to have a couple in your arsenal.

[vaking]

A typical carpenter carries a #3 or #4 with him, those are considered the most universal. Block plane is an end-grane tool only but a very usefull one and it is cheap. I started with #4 and block. As for names and brands - I have Stanleys #4 and block plane from Lowes and Buck Bros #5 (Jack) from HD - all good planes in the neigborhood of $40 new (block was cheaper). I also bought a used #6 Stanley from Ebay - good worker but definitely not a starter plane. As you can see - it is addictive, be warned.

[atgcpaul]

You asked for it!

I've only got 2 planes and I am salivating for more.
My addiction has just recently started but it's definitely
growing. I bought the #4 from "Walt Q". Here's his site:

http://pages.cthome.net/bcrgraphics/toolindex.html

He constantly has "new" planes listed. His descriptions
are accurate and he's honest. You can also buy a new Groz
for about the same money (~$40-$60) I know people with
them and they're satisfied with the Groz as a starter.

I actually like my #5 better but I think I've spent more
time fettling it plus it has a Hock blade on it so it's
a much better cutter. I like the longer bed for jointing
an edge clean if I get table saw burns. The #5 is a Bedrock
style so I like it's frog adjustment better than my other
Stanley.

I use my #4 for more abusive activities like I recently helped
a friend fit a new stove into an old space. The #4 and a chisel
helped me clear the spaces that I couldn't get to with my
router.

My next plane will be a block plane, but with my #4 and
#5 tuned and sharpened well, I can cut end grain nicely
but it's just a little more awkward with a big plane.

In a mostly power tool shop (but no power jointer), I find
a hand plane indispensible for flattening glued up boards
too wide to go into my 13" planer or jointing the edges of
two mating boards to be edge glued. And my favorite as I
mentioned above, cleaning wood edges burned by the table saw.

Finally, I'd suggested getting a plane with a corrugated
bottom. The sole of the plane has grooves running the
length of it. This reduces the amount of work you have
to do to flatten the sole and the amount of force you need
to actually surface plane. Some online antique plane
dealers will put a "C" after the number to indicate it is
corrugated if it's not written in the description.

Hope I could help your new habit along,

Paul

[jziegler]

I've been thinking about hand planes for a while now, I only own one cheap buck bros. one that I bought for some emergency fitting work one weekend last summer. I have since sharpened it, and it works much better. Just a little plane. Now, there's an antique consignment shop in town, and there's a tool vendor there. There are always some hand planes. So, for the old stuff, what should I be looking for? I suppose that a comparison to ebay is good for pricing?

-Jim

edit:

I see above that Stanley #4 is a good workhorse, any other general suggestions?