# What could Possibly make a plane worth 260$??



## bibideebah (Jan 19, 2021)

So I was in need of a plane and I was browsing the home depot website, when I saw this plane
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-Sweetheart-No-4-10-5-8-in-Smoothing-Bench-Plane-12-136/203713965
And I wanna know, what could POSSIBLY make a plane worth more than 250$???


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## corelz125 (Sep 23, 2015)

Claims to be a better than a Bailey style. Some mixed reviews on it. For that price tag I think I would go with a Veritas instead. Also being made in Mexico I doubt the quality control is the same as Veritas


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

well thats just supply and demand and covid making everyone and their mother become a woodworker. Collectibility and/or quality like Lie Nielsen or Veritas or other premium brands would make them worth FAR more then only $250

if you want cheap, buy the $30 one at Harbor Freight and spend the time tubing it and fettling and in a few hours you will have a somewhat decent plane. plenty of videos on Youtube how to tune those.

personally Iwould buy an older one back when they were made well:

https://www.jimbodetools.com/collections/whats-new/products/stanley-no-4-smooth-plane-fine-99413


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## bibideebah (Jan 19, 2021)

> well thats just supply and demand and covid making everyone and their mother become a woodworker. Collectibility and/or quality like Lie Nielsen or Veritas or other premium brands would make them worth FAR more then only $250
> 
> if you want cheap, buy the $30 one at Harbor Freight and spend the time tubing it and fettling and in a few hours you will have a somewhat decent plane. plenty of videos on Youtube how to tune those.
> 
> - SMP


Well I do want cheap, and funny enough, as I read that I was actually browsing the harbor freight website haha


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## corelz125 (Sep 23, 2015)

See what Don has for sale over at timetestedtools.net. Most of his planes are ready to go to work. If you want cheap get an old craftsman and tune it up. They don't go for as much as the Stanley's.


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

I've seen those Stanley planes at rockler. I thought they were oddly over sized and clunky 
I wouldn't recommend anything less then a Lie Neilson plane.
That what I use
Good Luck


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## hotbyte (Apr 3, 2010)

The tote and knob are made of wood


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

> The tote and knob are made of wood
> 
> - hotbyte


yep, if the tote is made from 2×4s then thats a couple hundred right there.


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

> And I wanna know, what could POSSIBLY make a plane worth more than 250$???
> 
> - Douglas!


I guess it's not worth anywhere near that since Woodcraft sells it for $189.99.


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## LittleBlackDuck (Feb 26, 2016)

> And I wanna know, what could POSSIBLY make a plane worth more than 250$???
> - Douglas!


I don't see a cord, so it's probably the cost of batteries.


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## bruc101 (Sep 13, 2008)

If i was going to buy a plane for that price it would have to have Lie Nielson, Varitas or Wood River on it.


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## BurlyBob (Mar 13, 2012)

Doug, I've been on a search for a few high value planes. Stanley's! I've finished my search. Home depot is the last place I ever thought of searching? Made in China is an affront to ms of us.


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## tvrgeek (Nov 19, 2013)

'Worth" to whom? Do not confuse cost and worth. For what use? A fine #5 for cabinet working or a #4 you want in your toolbox for on-site hacking a bit here and there?

Is a well made plane, Veritas, Lie-Neilson, Primus, etc. better than a Buck,Grizzly, HF? To most of us, yes. Better iron, easier to tune. Feels better in the hand. Some differences in iron alloy, air or oil cooled, as a preference. Tuning a Bedrock design is easier than a Bailey design. ( Some just have several Baileys with the frog preset, so they don't adjust) Do you have to have one to do a good job? No. I have Hock irons in my old Bailey's and they do the job. One is a modified Handyman into a scrub plane and it is getting to be a favorite. ( From our saw and plane guru friend Mr. Black)

Odd, I don't know why, but Hock ( source for good irons) really disparaged the Sweethearts. As I am cheap, I went Wood River for my last plane. Finish is not quite L-N level, but function seems to be.

My next plane will be another block plane. Not that I have any complaints with my Sears/ Hock iron, but I want one for rough and one for fine work. Bought a Taylor bull-noise and a Chinese dog-tooth router. Both seem to work.

