The Hand Plane Thread

[camarotoolman]

Here is more of mind. The cross cut was my Grandpa's.

 

[Jarhead0408]

Wow, I really don't know ho I missed this thread. There are some really beautiful planes in here!

I'm more into mechanical tools and have zero woodworking skills whatsoever.
But my hat is off to you fellows who collect these and actually turn out quality pieces with them. Maybe ya'll should start a woodworkers project thread? For all I know maybe there is one already?

 

[Jim C.]

Thanks for the welcome!

It is a Record 77. I bought all of those planes new, as needed for work, except for the Stanley/Bailey #5, which I acquired used.

Definitely a nice set of planes. I noticed that you have a compass plane too. I have a couple, but don't use them too often. I'm trying to get a little more creative in my woodworking designs. I want to add more curves. What projects did you use your compass plane to create? I made concave stool seats with mine.

Jim C.

 

[HenryAZ]

Definitely a nice set of planes. I noticed that you have a compass plane too. I have a couple, but don't use them too often. I'm trying to get a little more creative in my woodworking designs. I want to add more curves. What projects did you use your compass plane to create? I made concave stool seats with mine.

Jim C.

Since I was a custom millworker in a custom shop full of machinery, we did everything we could by machine whenever possible. Some jobs required lots of handwork while in other cases the handwork was only necessary to clean up the machine work. All this by way of saying the planes were used only as a final part of many different jobs, not as the major tool.

I cannot recall ever using the compass plane on a convex surface, only concave. It was used to clean up inside radius work of all kinds, wherever it fit. For example, creating a piece of helical shaped handrail involved lots of freehand work on the bandsaw and shaper, and finally cleanup with hand tools (how much cleanup depending on skill of the shaper man, who was me anyway ). On convex surfaces, it was easier to pass something across a jointer or use a straight plane, depending on the nature of the curve.

 

[Jim C.]

Since I was a custom millworker in a custom shop full of machinery, we did everything we could by machine whenever possible. Some jobs required lots of handwork while in other cases the handwork was only necessary to clean up the machine work. All this by way of saying the planes were used only as a final part of many different jobs, not as the major tool.

I cannot recall ever using the compass plane on a convex surface, only concave. It was used to clean up inside radius work of all kinds, wherever it fit. For example, creating a piece of helical shaped handrail involved lots of freehand work on the bandsaw and shaper, and finally cleanup with hand tools (how much cleanup depending on skill of the shaper man, who was me anyway ). On convex surfaces, it was easier to pass something across a jointer or use a straight plane, depending on the nature of the curve.

I guess that's kind of what I did with my stool seats. I roughed them out on the bandsaw, and then did the final shaping/cleanup with my compass plane (a Record #020). I actually bought the plane for that specific project. Unfortunately, with the exception of just a few other small projects, I haven't used it too much, though I've had it for years. I have other planes that see significantly more use on a regular basis. It's certainly not like a block plane or a #5, so I guess that's to be expected. Thanks Henry.

Jim C.

 

[Jim C.]

Wow, I really don't know ho I missed this thread. There are some really beautiful planes in here!

Well the plan is to keep the pictures coming and to keep the conversation going about hand planes.

Jim C.

 

[Jim C.]

Here is more of mind. The cross cut was my Grandpa's.

Nice collection! We've been talking a little bit about compass planes. I noticed that you also have one. It looks like an old Stanley #20. Have you ever had a chance to use it?

 

[trainer]

Here's my collection
From the left:
newer Stanley block plane. I made a new knob on my lathe when the plastic one broke
1950's or early '60s Craftsman #4
Stanley Bailey #4 made in Canada. Beech handle and rosewood knob
Stanley #5 1/2 fore plane made in England
Unknown brand jointer plane that belonged to my late neighbour
In the front:
newer stanley spokeshave
Stanley Sweetheart curved sole #S3 spokeshave
Stanley Sweetheart #80 cabinet scraper.

I've found that the cabinet scraper is one one of the hand tools that I use the most when woodworking. It really cuts down on the amount of sanding that is necessary when working with hardwoods.

 

[Jim C.]

