What is the best Hand Plane for a beginner?

Michael,

I will be attending a seminar on this subject Thursday Oct 26. It’s a one hour class put on by August Home Publishing and the WoodSmith Stote in Des Moines, IA. Probably a little short notice for you to get plane tickets so here is a link to the site. After the seminar the speaker will usually post comments about the seminar, and class participants will sometimes comment post. Even though it’s a two hour drive one way for a one hour, I learn alot for $3 ($8 less $5 instore coupon)
Hand Plane Seminar or Woodworking Seminars

I agree with dull and hard to work; after attending a hand-on workshop at Woodsmith, I learned multiple ways to sharpen the blades. From low budget to high dollar. I enjoy using the few hand planes I have now and then. The website doesn’t have much on the hand planes now but check back later in the week or next week for the comments. They do have some link to hand plane mfg posted. I will post more after the seminar.

-- Joel Tille

Surfin the web I found an article off the link you gave me and it told me that I needed a low angle block plane for ends and a jack plane for planing edges http://www.woodworkingseminars.com/wp-content//SelectingHandTools.pdf
copy and paste if the link isn’t live

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

you have to copy everything from the http:// to the .pdf to get the article
http://www.woodworkingseminars.com/wp-content/SelectingHandTools.pdf

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

Michael … The seminar was very informative for me. Randy the instructor recommends the following order of planes.

• First – Block Plane, preferably low angle
• Second – Bench Plane, possibly low angle but not a must.

Block planes typically the bevel of the blade is up, bench and jointer planes the bevel is typically down. Most everyone probably knows this, but the planes I have purchased were at an auction and the blades were install upside down. I used them like this for a while before I was taught the bevel thing.

Couple of online resources he had on the hand out.
Planes Types and Choices
Using, Sharpening, and Tuning Hand Planes
So…You Want to Try Hand Planes
Point about Planing

During the seminar Randy pass around a few items, one was a piece of white oak. Very smooth surface and sides with no sanding. another was a half lap joint he used a shoulder plane to sneak up to a perfect fit.

Randy uses refrigerator or business card magnets to protect the blades; also he says he does not lay them on their side. Potential damage to the blade from another tool you may be picking up or setting down.

Hope this helps you find the plane you want to start with. Randy also discussed upgrading the blade with heavier ones from Hock Tools or Lie-Nielsen. Good quality planes mentioned were Lee Valley & Veritas.

After the seminar I decide to rejuvinate a hand plane my father had given me a couple years back. I have vivid memories of this plane as a kid. The struglle from using a plane that was really not that sharp, my small stutaur as a child, and probably having the blade to far exposed below the sole.

After the seminar I decide to rejuvenate a hand plane my father had given me a couple years back. I have vivid memories of this plane as a kid; the struggle from using a plane that was really not that sharp, my small stature as a child, and probably having the blade to far expose below the sole. I remember then thinking why anyone would want to use one. I now find occasions when this seems to be a perfect fit. Especially my block plane for that quick chamfer. I am not sure how (or if you can) post a photo in a comment so here a link to my workshop where I posted the Hand Plane .

-- Joel Tille

Thanks Joel… this was a great help. I wasn’t asking for anyone other than myself because I didn’t know a thing about bevel direction ar anything else. And if i would have looked at two different planes it would have only added to my confusion.This is a seminar’s worth of use and a weekend worth of study. Again, thanks ever so much for your help.

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

I was looking to see what had been posted on hand planes and came across this. The woodsmith seminars are now available on-line as as post casts.

Podcast #3 is Why you need handplanes in your shop

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

I like the Stanley Low Angle Block Plane. It is cheap, you will have to sharpen it, but it does not have a ton of controls. Just push it and it goes. Plus you don’t have to worry about it. If budget is no option buy a veritas or lie-nielsen.

I love my veritas shoulder plane.

-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne

Michael,

I agree on the Low Angle Block Plane and if you are going to be doing tennons a shoulder plane is a must to fine-tune them if needed. The Jack plane is nice but I don’t need mine that often seeing as I joint most of what I need done with my jointer…. Thats my two cents worth….

-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT

Obi
Now you’re talking my language! ;)
You’ve had some good advice already – a low angle block plane is a great starting point. I recommend either a Veritas or Lie-Nielsen, both are exceptional tools for the money.
Sharpening is a hand tool neccessity so I would say spend some quality time with the block plane learning its ways and getting to know it well.
A second plane? The Veritas Low Angle Jack. It is a fantastic plane for the money, easy to adjust, rock solid and gives performance matching the best (and most expensive) planes available. You can use this plane to flatten timber, edge joint and it will smooth even the most gnarly grained timbers with a few tweaks.
Hope this helps (and welcome to the Slope!)
Phil

Hi Obi,

Which plane to buy?