Wise to be frugal, not wise to be cheap. Cheap is usually expensive as you buy again. Do note, most people buy a #4 first when they really should get a #5. FWIW, I see the Sweetheart #4 for about $170 on several sites, in-stock. HD is NOT cheap. The WoodRiver #5 is $220.

A deal: The Bridge City plane was $1100 and is on sale for $800.


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## tvrgeek (Nov 19, 2013)

Anyone heard of Juuma planes? Look like Bedrock pattern


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## tvrgeek (Nov 19, 2013)

Another thought. If you are asking this, then you are new. The best plane is a sharp plane.
So, go buy a Horrible Freight #4, learn how to sharpen and tune it. It will teach you what you need. Eventually you will want the good plan(s) but it is handy to keep an old POS around for hacking up through knots, grit or other horrible things like floorboards that may have a nail hidden.


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## dbw (Dec 2, 2013)

I used to have one of these. I purchased it used on ebay for $75. I couldn't wait to get rid of it. It was the biggest POS I've ever seen.


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## Barkley (Jun 28, 2019)

A lot of people today price things by "how much can I stick em for" instead of what would be a fair and equitable price. I think tvrgeek is correct. Pick up some POS and tune it up and make it usable. What you'll learn will be worth a lot more than what you'll loose on some over priced plane that you'll have to tune up anyway.
If you don't want a project try the timetestedtools.net thang. I know I'm getting tired of working on tools, but sometimes that's the only way to really get what you want. You combine that with the fact that I'm cheap and I guess I'll be working on old tools for the rest of my life.


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## 280305 (Sep 28, 2008)

You are paying a premium for the peace of mind provided by the flesh-sensing blade retraction system. Talk to an ER doctor about the recent flurry of plane amputations.


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

> You are paying a premium for the peace of mind provided by the flesh-sensing blade retraction system. Talk to an ER doctor about the recent flurry of plane amputations.
> 
> - ChuckV


I can see it now "what happened" "I was in a plane accident"


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Hmmm, could be all the HYPE…..Looking like a knock-off of a Veritas made plane…..but also has that adjustable mouth? Norris adjustor? REAL wood handles…instead of some man-made stuff. Hmmm…

Yet, I can walk, WALK, downtown right now….and either buy a KeenKutter No. K4…..or a Winchester No. W4 for much LESS than a $100 bill…....might even get BOTH for that amount…..

"But, but….you can just FEEL the QUALITY…" How many times have you heard THAT line, before? The ONLY thing that will "feel" the "Quality" on such over-priced tools…is your wallet. Hear it scream?

Even Anant is putting out decent quality planes, now…..and…they are made in INDIA!


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## Bearcontrare (Oct 6, 2020)

Well, IF it were a Stanley #55 with all the attchments and cutters, it would be worth about $300-350.
Other than that, no bench plane is really "worth" that kind of money. Maybe to those who WANT this mame brand or the other for bragging rights, but to regular folks who want users, no.
LEARNING how to sharpen, tune and USE a plane is far more important than who made it or ehat it cost.

"A POOR WORKMAN ALWAYS BLAMES HIS TOOLS!"


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## DevinT (Mar 25, 2021)

I paid $350 for a Stanley No 8 (type 11) which was already in excellent condition and then spent another $75 on new handles and another $75 on a NOS blade. Not a collector, but a user (but chose to keep everything Type 11 because that's a type I like). I then spent another 3 weeks rehabbing it into a fine user specimen (flat sole, square sides) that gets used quite often. It performs exceptionally well and that's what I paid for.


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## tvrgeek (Nov 19, 2013)

One does need to consider scale in manufacturing. Boutique suppliers can't afford the million dollar production CNC the mass producers can. So they have to do much of the finish work by hand. High unit cost. They also are at the mercy of third party foundries. I don't think out favorite plane brands are getting rich. Just staying in business.

It is the iron that does the cutting. Everything else is there to hold it in place and make it easy to adjust.