Here's my collection
From the left:
newer Stanley block plane. I made a new knob on my lathe when the plastic one broke
1950's or early '60s Craftsman #4
Stanley Bailey #4 made in Canada. Beech handle and rosewood knob
Stanley #5 1/2 fore plane made in England
Unknown brand jointer plane that belonged to my late neighbour
In the front:
newer stanley spokeshave
Stanley Sweetheart curved sole #S3 spokeshave
Stanley Sweetheart #80 cabinet scraper.

I've found that the cabinet scraper is one one of the hand tools that I use the most when woodworking. It really cuts down on the amount of sanding that is necessary when working with hardwoods.

Wow Trainer, that's a very nice collection! As far as cabinet scrapers go, the Stanley #80 is one of the best basic scrapers around. Other companies, like Sargent, also made similar versions. Stanley might still be making the #80 even now because it's a proven winner. You couldn't be more right about the quality of finish that a scraper leaves on wood. It's fantastic. Another top rate scraper is the Stanley #112. It's a little more like a plane in appearance, and also leaves a great finish. The principle is still the same, get a nice burr on the iron, set the angle, and off you go. A #80 is a super all-around scraper, but on larger surfaces, the #112 might be the one to pick.

Jim C.

 

[trainer]

Wow Trainer, that's a very nice collection! As far as cabinet scrapers go, the Stanley #80 is one of the best basic scrapers around. Other companies, like Sargent, also made similar versions. Stanley might still be making the #80 even now because it's a proven winner. You couldn't be more right about the quality of finish that a scraper leaves on wood. It's fantastic. Another top rate scraper is the Stanley #112. It's a little more like a plane in appearance, and also leaves a great finish. The principle is still the same, get a nice burr on the iron, set the angle, and off you go. A #80 is a super all-around scraper, but on larger surfaces, the #112 might be the one to pick.

Jim C.

According to Patricks "Blood and gore" website, they stopped making the #80 in 1984

Don't click this link unless you have a few hours though....
http://supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0a.html

 

[Jim C.]

We've been talking about compass planes, or circular planes as some call them, so I figured I'd post a few pictures. I mentioned earlier that several years ago, I made a set of stools to go with an island in my kitchen. I wanted the seats to be concave. I think they look a little better than a flat seat, and may be just a little bit more comfortable too. I knew I needed a tool to "fair the curve" of the seats, so after a some research, I settled on a compass plane. At the time, the best plane that I could find for the job was the #020C, still being manufactured by Record. I knew there were old Stanleys out there, but I didn't want to spend the money on an antique version. After it was all said and done, the new Record wasn't much cheaper than an old Stanley (which I eventually bought anyway). To make the seats, I roughed out walnut blanks on my bandsaw, and then did most of the concave shaping and cleanup work with my compass plane. I could not have been more happy with the results.

Like I said earlier, I did eventually buy an old Stanley #20 compass plane too. Stanley made them between 1897 and 1958. The plane depicted below (in the next post) was most likely manufactured between the late 1930s and early 1940s. Those made prior to 1919 were nickel plated instead of japanned, and are a thing of beauty if you can find one in nice condition. As you can see, the Record and Stanley were very similar in parts, size and construction. This is probably not a plane that I would recommend right off the bat, but if you want to try going beyond just doing flat work, give this one a try.

Here's a few pictures of the Record #020C compass plane.

Jim C.

 

[Jim C.]

Here's a few more pictures of the Stanley #20 compass plane. In the last picture, you'll see the Record (in blue) and the Stanley (in black), side by side.

Jim C.

 

[purpurite]

Here's my display piece. I'm in no way a woodworker, but this plane was found in my dad's basement which was removed from my grandfather's basement. I took it home with me because I thought it looked cool, but not only do I not use it, I probably won't ever.

I think it's from the 50's, but that's about all I know.

 

[Jim C.]

Hey ApexSpeed,

That looks like an old #4 size bench plane. I think you're right, it looks like a 1950s, or possibly a 1960s vintage. It appears to be in fantastic condition. I don't know what type of projects you might do around your house, but if you have a sticking door, or need to knock the edge off a board, that plane would do a great job. The key is making sure the cutting iron is super sharp.