Much depends on the depth of your pocket of course.
If you have some cash to spare, then where quality is concerned, today there are more choices of hand-plane than there were 55 years ago. However, a range of planes was always available and I have always believed that for hand-tool work, having just one plane is limiting.

For edging a long board, a short smoothing-plane is almost useless. Even if the plane is a Nielsen. You would get a great finish, but would you have a true edge? No, you would need a jack or fore-plane at least.

If you are cleaning up a finished job, you would find a long-sole a little clumsy.

So, all round, I believe you need at least:

A jack-plane, a smoothing-plane and a block-plane. The latter for end-grain and final polishing.

A jointer-plane would be a luxury, but you would have more use for it than you might think. For the ultimate finish use a properly sharpened scraper, or a low-angle Nielsen reserved for ‘polishing’.

Up to a point, I agree with Krenov here. I don’t make wooden bodied planes, (except for rounded or hollowed soles.) and I think, length for length, the Nielsen is as good as even Krenov’s creations. I also believe a properly fettled, pre-WW2 steel plane is as good as a Nielsen, and often less expensive. (Heresy?)

The most dangerous thing in a workshop is glass-paper and I like to feel the almost imperceptible undulations on a piece of furniture that has been finished with a properly set and sharpened plane.

If you really can afford only one plane, then a standard, jack-plane would be my advice. You have only to consider its name. It’s a jack-of-all-trades! Properly fettled, it will see you through most situations.
But do try to get a cheap, older plane, that you can use for roughing sawn boards across the grain, and removing larger amounts of material.

Maybe it’s just me?

John (UK)

-- Working fast helps you to arrive at your mistakes in spectacular fashion. (Me 2009!)

Obi,

My friend, if you need to know more about ’non-dull’ planes, I am sure the folks here can help.
I like to fettle planes myself, so I can safely say, that within obvious limitations, any plane can be made to perform to its best. (Of course, if a plane is rubbish, it is rubbish. End of story.)

How well the plane will function, depends on the plane and the fettler…
A plane’s performance doesn’t depend on sharpness alone. The sole also needs to be truly flat, (Corrugated soles are easiest to true-up.)

So, how much work do you want to put in? Like the proverbial wood-cutter. Do you want a bright, sharp ax or just a sharp ax?

I am sure you’ll get good advice here so,
Good luck and take care

John (UK)

-- Working fast helps you to arrive at your mistakes in spectacular fashion. (Me 2009!)

Joel gave me some great help 4 1/2 months ago, but until just the past couple of days I was struggling to figure things out. Planes are probably the most difficult tool in the shop. I bought 2 block planes (both of them still dull) and was just trying not to ruin any wood trying them out. I’ve sharpened my chisels several times since i bought the planes, they ( the planes) have just never made it to the sharpener… they will eventually and I’m sure they are as much garbage as I thought they were.

Thanks for all the input,
Michael

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

I’d second the opinion on the LV Low Angle Jack. I started with some old planes, and I found I didn’t really know how they were supposed to work. I bought the LV LA Jack (yeah, it’s about $200), but it needed about a minute of sharpening and then I was ready to go. Now, I have a good understanding how planes are supposed to work, and I can mess around with my old woodies, the 78 I found, the MF sitting under my bench, etc.

If you get a plane, then at the exact same time, if not before, you should also invest in some sharpening equipment. I use paper on glass, it’s cheap and works well. Water stones are good too, but you’ll need to keep them flat. If you haven’t sharpened before, I would certainly look for a local class, or someone nearby willing to give a quick lesson. It’s not hard once you learn it, but it absolutely necessary.

If you get something like the LA Jack, investing about a half hour to make a servicable bench hook and shooting board is also a must. It makes a plane like the LA Jack much more versatile. I do use mine for edge jointing (practice required, though), smoothing, shooting, heck even some rough work (with the mouth open wide).

I hope that wasn’t too confusing. Oh, and if you really do like to play with planes, then by all means go find an old Stanley. If all the parts are there and it’s not a rusty mess, you can usually fix them all up. Again, a method of sharpening in a must.

