With all due respect...DO NOT buy Buck Bros., Great Neck, Craftsman,
or other economy hand plane...even new Stanleys. You're much better
off getting a good used Stanley ('60s & earlier are good), Millers
Falls, Sargent or Lakeside plane.

FTW, I bought a newer Stanley #4 with plastic handles and no matter
how much I've tuned it I can't get it to cut tissue thin shavings. On
the other hand I also bought an older Stanley #6 and with NO tune up
other than honing the blade on waterstones I am able to make tissue
thin shavings with it...thin, like one ply of a double ply Kleenex.

Layne

On 14 Dec 2005 11:03:27 -0800, wrote:

The Borg has a Buck brand plane that looks similar to a #5 Stanley. Or
if you would prefer something smaller, a #220 Stanley block plane was
my first plane when I was 11 or 12. They're cheap, but they have
precise adjustment of the cutting iron depth. Should be in the $20 to
$25 range. The block planes can be used with one hand if you don't try
to cut too deep.

Otherwise, a USED cessna 4 seat can be had for about the same $ as a
new P-up truck.

Tom in KY, *-bay is a good place to look around and see what has been
available all of this time that you have been planeless.