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a handy, pocket-sized trimming tool

Review by Gary Fixler posted 161 days ago 729 views 0 times favorited 15 comments Add to Favorites Watch
a handy, pocket-sized trimming tool No-picture-s No-picture-s Click the pictures to enlarge them

Full disclosure: I am by no stretch a hand planes expert. I’m hardly even an amateur. I only have a Buck Bros. 6” block plane, and I’m not good with it. However, I got this guy a few months back on a whim, and recently cracked the packaging and gave it a whirl.

Buck Bros. 3

I found it to be very sharp and properly set up right out of the packaging. All I did was wipe off the protective oil, and I was almost immediately getting full-width, full-length curls from the already fairly straight edge of the plank.

undersize of 3

There really isn’t much to it, so in a way, it’s kind of like a beginner’s plane. You can learn quite a bit about how planes work from this <$10 utility tool, which is really better used for minor adjustments, or flushing up pegs. This knowledge can be expanded through larger, more expensive, and more complicated planes later (that’s my plan!).

Buck Bros. 3

These videos aren’t too exciting, but perhaps informative. This is me pulling it over the edge of a poplar plank. I have not tried any other wood types yet. I imagine red oak would be a bit more difficult. I would say I’m ‘jointing’ the edge here, but we all know it’s a bit too short for that, really:

And here’s pushing it over the same plank. The biggest problem is getting my own meaty hands out of the way. There isn’t too much to hold on to, but as you can see, it does work.

Here’s the link to the Home Depot product page, though it’s not sold online. The link itself is custom to my local store, but it does give some specs. It feels solid, though too small for extended use, as it starts to hurt my hands a bit by the end of those videos. Still, a great little shaver for the tiny stuff, where perhaps your #5 jack plane won’t fit, or if, like me, you don’t have a #5 jack plane.

-- Gary, Los Angeles, video game animator

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Gary Fixler

649 posts in 280 days



15 comments so far

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a1Jim

17046 posts in 475 days


posted 161 days ago

Hey Gary
Nice little plane . surprising it was Sharp right out of the box usually they need some more sharpening before using.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture ,maker, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com

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cabinetmaster

8713 posts in 456 days


posted 161 days ago

I have one like that and it is great for planing miters when you are installing trim. Really a time saver.

-- Jerry--A man can never have enough tools or clamps

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PineInTheAsh

195 posts in 166 days


posted 161 days ago

The Buck Bros. brand generally markets good items to a budget price point.

I love adding to the arsenal.

No reason not to have two of these: one for the shop, and one for the travel tool box.

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John Gray

1754 posts in 784 days


posted 161 days ago

Nice little plane where did you purchase it?

-- Only the Shadow knows....................

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Gary Fixler

649 posts in 280 days


posted 160 days ago

John – I picked it up at Home Depot. There’s a link to it in the last paragraph.

-- Gary, Los Angeles, video game animator

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spanky46

737 posts in 289 days


posted 160 days ago

Buy me one too Dad! Happy Fathers Day

Nice little tool Gary!

-- spanky46 -- Never enough clamps...Never enough tools...Never enough time.

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Karson

25806 posts in 1299 days


posted 160 days ago

looks nice.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

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TopamaxSurvivor

3063 posts in 574 days


posted 160 days ago

Looks like you are jointing that short little board with the short little plane :-)) I’ve noticed youj can get old stanleys on ebay for $20 and less for the #4 especially. That must have been the most common plane ever made.

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

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stefang

1656 posts in 232 days


posted 159 days ago

Thanks Gary, as usual I enjoyed video and review and I am surprised something so cheap not only works, but actually works right out of the box. Cudos to Buck Bros. This could make a good gift for a kid interested in woodworking.

-- Mike, American in Norway

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laflaone

57 posts in 579 days


posted 159 days ago

I got one at HD about 6 mos ago. They are under $10. My only complaint is that the blade is so short, it won’t properly fit in my Veritas MKII jig without juryrigging a backer to hold it. That complaint is a small one. It really does do a pretty good job given its size.

-- "non illegitimis carborundum"

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PeytonO

2 posts in 159 days


posted 159 days ago

Glenn Kelman, chief executive and president of Redfin, said that it will not open offices across the Island to launch its services. He said one office in either Melville or Huntington would be enough. The online brokerage would just develop and introduce better features, in addition to its foreclosed home search tools.

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Elaine

104 posts in 521 days


posted 159 days ago

Made in USA – steel staying in USA. I think I have a couple young boys who could use this in their tool box. Thanks for the great info!

-- Elaine, Conover, NC

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drgoodwood

388 posts in 1026 days


posted 158 days ago

I love those little planes.

I do a lot of twig mosaic works that involves splitting twigs, then glueing and tacking them in to patterns.
I use these little planes to smooth the bottom side of the split twigs.

I use two so I can work longer without a break for sharpening.

I hold the plane upside-down in my hand and rake the split twig over the blade.
This is an old coopers trick for fine fitting wooden bucket staves.

-- Randy, Rustic Artisan, a family tradition. (No PM's - auto-deleted.) - "I am a seeker, not a follower."

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lou

44 posts in 341 days


posted 153 days ago

cool stuff.i need a couple.thanks for the review and video

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jim1953

1614 posts in 740 days


posted 153 days ago

Nice Plane

-- Jim, Kentucky

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