And if the parts are there and it IS all rusted up, then… you can always scavange it for parts! ;)

That’s how I got the rosewood knob for my #220 Block plane. It was a slightly later version that came with the American Hardwood handle dyed burgundy. I picked up a rusted #220 with a broken lever cap for $9, but it had the rosewood knob and a good depth adjuster, which I needed to replace, as well, because it is cracked.

-- Ethan, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/

First, what angle makes a plane a low angle plane?

Second, it seems to me that $200 for a hand plane is ridiculous (They probably make you pay for shipping too). I can buy a nice motorized planer for the cost of two or more hand planes. I’m interested in hand planes but I think I’ll go the Stanley route or with some other reasonably priced hand tool.

-- There are three types of people in the world, those who can count and those who can't!

As far as the practicality of it is concerned…

I have a hand plane from 1920. It’s lasted most of 90 years and was easily brought back into full functional usability with some minor work (lapping or a little tightening of the tote) and a blade/chip breaker upgrade (with the $35 cost of the plane, it ran me a total of about $95). As long as it doesn’t sit outside in the weather, it could very well go on for another 90 years.

The $200 power planer is going to have a significantly shorter lifespan.

Aside from that, there are the noise, safety, and aesthetic differences of using a power tool vs. using a hand tool. Some guys like one over the other – it is really just a matter of preference and opinion. Some guys are going to think $5000 for a Saw Stop is ridiculous when they can perform the same functions with a few hundred dollars (or less) worth of hand tools and have just as little a chance of cutting off their fingers.

To answer your first question, A low-angle plane will have a bed setting of about 12 degrees. A standard bench plane will have a bed angle of about 45 degrees. The other big difference between a LA plane and a standard plane is that the blade goes bezel-up in a LA while it is bezel-down in a standard.

(Mostly, anyway… all block planes should be used with the blade in the bezel-up position.)

-- Ethan, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/

Just as a point of reference, a standard angle block plane is bedded at 20 degrees where as Ethan pointed out above a low angle plane is bedded at 12 degrees.

The effective angle of the standard block plane is also 45 degrees. (20 degrees + 25 degree bevel on the blade) excluding any micro bevels.

A low angle block plane’s effective angle is about 32 degrees. ( 12 degree bed + 20 degree bevel angle)

$150 dollars for a block plane is hard to justify until you have actually held one in your hand and have used it. From there it is similar to taking a hit on a crack pipe or so I have been told…

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Ethan,

Thanks for the response. I fully understand that it is a personal choice whether or not one uses a motorized or a manual plane. Regardless, Lie Nelson and Lee Valley planes are overpriced. I’m sure they’re better quality than the Stanley but that still doesn’t make them worth $200 – $300 a piece. I’m betting that your paying for the name. When considering the costs of the products with the few parts they contain, I have to ask, are they hand made?

When I consider the fact that most professional hand plane users suggest purchasing at least three hand planes, I’m faced with spending anywhere between $600 – $900. Again, I can get a pretty good planer in that range. It may not last 90 years but I don’t plan on lasting that long either. Besides, I’ll make my return on investment much quicker with power (personal preference)

I’m not trying to offend anyone who prefers hand planes, but having worked in the manufacturing industry (steel commercial doors), I’ve learned that the retail price of a product is sometimes marked up 300% above the actual cost. I’ve become somewhat skeptical with high priced items because of this. Marketing always has a key role in pricing items.

Take Taylor Guitars vs. Martin Guitars for example. One’s manufactured with CNC machines and the other is handmade respectively. One generally costs more than the other respectively. Taylor markets their guitars differently than Martin. Both make superior products which products are really better?

I guess it all comes to supply and demand. Maybe there needs to be more hand plane manufacturers to drive the prices down.

-- There are three types of people in the world, those who can count and those who can't!

Can someone show me how to put a 14” wide board on a 6” motorized planer?

I want to experience the ribbon thin shavings. As soon as I can get any plane as sharp as my chisels, and learn how to use them properly, I know I’ll be a happy camper.

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

Obi,

Don’t know if you’re being a smart allec but can’t you put a 14” board in a 14” planer? Or, are you talking jointer?

-- There are three types of people in the world, those who can count and those who can't!

I was being a smart alec, I have a 13” planer, so I cant fit the board in there either…

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

I do not think it is a this or that thing. Hand planes have their place in the shop. Just like a table saw you can get by with a used $50 bench top or you can get a cabanet saw. You can easily locate and restore old planes for a very reasonable cost. Perhaps even $40 for all 3 basic plane. I do think that Lie-Nelson planes are priced as to what the market bears. On ebay, they all sell at very close to retail. I find this to be a good indicator of value. If I decide I want to resell it I can get very close to what I paid for it. Probably not as true with a table saw or other machine.