Jim C.

 

[purpurite]

Hey ApexSpeed,

That looks like an old #4 size bench plane. I think you're right, it looks like a 1950s, or possibly a 1960s vintage. It appears to be in fantastic condition. I don't know what type of projects you might do around your house, but if you have a sticking door, or need to knock the edge off a board, that plane would do a great job. The key is making sure the cutting iron is super sharp.

Jim C.

Thanks! I think I have a few doors in my house that should now be very afraid.


What's the best way to sharpen one of these? Stone?

 

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

Thanks! I think I have a few doors in my house that should now be very afraid.


What's the best way to sharpen one of these? Stone?

There are hundreds of ways to sharpen a plane or chisel. One of the cheapest, is to use wet/dry sandpaper on a piece of thick glass. The glass will keep it flat. Start with 220 grit, depending on blade condition, and work up to 1000 grit. One of the most important things is to have the back of the blade dead flat.

Sharpen handplane blades

 

[Jim C.]

Harvey Melvin Richards is right on all counts. I actually do use wet/dry sandpaper up to 2000 grit. I start with 220 and proceed through 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, and finally 2000 grit. I mount the sandpaper on a piece of thick float glass that's dead flat. I just use simple spray adhesive. Prior to starting with the sandpaper, I make sure the back of the iron is flat. I do that by grinding the back of the iron on the side of a slow speed, water lubricated, grinding wheel. I use a Tormek grinder. It's a nice machine, but a little bit pricey. It gets the back of the iron flat pretty fast. If necesary, I'll also re-grind the bevel if it's nicked or misshapen. Once I've got the back flat and the bevel the way I want it, then I start with the sandpaper mounted on the float glass. I do all that work by hand. You'll want to polish the back and bevel of the iron on each successive grit of sandpaper, with the object being to end up with a mirror like finish on the bevel and the back of the iron near the cutting edge. Mount the iron back in the plane, set it to take a fine cut, and you'll be amazed.

You could use water or oil stones too. Good stones can be expensive. I have a few stones in different grits, because they're handy to have when I just want to hone an iron quickly, and get back to work. They save me some time from having to drag out all the sandpaper. When I get an old plane, I usually just start from scratch. Once I get that back flat, the bevel just right, and a mirror finish, honing on a stone is fast and easy.
Jim C.

 

[SpeedCoach]

As promised, here are some pics of my FIL's collection, at least the ones he has out. Some get occasional use, some don't. He's a light hobbiest and collector

Two new additions...one is obviously not a plane, but worth showing:

Lie-Nielson block plane

Lie-Nielson saw

 

[Rich1028]

another great thread!!!
I just picked up some tools from my late Father.
in his collection of tools is a stanley plane,I'll have to go out in the garage and find it and snap a pic of it.

 

[onewaydave]

Well now. This is interesting. I don't collect but I do use a number of nice old planes and some I've made or repaired. I'll come back with a few pics later.

I have seen a couple of quest planes already posted.

Jim, every thread has its lovers/haters. Ignore them,this is good stuff.

I ran onto this site last night. Blasphemy to repurpose a fine old Stanley #3, but a damn fine job of it, if you care to look. He has several other interesting posts also.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/A_Galoots_infill_smoother.html

Currently, I need a Stanley #212 for some particular work. But not for a thousand bucks. The LN is probably a better plane but I don't even want to spend 185 (Oh I probably will). So, I an going to make one a-la the Hotley dovetailed infill method. I'm in the design stage right now. Know how that goes, doncha?

Dave

 

[KesterHouse]

(snip...)
Currently, I need a Stanley #212 for some particular work. But not for a thousand bucks. The LN is probably a better plane but I don't even want to spend 185 (Oh I probably will). (...)

Dave

Perhaps this little scraper from Veritas will do the job for you, and the price is reasonable as well. Another thing they make that's worth considering is the Scraping Plane Insert... it actually works, and if it's something you don't need often, can't beat the price. And I'm not affiliated with Lee Valley tools or anything like that - I just like their tools.

Hope that helps,
-JeffK

 

[Jim C.]

