Looking to buy a good quality low cost block plane any suggestions

Stanley low-angle block plane, $30 most places. It's not a L-N, but
does an adequate job.

On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 09:31:44 -0400, wrote:

Looking to buy a good quality low cost block plane any suggestions

wrote:

Looking to buy a good quality low cost block plane any suggestions

When you go to buy your $99 drillpress, I'd suggest you buy whatever
they have at Canadian Tire.

Oh, you said a *good* block plane ... sorry. An older used Stanley
#60-1/2 is a good place to start. You should be able to pick one up for
$40-50. Or you could support a different Canuckistani bidness and buy
one of the Lee Valley block planes. They are outstanding, but they will
run you almost $100 US. Still that's cheaper in the long run than
buying a Buck Bros., then a new Stanley and then a good older Stanley
(when the first two turn out to be crap).


Chuck Vance

wrote in message
...

Looking to buy a good quality low cost block plane any suggestions

I have the Stanely. Completely unfetteled (sp?). I'd call it unacceptable as
it comes out of the box. Perhaps if fetteled and the iron replaced...

But I'm thinking the money would have been best spent on a Lee Valley or
L/N...

wrote in message
...
Looking to buy a good quality low cost block plane any suggestions

Block planes are not very pricey, no matter what brand you buy.

Knight Tools http://tinyurl.com/3llro $115
Lee Valley http://tinyurl.com/6gbjc $99
Lee Nielsen http://tinyurl.com/62tp2 $95

Bob

On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 09:31:44 -0400, wrote:

Looking to buy a good quality low cost block plane any suggestions


Flea market. I've gotten some in airly bad shape [rust and appearance
that is, not badly pitted or chipped blade] and cleaned them up in a
morning.

Bill.

On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 09:31:44 -0400, wrote:

Looking to buy a good quality low cost block plane any suggestions

As Chuck mentioned - an older model Stanley 60 1/2. I have one that you'd have to fight me for. Tuned and Scary Sharp, it'll plane
curlies off end grain so fine you can read a newspaper through the shavings.


Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS USA

wrote:

Looking to buy a good quality low cost block plane any suggestions

A couple:

1) Don't use "good quality" and "low cost" in the same sentence; they
are seldom compatible. ;-)

2) Flea markets for a used one (lower risk with a block plane than a
more expensive bench plane, and can be improved with a Hock iron.
www.hocktools.com

3) Build your own, Krenov-style.
http://www.crfinefurniture.com/1page.../howplane.html

--
Alex
Make the obvious change in the return address to reply by email.

In the Grizzly catelog, they sell a low price block plane (under the "Shop
Fox" brand name) for $14.95.

I have no experience with "Shop Fox" products, but hope others in this
newsgroup can comment on their value.

Thanks

wrote in message
...
Looking to buy a good quality low cost block plane any suggestions

Without getting into a comparison with LV or LN, I have a new style
Stanley low angle block plane, model 12-960, and I find it works just
as well as my old Stanley 60 1/2.
--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 09:31:44 -0400, wrote:

Looking to buy a good quality low cost block plane any suggestions

Lee Valley, the low angle block with the adjustable mouth.

Sell children as necessary.

Shop Fox and Grizzly are close cousins. For example, the Shop Fox machinery
is very similar to Grizzly except for color and the fact they are retailed
outside of the Grizzly direct order system (at a higher retail price).
Grizzly also offers other Shop Fox tools and accessories through their
catalogue and their outlets.

In addition to a 1023S cabinet saw, I own a few smaller SF tools and
accessories. The saw is great and no complaints on other items. The saw
also uses a Shop Fox Classic fence that is a Beismeier look-alike and solid
as a rock. At the price you have seen, it is probably worth a try.

Ron


"Jamie" wrote in message
nk.net...
In the Grizzly catelog, they sell a low price block plane (under the "Shop
Fox" brand name) for $14.95.

I have no experience with "Shop Fox" products, but hope others in this
newsgroup can comment on their value.