It depends on what you can justify in your own head. I find power tools very useful. But I feel more of a connection with hand tools. I’m not in this to make money
(or I would be putting a new domino through it’s paces) I’m trying to disconnect from technology, to go from a world where productivity is measured in non-tangable ways.

Like Obi said, it is the experience of working with the wood I am looking for. Just for its sake.

BTW. I often switch the words for a jointer and planer if I’m in a hurry

: ^ )

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Obi, Maybe you should have mentioned the 13” planer first. Would’ve been much funnier. Grizzly 15” planer/molder—$725. Two functions in one.

-- There are three types of people in the world, those who can count and those who can't!

I’m pimping out the hand planes… still less than $200

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

I may have to send a spare or two your way Obi. Next time I am down your way…

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Obi,

What kind of hand planes do you have?

-- There are three types of people in the world, those who can count and those who can't!

I got that one that gizmodyne posted and another one that looks similar.

And I got two pieces of 01 steel to make one of my own.

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

Thanks for the bed angle clarification, Wayne. I always seem to screw those angles up. I can never remember to adjust for the plane angle. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t.

Obi, here is my best and only tip on sharpening – The Veritas Mark II sharpening jig.

It’s a little pricey at $50, but let me tell you how worth it that thing is. I bought one a few weeks ago at Woodcraft when I had a 10% off coupon and I just pulled it out last night to sharpen the Hock blade I picked up for my #220.

At first, set-up was difficult. Then I pulled out the instructions, and it became much, much clearer and a ton easier. I started by flattening the back 3/4” of the blade up to my Ultra-Fine diamond stone. Then I attached the guide to the jig, set the guide to give me the angle I wanted, dropped in the blade, and then removed the guide. After that, it was as simple as pushing and pulling the jig over my diamond stones, all the way up to the extra-fine stone.

At some point in the very near future (maybe tonight, now that I think of it), I’m going to invest in a good finishing waterstone (8000 or 12000 grit). I can flatten it on my diamond stones, and it won’t get that much wear, anyway, so it should last me a long time as long as I’m using the diamond stones for all the lower grits.

Anyway, once I pulled out the jig and read the instructions, it only took me about a minute to set up the jig and get my blade prepped. Five minutes later, I had a very sweet, crisp, razor-sharp edge on my blade.

If you’re serious about getting that sharp edge, you should consider it. After one use, I don’t know if I’ll ever try to free-hand a bezel-sharpening anymore. This was precise and accurate and just about as easy to use as you can make it, and the results were better than what I expected.

-- Ethan, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the input, Ethan, but I already have a honing guide, I just haven’t gotten around to sharpening the planes. I’ve been sharpening my chisels for the past several months.

I’ve only been sharpening them up to 600 grit and still getting chisels sharp enough to shave with. I will probably move up to 2000 grit just for a sharper chisel, but I’ll be moving up to a better guide or a complete sharpening system.

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

Obi

Just when you thought you were a master (remember the thread). I’ll be the first to say the more I learn, the more I need to learn, and there is never an end. My first plane of sorts was one I made out of a block (I called it a block plane, ha, ha). Flat steel ground and sharpened and set into a block at about 15 degrees. Worked pretty good til I could afford a real plane. Planes were among the first woodworking tools next to “rock on a rope”.

Hand tools are a whole different world than tailed ones. It swallows you up in the craft. If you haven’t indulged yourself yet, get aquainted with drawknives, and the different spokeshaves. Now we’re talkin’.

I have a jack plane, 2 smoothing planes, and three block planes. I got one from the shed out behind my dad’s place, the other five I picked up over time used off of craigslist and various places.

All of them are either stanley, craftsman, or bailey. All are old, well used, a bit tarnished, and sharp as a razor. That last part, the sharp as a razor part, that’s the part that matters.

When I first started trying to use a hand plane I struggled. Hated it, wouldn’t work for me. It would catch, tear out, jam, basically seemed like a worthless endeavor. Finally I decided to knuckle down and see what I could do to make my planing life better. First I flattened and polished the soles and sides using 100 and 220 grit sandpaper on the extension wing of my tablesaw. I didnt go nuts, polishing to mirror flat. I just ground out the major bumps and valleys and polished off most of the surface rust. I’m personally not all would up about the “it’s gotta be flat” part of flattening the soles. I flattened and polished the soles more to lessen the drag across the wood. The polished (not mirror smooth, but cleaned up a bit) sole seems to slide across the wood a bit easier when planing.