The "decent" planes will have heavier castings. More iron. Seems trivial, but it also relates to shipping cost. 5 cents of iron can mean $20 retail. Of course, L-N top line is bronze. Heavier. More expensive. Some love them. Too rich for me.

Now, we are talking English pattern planes. Do not forget the German (Primus) style or the Japanese style. Different animals. They all do the same job. Krenov is an advocate of making your own.

You think the plane is expensive? Just wait until you go through 10 iterations of sharpening systems finding the one that works for you. I suggest starting with "scary sharp" as the minimum investment.

I have a 6 inch Ridgid jointer with Lux head and a DW 735 planer. So it is the scrub that gets the most work getting stock close enough for the power tools. I guess I could use my WEN power planer, but just not as ZEN. I do want a top line #5. Want, not need. Shiny things. I have pretty large hands, so I have to wait for the woodworking shows again to see if my hand fits a Veritas or L-N. FOr their price, they should offer handles to fit. THink I'll tell them that.


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

> Well, IF it were a Stanley #55 with all the attchments and cutters, it would be worth about $300-350.
> Other than that, no bench plane is really "worth" that kind of money. Maybe to those who WANT this mame brand or the other for bragging rights, but to regular folks who want users, no.
> LEARNING how to sharpen, tune and USE a plane is far more important than who made it or ehat it cost.
> 
> ...


LMAO! The good old pre-covid prices. This 55 sold between the time i got the email to when my phone opened the website:

https://www.jimbodetools.com/collections/whats-new/products/100-complete-and-near-mint-stanley-no-55-combination-plane-99463


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

You can always pick up a nice Sauer & Steiner K18 infill starting at $5,500.00 CDN (a mere $4400.00 USD).


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

> You can always pick up a nice Sauer & Steiner K18 infill starting at $5,500.00 CDN (a mere $4400.00 USD).
> 
> - Rich


A mere pittance, could almost buy 5 of those for an Ohio 112
https://www.jimbodetools.com/products/the-tool-find-of-the-century-solid-ebony-ohio-tool-co-number-112-center-wheel-plow-plane-one-of-three-known-excelsior-94154-as-of-may-1


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## bibideebah (Jan 19, 2021)

this thread has humbled me beyond comprehension.


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## corelz125 (Sep 23, 2015)

Price tag on the #8s has always been high. Has it been any help Douglas? Need more Info on other planes?


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## bibideebah (Jan 19, 2021)

> Price tag on the #8s has always been high. Has it been any help Douglas? Need more Info on other planes?
> 
> - corelz125


this is the most overwhelmed i have been in a long time.


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## corelz125 (Sep 23, 2015)

This is just the tip of the iceberg with hand planes. Go to timetestedtools.net Don has a good article on there about where to get started with planes and what are some of the first ones to get.


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## bibideebah (Jan 19, 2021)

> This is just the tip of the iceberg with hand planes. Go to timetestedtools.net Don has a good article on there about where to get started with planes and what are some of the first ones to get.
> 
> - corelz125


well.. you see.. I don't have what you would call… a job.
And I am still in… what you would call.. High school
aka I'm flat broke


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

I would like to suggest every woodworker should take the time to make a wooden plane. The chip breaker blade set Hock sells is a good start.
Then one can compare and measure the time spend building a plane to what is offered in the stores.
I think most will find Lie Neilson prices reasonable after gaining some knowledge what's involved .
Good Luck


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

So….the question was, WHY does a brand NEW Stanley No. 4 just so much?

OP also says he does NOT have the CASH for such a purchase…...and yet there are still some out there that are trying to shame the OP into buying their favorite brand of plane?

Maybe go to the local Vocational School, enroll in a Carpentry class? See IF maybe a woodworking / craft class is over at the local Community College….to where you can get your hands on a plane to use?

Telling the OP to go out and buy a "preferred Brand" plane that might even out price the Stanley No. 4…serves zero purpose..nada.

heck, for the cost of shipping, I could even send a fully tuned Stanley No. 4 to the OP…..just so the OP could try it out. Maybe that would be a better plan…..than telling the OP to just go out and buy ….....(insert brand name here).....or they won't be a "True " woodworker?