Thanks

wrote in message
...
Looking to buy a good quality low cost block plane any suggestions

On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 09:31:44 -0400, marksrob wrote:

Looking to buy a good quality low cost block plane any suggestions

I have the Lee Valley low-angle adjustable (which, if you look around,
isn't very expensive at all). I would highly recommend you spend the
$100 for it. It's worked great for me although out of the box, the iron
was not ground square to the sides.

(Lawrence Wasserman) wrote in
:

Without getting into a comparison with LV or LN, I have a new style
Stanley low angle block plane, model 12-960, and I find it works just
as well as my old Stanley 60 1/2.

.... but not nearly as well as either the LV or the LN.

$55 for the Stanley. $99 for the LV. $135 for the LN. I use the Stanley
for stuff that just isn't all that critical - softwoods, trim and base,
plywood trimming. And that's the one I loan when my kid comes borrowing
tools.

IF I only had one, which would probably be the frugal thing to do, it would
likely be the LV.

Patriarch

Lawrence Wasserman wrote:

Without getting into a comparison with LV or LN, I have a new style
Stanley low angle block plane, model 12-960, and I find it works just
as well as my old Stanley 60 1/2.

Does the iron hold an edge as well as the old plane? That's my
biggest gripe with the newer Stanleys (well, there are more problems
than that, but those relate to the bench planes).

Anyhow, if it works for you, that's great. Personally, I wouldn't
buy *any* new Stanley bench or block plane on a dare. BTDT, got a
paperweight out of the deal.


Chuck Vance

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 06:54:33 -0500, Conan the Librarian
wrote:

Lawrence Wasserman wrote:

Without getting into a comparison with LV or LN, I have a new style
Stanley low angle block plane, model 12-960, and I find it works just
as well as my old Stanley 60 1/2.

Does the iron hold an edge as well as the old plane? That's my
biggest gripe with the newer Stanleys (well, there are more problems
than that, but those relate to the bench planes).

Anyhow, if it works for you, that's great. Personally, I wouldn't
buy *any* new Stanley bench or block plane on a dare. BTDT, got a
paperweight out of the deal.


Chuck Vance


last time I bought a new stanley plane was about 12 or 15 years ago. I
was working out of town and discovered that I had left my block plane
behind. went to the toyc^c^ool store and bought the best one they had.
low angle stanley made in england. it's fine.

wrote in
:

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 06:54:33 -0500, Conan the Librarian
wrote:

Lawrence Wasserman wrote:

Without getting into a comparison with LV or LN, I have a new style
Stanley low angle block plane, model 12-960, and I find it works just
as well as my old Stanley 60 1/2.

Does the iron hold an edge as well as the old plane? That's my
biggest gripe with the newer Stanleys (well, there are more problems
than that, but those relate to the bench planes).

Anyhow, if it works for you, that's great. Personally, I wouldn't
buy *any* new Stanley bench or block plane on a dare. BTDT, got a
paperweight out of the deal.


Chuck Vance


last time I bought a new stanley plane was about 12 or 15 years ago. I
was working out of town and discovered that I had left my block plane
behind. went to the toyc^c^ool store and bought the best one they had.
low angle stanley made in england. it's fine.

I bought the same one about 3 years ago.

$55 + two hours of fussing with it, and it still isn't nearly as good as
the Veritas, right out of the wrapper. The blade doesn't stay sharp as
long. It won't stay as tightly (finely) adjusted. And it doesn't have the
same feel in your hand as the Veritas.

That said, it hasn't been banished to the nether regions of tool hell, as
the Record #4 has been. THAT is a $75 boat anchor/mistake that won't be
repeated. Funny, the Records at the Adult Ed shop worked just fine.

Did you ever have a tool you were too embarrassed to even give away? As
in, 'I wouldn't wish that on anyone?'

