# Recommend a good "all around" plane????



## msinc (Jan 8, 2017)

If there is such thing….I would like to acquire a hand plane. Looking for a decent quality nice working plane. Not really looking to go on a hunt for an old antique one and then have to "restore" it unless for specific or obvious reasons that really is the best way to go. I just would like to get a good plane that I can use for example to flatten out the occasional smaller live edge board that is too big for the planer, but too small to make setting up a router sled for. 
Thanks in advance for any info, as always it is greatly appreciated. I see the Lie-Nielson hand planes in the Highland catalog and they appear to be god planes, but there are so many and I really don't want to have to go back to school to buy the closest to correct plane for what I want to do.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I'd start with a no.5 Bailey or similar plane. LN
is terrific quality but an old plane with a broken
tote horn found on ebay can do fine for a lot
of work.

There's a lot of stuff out there about how hard
it is to tune a plane, and it's a little tricky if
you want to make the most flawless smoothing
cuts in boards with varying grain, but planes
are mechanically simple to figure out if you're
willing to put in some time fussing with them.


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## CaptainKlutz (Apr 23, 2014)

Lots of opinions on this one. Only New planes?

USA: 
Best value planes are WoodRiver v3 planes? from Woodcraft. If you only want one, get either:
#5 1/2 for typical work (width of 5 1/2 works larger planks faster than regular #5 jack plane), or #62 low angle jack if you intended to work more burl/wild curl grain woods. 
Neither will disappoint from a cost .vs. performance after some minor tuning.

If want almost zero tuning, then spend more money for "Veritas Starter plane set (jack, smoother, and block planes) with PM11 blades. Lie Nelson is also a good choice, but I prefer the new PM11 blades over LN A2 blades when cost is near same.

Can not recommend new Stanley Sweet Hart planes, they are difficult to tune, and seem to have higher mfg tolerances, so they don't stayed tuned as well as those above.

If you have access to Record or Clifton planes sold in UK for less money than Wood River planes, they offer similar performance after being tuned (assuming same A2 blade steel).

While I do not own every plane mentioned above, I do have at least one new plane from each mfg mentioned, and have demo'd other sizes/types mentioned.

YMMV - (Your Mileage May Vary)


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

I doubt if you are going to get much response to this post. Folks around here don't seem to have strong opinions about hand planes. OK, that's ridiculous. Just kidding.

Seriously though, I have the standard jointer/smoother pair (#7 and #4 1/2). However if I were buying a single plane today, I'd go for the low angle jack plane. The reason is that you can get extra blades and sharpen them at different angles to deal with various types of grain. You can also grind one blunt (I think they sell one already blunt) and use it as a scraping plane.

I think it's overdoing it to call it a universal plane, but I'd argue that it's about the most versatile single plane.


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## 8iowa (Feb 7, 2008)

Years ago I was in your position. I didn't know much about hand planes, but I knew that one would be very helpful in my woodworking.

I chose to purchase a new Clifton #5 which cost $300, but was advertised to be be working ready out of the box, and it was.

Next I attended a handplane class at Highland Woodworking in Atlanta. While there I purchased an inexpensive Anant #4 plane that helped me gain a lot of knowledge about sharpening and the relationship of all the parts. After a fair amount of tuning it too became a good working handplane.

Now, I mostly re-furb older planes, which has made it possible to have a nice selection of planes from the #7 jointer down to the #3. Christopher Schwarz, Lost Art Press, has a very helpful publication, "Handplane Essentials".

A #5 is a great start. It is my "go-to" handplane to remove cup and twist from a board prior to going thru the planer. If you don't have the budget or room for a large power jointer, this procedure does the job nicely.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Just pick up a #5 Jack plane…doesn't matter WHO it…..a simple bevel down Jack will get a lot of jobs done, fast. That is what they were designed to do….depending on HOW the edge of the iron is shaped…it can be a rough cut, a try plane, a short jointer, and even a long smoother. Might look up what Chris Schwarz says about them.

And..IF you can find one made by Millers Falls…..some are even better than Stanleys…..called the No. 14.


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## bbasiaga (Dec 8, 2012)

Shell out for the LN no 62 or the veritas Low angle Jack. The veritas is larger and wider, sort of like a 5 1/2 version of the bevel up design. Both are close enough in price that they are a much better value than the Wood river. Though generally the WR stuff seems pretty good to me.

Get a decent sharpening system to go with it.

By buying a premium brand plane first, you won't have to worry about tuning anything, and you can just hone and go.

