J wrote:
I'm thinking of buying a good plane.

First thought - buy second-hand. Try e-bay.


Wickes do one for £15 and one for £20, are these completely useless.

If it's not cast iron, it most likely is. What will you use it for?
If you want a "general purpose" plane for ordinary D-I-Y use, a No. 4
1/2 Stanley is fine. The "biggest" plane you can use for the job is
best. I've got some "wooden" planes which are excellent, but if you
buy similar, you need to know how to use/set them up (this info. is
easily available). N.B. keep your planes sharp, and jealously guard
it from mucky jobs involving previously-sanded/painted/dirty surfaces
and so on.


I'd probably also need a good sharpenning stone and guide to sharpen it, and
my chiesels.

Use wet'n'dry and a flat surface such as a bit of melamine-coated
chipboard or even some float glass. P600 is fine for finish sharpening
(wet, better if paper has been used before).


What about a power plane. Would it be a good alternative to a hand plane or
is it a completely different tool for a different job.

Vicious abstrads, that have little use for d-i-y, although they seem
a good idea at first sight. OK if you want to whizz off a lot of waste
from your previous bodged work. Again, technique is everything. Mind
your bits'n'pieces, you can develop physical shortcomings easily.