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## DevinT (Mar 25, 2021)

You should see some of the planes that folks here have built. We just finished a plane swap where we made planes for a random person and gave it away (receiving one from another swap participant in the process).


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Traditional Chinese Jack Plane I made a few years ago….2" wide iron and chipbreaker, BTW..









About the same time I made this Traditional Chinese Edge Plane….iron is a skew. In fact, I re-used a H-F Skew Lathe Chisel's blade to make the iron…nice and thick, too…..and, those are the shavings that plane could make, while doing a rebate…


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

so you are in High School still? what do you need the plane for? would a jack plane work?


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

> aka I m flat broke
> 
> - Douglas!


Nothing wrong with that. It just means that what you achieve in your life, you'll have earned.

Do work on your Smart Shopper cred though. That Home Depot price was way out of line


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Around here, IF you are still in high school..The JVS is free…

Nothing messes up a stupid argument faster than FACTS, does it…


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

My local community college has free tuition for all classes this year. Vocational schools which all are renamed so the word technology is in the title now are also free as they are an elective part of the high school curriculum. A young person in high school with a desire to learn has many options.


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

Douglas!, I think if I were you I would check out estate sales, yard sales, flea markets, offer up, craigs list or any other local area places to "rust hunt". I will never the level of the exalted rust hunt king, Bandit but if patient you will find something fun. My personal best was a complete Stanley 45 for $75. My first plane was Stanley Bailey No. 5 with a cracked tote for $25. It started me down the the whole path of hand tool woodworking. Now look at the place.








I have added a few since but have learned that while I may after restoring use more of these I only use about three or four. Find a cheap Stanley sized No. 4 or No.5 and get it tuned up, it may be all you ever "need".


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## corelz125 (Sep 23, 2015)

The info out there is free. It's one way to get more familiar with hand planes. If you can get together $15 take Bandit up on his offer for the plane.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

The one piece of advice I didn't see…..there is no reason you can't be in high school and also have a job.

Buying a quality plane when in high school will last you the rest of your life.

Figuring out what is a quality plane, and how much you should spend on one is up to you. Like has been said, all that information is free.

It's unlikely you will beat bandits' offer. And if you can't scrape $15 together, the plane won't be much good, because you still need other supplies, some will be free, some will not, which brings us back to "the job"!


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

Good point Don, I always had a job in high school, sometimes two, and before that cut grass on the weekends. I just wish I had done better at saving the money. I spent it all on having fun and girls. I guess it is all good, I am still married to my high school sweetheart I was dating in 1979.


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

> Good point Don, I always had a job in high school, sometimes two, and before that cut grass on the weekends. I just wish I had done better at saving the money. I spent it all on having fun and girls. I guess it is all good, I am still married to my high school sweetheart I was dating in 1979.
> 
> - controlfreak


its actually not a good point unless you know the OP's age, his state/city labor laws, school policies, and other factors. it is always fun to make assumptions from an ivory tower though!


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## Woodnmetal (Jul 24, 2021)

For that price, I couldn't even begin to read the quality and craftsmanship certificate that comes in the box.
We are all sure the blade would have an Oversea's "Double draw" heat treat process at minimum.
Backed by a lifetime guarantee of course! 
If the prices keep going up as they always do, I hope these big box stores start taking Monopoly money very soon. 
Either that or the wife and I will be playing Monopoly again more often as our new hobby .


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Well, sometimes…there is a process called "paying it forward"....which I tend to do..now and then….anyone else?


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

> Good point Don, I always had a job in high school, sometimes two, and before that cut grass on the weekends. I just wish I had done better at saving the money. I spent it all on having fun and girls. I guess it is all good, I am still married to my high school sweetheart I was dating in 1979.
> 
> - controlfreak
> 
> ...


