Comments on: Buying good tools cheap – smoothing planes

By: Paul Sellers

Paul Sellers — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 22:50:00 +0000

First off I think that we are talking smoothing planes here. If so here is my view:
1) Not really, they are Bailey pattern planes made to the Stanley pattern casting. I would still shoot for a pure-bred Stanley though.
2) I wouldn’t worry too much about era but whether the handles are wooden as the plastic ones almost always break, especially when cold.
3) Choose the adjustment wheel in brass first and nickel plated steel second. The plastic knobs work but I don’t like the feel and they don’t spin on the thread like brass ones do. I rely on that for thread take up which is fast and easy.
4) I’d rather have a Stanley than a Record but I have both and alway find myself reaching for my Stanleys first, but I think perhaps that’s may be a personal thing. The Records seem fractionally heavier and I strongly dislike unnecessarily heavy planes.
If talking about a heavier smoothing plane then go for wider 4 1/2 Stanley as a good best smoother too.
If talking about jack planes, it has to be both and not either or. Start with the narrower number 5 and then get a good Stanley 5 1/2. Once fettled and flattened these two planes knock the socks of any and all other metal cast planes and they are inexpensive at any price under $50. If you did buy a costly heavyweight I suggest you sell it on eBay and buy all other Stanleys you need, enjoy fettling fixing and fine tuning and you will have lifetime planes that will never let you down. Don’t worry about looking out for Bed Rocks unless you like collector planes. The reason Stanley couldn’t sell as many of them is that there was really so little difference between a Bed Rock and a Bailey-pattern Stanley so craftsmen who knew planes stuck with the perfectly good Bailey pattern planes. Also, thin irons work great. Don’t fall for the thick iron fashion because they take three times longer to sharpen and they too add too much weight. They don’t get rid of chatter but if you wipe the sole with a smeer of oil. that will. I keep a bean can stuffed tightly with a rag and tipped occasionally with light machine oil like 3 in 1.

By: SebQtaneus

SebQtaneus — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 19:50:00 +0000

I’ve never had a plane before so I have a couple questions regarding Ebay planes.

1. Is there a difference between Stanley Craftsman & just plain Stanley?
2. How do I tell the difference between a plane from the quality era vs the new junky stuff?
3. Are the planes with plastic depth of cut knobs too new to be decent?
4. Are all the Record planes good quality?

By: Paul Sellers

Paul Sellers — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 10:20:00 +0000

So far I have managed to find good secondhand ones on eBay, some older ones too, still in their packaging from a decade or so ago. I don’t know much about their recent products, where they are made.

By: Rudolph

Rudolph — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 21:58:00 +0000

“…both Stanley and Record irons in older planes well suit me…”
Out of curiosity, when the time comes that an iron does need replaced what kind of blade do you tend to get? Do you consider the current off-the-shelf Stanley replacement blades suitable? Do you scrounge ebay for new old stock irons?

By: literaryworkshop

literaryworkshop — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 03:07:00 +0000

I’m glad you mentioned that about looking for well-used tools. That’s something I’ve had to learn the hard way. There are often good reasons that an old tool looks like it’s never been used. Some of my best tools were well-used when I got them.