After that, if you decide hand plane work is for you, you can tackle some refurb jobs on cheaper stuff.

The low angle jacks are nice because they are very simple ,less moving parts, and they have an adjustable mouth. (Catch the irony there?) This makes it better for smoothing tough boards by closing up the mouth. But you can also open it up for rough tasks that want a thicker shaving. I use mine a ton. I have one blade set up for general work, and a second at a low angle for shooting end grain. With a toothed blade you can really hog some stuff off. I don't have one of those yet. They really are very versatile.

If you were mainly looking at smaller tasks, I'd give you the same advice I got - and took- ....to start with a No. 4. But for larger slabs and flattening the Jack sized planes are going to be better, unless you are Paul Sellers Jr…then it doesn't matter. 

Brian


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

http://www.timetestedtools.net/2016/01/28/planes-for-sale/

http://www.timetestedtools.net/items-for-sale/stanley-5-14-my-5-14-070317-2-67/

HTH


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

No. 5.


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## BigYin (Oct 14, 2011)

Stanley or Record #4 or #5 UK/USA find a pre 1960s model
make certain it is complete as screws/bolts can have near unobtainable threads
new baldes are easy to find as are rear handle and front knob
learn to restore and set up your new plane as these are the skills you will need to use it.
How to buy a saeond hand plane and what to look out for has been covered in detail on this site


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## JohnDi (Jun 23, 2014)

Check out the review right here on LJ for the WoodRiber 5 1/2.
Sound like it might be what you're looking for.


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## msinc (Jan 8, 2017)

Thanks for all the replies fellas…..it is greatly appreciated. The more I look at planes the more complicated things appear to be getting. I do see one "trend" for lack of a better way to say it, many of the planes recommended are "out of stock"...which makes sense. I am going over all this good info, but it is going to take a while. i will say that it is a little hard to swallow that a $300.00 plus hand plane needs to first be stripped down and sharpened BEFORE you can use it!!!!
I have to ask also, what makes a "Clifton #5" worth $767.00?????


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

Planes are like Lays potato chips, you cant do with just one. As others said a #5 would be the choice to flatten an intermediate sized surface like you describe. Most folks that start as you have described, with new, end up with at least a few rehabbed planes eventually. It tends to be irrisistable. If you insist on a new one with little tuning reqd, Woodriver is probably it. You could get 3 or more use Stanley Baileys for the same $. All of them require a little tuning to perform best, and require sharpening and honing. Its not difficult to tune one. Heres how to tune them.. Heres my take on selecting planes


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## Tim457 (Jan 11, 2013)

A #5 is pretty much designed to do what you want. I'm sure a bevel up place offers some advantage, but for your use I just don't see the need. See if DonW has one refurbished and ready to go. If he doesn't have one buying a vintage plane from another LJ member is a great way to go. You'll pay way less and get something ready to go and of good quality.


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## Sawdust2012 (Sep 17, 2013)

I wasn't looking for an all purpose plane, but a Stanley Sweetheart 5 1/4 from the late 20's has filled that role perfectly. You can find them on auction sites for not a lot if you are willing to put time and effort into them.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

I have a couple clean, tuned and ready for use if interested. 2- #5s and 1- #4.




























I have a boatload of LNs myself but I do not suggest going all out from the beginning.


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## Sludgeguy (Jan 24, 2018)

Restoring an old Bailey No. 5 is fun and it results in a nice product. If desired you can upgrade with a Hock blade without breaking the bank.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

http://www.timetestedtools.net/2016/01/26/what-bench-planes-do-i-need/

Buy a plane from me and it come with a copy of A Beginners Guide to Bench Planes


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## 8iowa (Feb 7, 2008)

msinc:

I have to ask also, what makes a "Clifton #5" worth $767.00?????

Wow! I know that they are made in the U.K. but I can't believe this price. Actually, Highland Woodworking doesn't carry them anymore.

Perhaps if you post your location, you can meet up with a new "buddy" who can introduce you to handplanes. It's not easy, on your own, to start with a used plane that needs a lot of work.


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## msinc (Jan 8, 2017)

My location is southern Maryland. Thanks again for all this info everyone!!! It is greatly appreciated. Going through all this information and learning about planes is fun, and of course it has generated a couple more questions. What advantage is there to a "low angle" plane? Changing the cutting angle could make it cut easier and/or smoother, it could also maybe make it work better on difficult to plane wood, such as highly figured stuff? There must still be something about it that all planes are not simply made that way? Same question in regards to a bevel up or bevel down? Then there is the adjustable opening thing? Maybe for what I originally wanted to do with this thing all of these questions are not "appropriate"? Learning is fun, you all make it easy!!!