As promised, here are some pics of my FIL's collection, at least the ones he has out. Some get occasional use, some don't. He's a light hobbiest and collector

Two new additions...one is obviously not a plane, but worth showing:

Lie-Nielson block plane

Lie-Nielson saw

SpeedCoach,

That is an insane collection of moulding planes!! Wow! That's impressive to say the least. I see some nice old Bedrocks in the collection too. Nice! Your father-in-law is the man. Thanks for posting the pictures.

Jim C.

 

[Jim C.]

another great thread!!!
I just picked up some tools from my late Father.
in his collection of tools is a stanley plane,I'll have to go out in the garage and find it and snap a pic of it.

Rich,

We'd love to see it, and any of the other tools from your dad.

 

[Jim C.]

Well now. This is interesting. I don't collect but I do use a number of nice old planes and some I've made or repaired. I'll come back with a few pics later.

I have seen a couple of quest planes already posted.

Jim, every thread has its lovers/haters. Ignore them,this is good stuff.

I ran onto this site last night. Blasphemy to repurpose a fine old Stanley #3, but a damn fine job of it, if you care to look. He has several other interesting posts also.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/A_Galoots_infill_smoother.html

Currently, I need a Stanley #212 for some particular work. But not for a thousand bucks. The LN is probably a better plane but I don't even want to spend 185 (Oh I probably will). So, I an going to make one a-la the Hotley dovetailed infill method. I'm in the design stage right now. Know how that goes, doncha?

Dave

Hi Dave! I'm glad to hear that you've been using your planes. I found that once I got the hang of it, they were a pleasure to use, and in some cases indispensable. One of my hopes when starting this thread was to get people interested in planes, and possibly to get a few to give them a try. I'd guess that many who visit this website have at least one plane that they picked up, inherited, etc., somewhere along the way. Most of those planes are probably salvageable, and could be used for another lifetime, even if they undergo a little "restoration." As long as they're not being passed off as being in original condition, that's okay. I want to encourage their use. If some want to check in on the thread and talk it down, what can you do? I'd rather they passed along their expertise on plane usage, and collecting too. You can't please everyone.

Funny you mentioned the Stanley #212. It had been one of my quest planes for a long time. I finally came across one about two months ago. I bought it online from a very reputable guy who I've done business with in the past. The plane was dead mint, except for a flaw with one of the screws that passes through the sides of the body of the plane. The flaw wasn't too noticeable at first, but once I saw it, I couldn't stop looking at it. For the money I had to send it back. I hated doing that, because it was the best one I've ever seen to this point. But again, for the money, it had to be right. So, it's back on the quest list. I have a few Lie-Nielsens and I'm sure you'll be very happy with their version of the #212. Keep checking back. I'll try to post a picture or two of one of my favorite scrapers.

When you finish your infill, I'm expecting lots of pictures and a full write up on how you made it.

Jim C.

 

[Jim C.]

Stanley, and other manufacturers, created many different plane patterns over the years. Some were innovative and very useful. Others were nothing short of crazy contraptions that were the products of some "fertile minds." Many planes fell somewhere in between on the usefulness spectrum. One of my favorites was the Stanley #85. It possesses some of the attributes that make it a "contraption", but others that make it function a as fairly good plane should. It was manufactured between 1904 and 1935. One of its most noticeable traits are its tilting tote and knob that were designed to keep one's knuckles from scraping against the side of a workpiece when getting up into a corner. Notice the rabbeted throat that allows the cutter to protrude all the way to the sides of the plane body. Not a bad idea. The frog is held in place by two screws that attach to the bottom of the plane. The angle of the cutter could be adjusted at the back of the frog by means of a slotted set screw. Over tightening the two screws that hold down the frog, or the over applying that angle adjusting set screw could easily crack that frog casting. Couple that with the rabbeted sides, and you've got a pretty fragile plane.