Next I focused on the blades. This is where I put in the most work. Flattening the back for about the first inch to two inches then sharpening the edge. I use a DMT fine and extra fine two sided diamond stone. Why? mostly because I like the easy clean up of using water instead of oil. And I don’t have to have a special bin of water stones that I need to flatten and mess (emphasis on the mess) around with. I know water stones are the benchmark, but hey, I just want a sharp blade with as minimum fuss as I can get away with.

I spent multiple evenings working the blades. Getting the angles right, square across the front, clean edges, and the sharp, sharp, sharp. You’ve probably seen the trick with running a plane blade up your arm and shaving all the hair off. That’s how sharp you want it.

If you’re willing to get to that point you’ll find your hand planes can be really nice, even old used crusty stanleys. I’m definitely a power tool kind of guy. I’m happy using precision power tools. I like the results, fast and easy. But, I’ll tell you what, using a sharp hand plane set to take the finest shaving will leave a surface unmatched by any power tool or sanding. The slicing action of the plane blade just leaves a glass smooth perfect finish. Do not, I repeat, do not sand after finish planing, you’ll actually get a worse surface finish. That’s my experience with smooth grained boards. I haven’t tried planing something with a wild grain. I might have a different opinion then.

I’m not much of a hand plane guy for sizing, roughing, working lumber, etc, the whole zen thing doesn’t work for me, but for slicking off an edge or surface to get that final glassy smooth surface a sharp plane is hard to beat.

Wow. Interesting discussion. Great references here.

Obi, you need to get busy sharpening and tuning your planes!

I can only add that once you have a good quality hand plane tuned, with a sharp iron, it is almost magical. I love cabinet work, almost all of the finish work is done using hand planes. It’s taken me years to learn how to use this tool and sharpen. I own 20 hand planes, all but one (my first) was purchased used (ebay, garage sales ect…)

Don’t get discouraged. Once you’ve mastered the setup and sharpening you will appreciate the value of these little gems.

-- Nicky

And Obi if your up sacramento way. I’m sure I have a spare or two….

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Thanks Ever’ body.

Wayne, I should have my shop in about a week and it’ll be in North Modesto, so I’m sure I can arrange to drive to Sac sometime in the not to distant future.
Thanks

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

You bet. I have not made a run through the antique stores in Stockton and Modesto in a while either. Let me know when your settled in.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Boy, I hesitate to pipe in here as there has been such good advice. Everyone seems to have a different favorite. Somewhat like those who play golf (I used to play more) – we all seem to gravitate to our favorite golf club, that iron that could always be counted on for those tough shots. The same with planes. I think that if you own a few, you’ll tend to grab the one that seems to be the most veristile and user friendly.

One of the subjects that has come up here is the cost of hand planes. Many are surprised that a top-line plane can cost more than many tablesaws, or jointers, etc. I’d say that many of these expensive planes are generally very fine tools and to those who use them and need them, they are worth the investment. But as has been said here, you don’t need alot of money to get started with a great plane – and often the best route is to find a vintage plane – a Stanley or Bailey. They are still out there and can be had for a song. Might need some work. On my personal blog, I have a video on my favorite “top five” hand planes http://woodtreks.com/an-introduction-to-five-top-plane-types/20/ that is my take on my top picks. But it’s must my take on the subject.

Again, great chat here and great advice.

Keith

-- Keith Cruickshank, www.woodtreks.com - on-demand woodworking videos

Keith, nice video! Thanks!

I would say a #4 or equivalent. Block planes I don’t
find much use for – too little mass. I’ll grab a #4 with
one hand sometimes or even clamp it upside down
in a vise to fit small parts.

A #5, 6, 7, or 8 comes in handy too if you don’t have
a power jointer. You can smooth and flatten panels
by eye (and winding sticks, especially when starting out)
with a #4. The larger planes are good for shooting edges
by hand – but if you have a power jointer than makes
accurate joints you may not need a larger plane.

I plane end grain all the time with a #4 (or 4.5 – and
I admit, it’s a bronze Lie Nielsen I use) and I think
the bigger plane outperforms a lighter block plane
on both end grain and long grain.

I have a L-N low angle jack plane too and I seldom use
it for solid wood… though I’ll break it out for ply or
MDF where it seems to work a little better than
a standard-bed plane.

-- Would you like to recession-proof your present business using the internet? - my revealing 9-page free report gives you the straight facts: http://copymatch.com/rec/cap.html