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Low angle planes get you out of messing around
with chipbreakers. The drawback is you need
multiple irons if you want to mimic chipbreaker
function. In some cases they may outperform planes
with chipbreakers but I'm not persuaded. The
low angle irons can be trickier to grind and hone 
on a camber due to the increased curvature required.

The low angle plane with a 12 degree bed and a 
30 degree bevel performs slightly better on end
grain that a standard plane with the iron bedded
at 45 degrees. It's a minor benefit at best imo.
You can even go down to about 25 degrees for
a cumulative angle of 37 degrees with a low angle
plane but the edge tends to wear quickly and 
any gain in quality of planed end grain surface 
is difficult to quantify. I suppose if you shoot a 
lot of miters the difference might become apparent
in cleanliness of fit… or you could just cut your
miters with a 10" miter saw with a finishing blade
and call it good.

I think the benefits of low angle planes come down
to hair splitting unless you only use hand tools. 
Standard bench planes are more forgiving of slightly
out-of-square iron grinds and they are more plentiful
on the used market.


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## msinc (Jan 8, 2017)

> Low angle planes get you out of messing around
> with chipbreakers. The drawback is you need
> multiple irons if you want to mimic chipbreaker
> function. In some cases they may outperform planes
> ...


Thank you sir for the detailed info. It sounds like to me that if I have some end grain stuff to do it would maybe be just as well or better to simply belt sand it, but lacking that the low angle plane is good. I think a standard jack like the Bailey you suggested for the first one is gonna do it.


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## WalkerR (Feb 8, 2017)

As others have mentioned, just because you don't want to spend the time restoring an old plane, doesn't mean your limited to brand new ones. There are lots of places that will sell you a perfectly restored and ready to go vintage plane, like Don W (time tested tools), eBay, etc.

Just gotta do the research on which types are good, decide what one you want, and have a little patience. They pop up pretty regularly though.


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

The advantage of a low angle bench plane is the versatility to have different blades for different work. 25* bevel for end grain, 45-50* for flattening/smoothing, 60-65 for smoothing gnarly grain. The last one sets it apart from all but a few high $ smoothers. While a properly tuned Bailey style plane, bedded at 45*, will do very well, tear out will occur on more gnarly stuff regardless of what is tried. The answer is a card scraper, scraper plane, a hi angle frog, or a hi angle blade in a LA plane. There is some benefit to the lower angle with end grain, and planes such as the LV LA jack excel on a shooting board.

While a LA blade cant really be radiussed like a bevel down for rough work, that misses the point. They are miss-named as "jack" planes. They are for finer work, and its easy to radius the blade a small amount for panel flattening and smoothing.


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## gargey (Apr 11, 2016)

If I had to use only 1, it would probably be my No 7. You can't flatten or joint without a long sole. But you can smooth with a long sole.


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## msinc (Jan 8, 2017)

Well fellas, I wanted to do a quick follow up to tell everyone what has transpired…..I looked for a nice plane local and found several, but the prices seemed a little high. I was discussing it with one of my woodworking buddies and he said, "I got a block plane, it's real old and don't work, but you can have it." I asked him how long it was and he makes about 14" with his hands…I said, "when can I get this jewel??" and he left and returned immediately. He hands me a Union No. 5 jack plane covered in rust, but otherwise all there and nothing appeared damaged. That was at 1:00pm est. By 5:30 I had it bead blasted, sharpened, painted and re-assembled and cutting a shaving. Has the fluted bottom and works good {then again, I wouldn't know a good one from a piece of junk, so I don't really know}. I took some before photos and can take some after ones if anyone is interested. The tote and knob {correct plane terminology??} are rough and I didn't do anything but remove and re-install them until I see how it works. Thanks again for all the help and info, it is greatly appreciated. I don't know if this one really is a jewel, but I am glad I didn't pay $200.00 for one that didn't look much better than what was handed to me.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Here is where we put before and afters

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/35888#first-new


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

Hey there MSINC, I'm in the Waldorf area, and we should talk, i need to re-home some tuned & sharpened planes, check your LJ inbox for a message.


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## msinc (Jan 8, 2017)

> Hey there MSINC, I m in the Waldorf area, and we should talk, i need to re-home some tuned & sharpened planes, check your LJ inbox for a message.
> 
> - ChefHDAN


Thanks, PM replied to. I would really rather have some like yours that don't need to be restored.


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