Still, this plane is a thing of beauty. The plane depicted below was probably manufactured during the late 1920s to early 1930s. As a scraper, it does the job, but I really think there are better scrapers that are easier to adjust, and a lot more rugged, like the Stanley #112 (We'll save that one for another time). I was lucky to find this particular plane with its original, Stanley logo marked, cutting iron. Many original irons were not marked for some reason. It also has its original tote and front knob. Those are frequently broken and were made for the #85. Because they were made to pivot, replacing broken originals isn't an easy task. It's not like one could find a donor tote or knob off a common bench plane and stick it on the #85. I have seen some very well made replacement totes and knobs that were the work of some fine craftsman. This plane, in almost any condition, is probably one for the collection versus one for regular use.

Jim C.

 

[onewaydave]

Jeff K, I had not seen that Veritas before. I think I would go LN over that one though. The size is right for my purposes. A little one hander. Nice website, btw.

Jim, if I finish an infill, You will get to see it. You couldn't hold me back from showing off.

Dave.

 

[Jim C.]

Happy Holidays and good woodworking in the new year!

Jim C.

 

[Voi]

Hoping for some quick feedback. I found some older Stanley Bailey hand planes in a pawn shop this morning, a #5 & #*8 for $20 and $50 respectively.

I have not yet made the jump into hand tool wood working buy would like to try it. Curious if these are good deals and in particular want to know if the #5 would be a good plane for me to start practicing with.

I'm on my wife's office computer and am having trouble uploading pictures so I'm only going to post one for now. I'll be away from the computer for the rest of the afternoon but if I can get some feedback I can pick them up on my way home later.

Thanks.

 

[onewaydave]

I'm not a Stanley hand plane expert, but here are my thoughts.

The #4 and #5 are popular sizes for a bench. They can be tuned to joint, smooth or scrub. I think the one in your picture is a later model, or at least the cap iron is (the comma shaped hole). Stanley made a #4 1/2 and 5 1/2 that had wider blades I think.

The #7 and #8 are pretty much strictly jointers. There are a lot of folks that joint wood by hand, but you gotta love it to do so. I have a #8 ready and waiting for a new blade. I have 2 blades that fracture down low near the cutting edge up to the keyhole and think that is a design flaw for this wide blade (2 7/8 I think). IMHO it requires a Hock or other over sized thickness more that any other plane.

The prices you note are pretty fair, but the value is purely up to you.

Good luck,

Dave.

 

[Thunderbisciut]

Well, I guess I'll give this thread a little bump. I have a small project where I need to joint some short pieces of wood. A power jointer would be overkill and mostly useless to me, so I decided to look at hand planes. I was gonna just buy a cheap Stanley 220, but then figured why not look at some nice vintage tools.

I ended up getting an old Millers Falls 16 block plane, and a Sargent 409C. The Miller Falls has been reconditioned at some point, and the Sargent is in good "unused for a very long time" condition. I've been reading up, so I know what needs to be done when they come in, and honestly I'm looking forward to refreshing them. Once they're set I can finally get to playing with the 130 pounds of Tornillo that is sitting in my garage.

I'll get some pics when I get them in my hands.

 

[rick carpenter]

Well the plan is to keep the pictures coming and to keep the conversation going about hand planes.

Jim C.

Well, you absolutely MUST do that! Thanks for starting this thread. I have a pair of assembled No. 4's, a block plane and a No. 92 on my shelves. I've got a bucket of disassembled planes and plane parts that are in the garage somewhere. People interested in woodworking tools should visit sawmillcreek<dot>com and those especially interested in hand woodworking will get acquainted with the terms galoot, neanderthal, and slippery slope.

 

[trainman1385]

Here are a few of my planes
https://scontent-a-dfw.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/t1.0-9/10501891_10204128012421237_568022191628656109_n.jpg

https://scontent-b-dfw.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10380992_10203894550304830_8238343696822468610_n.jpg?oh=3198dcb706f3471c9616edba08b74c27&oe=54533E3F

 

[Jim C.]

^^^^ WOW!! What a great collection!! Do you use them often?

Jim C.

 

[Blue Frog]

Lots of nice planes here, and I have many of them - but I don't recall seeing in any post like the one below:

 

[trainman1385]

Yes I do use my planes, I do antique restoration/reproduction and it helps to have these tools, being more of a woodworker than a metalworker

 

[Jim C.]

There's a pretty good thread entitled "Hand Planes" over at papawswrench in the woodworking forum.