Not saying you or anybody else needs to do it my way but the way I see it if you are in high school you already are of working age. That didn't matter to me though, in elementary school I was cutting grass in the neighborhood. In high school I had one job that I was able to leave school an hour early and received classroom credit for working at a jewelry store. When it closed at five I drove seven blocks to another job working in a college kitchen. I went home at 8:00 and did any homework that I didn't complete in study hall. I didn't have time to think of the reasons I can't work. My current Ivory tower is a successful small business that employs five people, I am the first to arrive and the last to leave. A good work ethic combined with a desire to excel is exactly what every young man should be encouraged to cultivate.

Douglas, don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something. If you get blocked find another way, never stop trying.


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

> Not saying you or anybody else needs to do it my way but the way I see it if you are in high school you already are of working age.


Its great that you disagree with the governing bodies that issue work permits for minors and school policy on work permits based on grades etc. But I think his parents should be the ones to persuade him to break any rules/laws, not us.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Depnds on WHERE the OP actually lives, now don't it…....what might be the "Law" in YOUR area, might NOT apply in the OP's neighborhood…..The only restriction around here, is how many hours they are allowed to work, per week.

YMMV, of course….


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

> Not saying you or anybody else needs to do it my way but the way I see it if you are in high school you already are of working age.
> 
> Its great that you disagree with the governing bodies that issue work permits for minors and school policy on work permits based on grades etc. But I think his parents should be the ones to persuade him to break any rules/laws, not us.
> 
> - SMP


Don't break laws but find another way. SMP, you see limits where I see opportunity, we clearly see this world differently. It is what it is but it is time to put this thread back on topic and let this difference of opinion be just that.


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

> Depnds on WHERE the OP actually lives, now don t it…....what might be the "Law" in YOUR area, might NOT apply in the OP s neighborhood…..The only restriction around here, is how many hours they are allowed to work, per week.
> 
> YMMV, of course….
> 
> - bandit571


Exactly! nobody knows! thats my point, lol. and nobody knows his situation, if he is taking care of a sick family member at home, etc. but again, always fun to assume and give unsolicited "advice"


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## AlanWS (Aug 28, 2008)

Manufacturing high quality planes today is not cheap, so inexpensive new planes are not likely to be very good, and good ones can be quite expensive. Some of the less expensive ones are trying to get better. We'll see.

But there are very many older high quality planes around that can be tuned to work extremely well. How available they are depends on your location, but if there are MWTCA (google it) meets around, you can get good tools there for little.

Making planes is also a way to get high quality tools for little money, but you need some sort of shop, materials, and tools to do that. Instruction can be very useful, so finding a class or mentor in your area may be possible.

Opportunities vary over time and from place to place. Those who have plenty of money and little time find that buying what they need is most efficient. Those with more time than money can frequently find a different way.


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## ac0rn (Jan 31, 2020)

> Well, sometimes…there is a process called "paying it forward"....which I tend to do..now and then….anyone else?
> 
> - bandit571


I agree paying it forward is always good.
Douglas,
What is your zip code. There very well may be a Lumberjock member close by that may give you a hand. Instead of saying something is too expensive, maybe try "I need to try a plane out" 
Some communities also have wood working clubs where you may get help with a loan out.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

Douglas may have run from this post, with all the bickering. About as much fun reading this as getting root canal work done. No thanks.

(Take Bandit up on his offer)


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

Well said Smitty, sorry I screwed this up. I will exercise better judgment in the future.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

This came home this morning..$10..









Dunlap (Millers Falls) no. 3D BB…..









Sold at Sears stores…before the Craftsman line-up came along…..


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## DevinT (Mar 25, 2021)

Someone just trotted out a Karl Holtey hand plane for auction on eBay.

I doubt it will sell for the asking price of $20k. We'll see, it could go higher or go unsold.


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## DevinT (Mar 25, 2021)

Same seller has another available for half the price ($10k) if the above plane is too much money but you still want to own a Holtey


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## tvrgeek (Nov 19, 2013)

I could use a nicer #5. Might offer $20 for it. Can't be worth much as it is used.  Maybe the price is if it comes with the hammer and it is a mil-spec.

I see 9 watchers. Curiosity seekers probably.

Pretty happy with my WoodRiver #4, so will probably go that way again. Just can't justify a L-N or Veritas for how infrequently I use it. At least it does not need a hammer to adjust.


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