Patriarch

Lei-Neilsen. You will never be unhappy with it and you will need only
one in this lifetime. Why get adequate unless you don't mind your work
being merely adequate. Devils advocate "any well tuned plane will work
well" , reality: the L-N will need about 7 minutes of tuning out of
the box. As for Lee valley, if you use a tool 3 times a day 5 days a
week for the next 10-30 years really whats an extra $75, for a tool
thats'a pleasure to use. but dont worry the L-N really is a good tool,
it's not jewelry.
-Frank
wrote in message . ..
Looking to buy a good quality low cost block plane any suggestions

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 17:40:02 GMT, patriarch
wrote:

wrote in
:

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 06:54:33 -0500, Conan the Librarian
wrote:

Lawrence Wasserman wrote:

Without getting into a comparison with LV or LN, I have a new style
Stanley low angle block plane, model 12-960, and I find it works just
as well as my old Stanley 60 1/2.

Does the iron hold an edge as well as the old plane? That's my
biggest gripe with the newer Stanleys (well, there are more problems
than that, but those relate to the bench planes).

Anyhow, if it works for you, that's great. Personally, I wouldn't
buy *any* new Stanley bench or block plane on a dare. BTDT, got a
paperweight out of the deal.


Chuck Vance


last time I bought a new stanley plane was about 12 or 15 years ago. I
was working out of town and discovered that I had left my block plane
behind. went to the toyc^c^ool store and bought the best one they had.
low angle stanley made in england. it's fine.

I bought the same one about 3 years ago.

$55 + two hours of fussing with it, and it still isn't nearly as good as
the Veritas, right out of the wrapper. The blade doesn't stay sharp as
long. It won't stay as tightly (finely) adjusted. And it doesn't have the
same feel in your hand as the Veritas.

never having had a veritas in my hand (I don't think there were any
veritas planes at the time I bought that one) I can't make a
comparison. I did spend some time fettling, but it wasn't too bad...
it was a while ago, I don't remember exactly how long it took. it
sounds like there was some decline in stanley's quality during the
interval between our purchases.




That said, it hasn't been banished to the nether regions of tool hell, as
the Record #4 has been. THAT is a $75 boat anchor/mistake that won't be
repeated. Funny, the Records at the Adult Ed shop worked just fine.

Did you ever have a tool you were too embarrassed to even give away? As
in, 'I wouldn't wish that on anyone?'


"... Here, man, this is for you. no,, no.. don't look at it too
closely. you can have it, I got a better one that actually works. just
get that thing out of my shop...."





Patriarch

wrote:

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 17:40:02 GMT, patriarch
wrote:

wrote in
m:

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 06:54:33 -0500, Conan the Librarian
wrote:

Lawrence Wasserman wrote:

Without getting into a comparison with LV or LN, I have a new style
Stanley low angle block plane, model 12-960, and I find it works just
as well as my old Stanley 60 1/2.

Does the iron hold an edge as well as the old plane? That's my
biggest gripe with the newer Stanleys (well, there are more problems
than that, but those relate to the bench planes).

Anyhow, if it works for you, that's great. Personally, I wouldn't
buy *any* new Stanley bench or block plane on a dare. BTDT, got a
paperweight out of the deal.


Chuck Vance


last time I bought a new stanley plane was about 12 or 15 years ago. I
was working out of town and discovered that I had left my block plane
behind. went to the toyc^c^ool store and bought the best one they had.
low angle stanley made in england. it's fine.

I bought the same one about 3 years ago.

$55 + two hours of fussing with it, and it still isn't nearly as good as
the Veritas, right out of the wrapper. The blade doesn't stay sharp as
long. It won't stay as tightly (finely) adjusted. And it doesn't have
the same feel in your hand as the Veritas.

never having had a veritas in my hand (I don't think there were any
veritas planes at the time I bought that one) I can't make a
comparison. I did spend some time fettling, but it wasn't too bad...
it was a while ago, I don't remember exactly how long it took. it
sounds like there was some decline in stanley's quality during the
interval between our purchases.

FWIW, I got a Stanley G12-060 about ten years back. Never gonna do that
again. Friggin thing was trying to be a skew plane. It's OK now but far
too much work for the reward.

That said, it hasn't been banished to the nether regions of tool hell, as
the Record #4 has been. THAT is a $75 boat anchor/mistake that won't be
repeated. Funny, the Records at the Adult Ed shop worked just fine.

Did you ever have a tool you were too embarrassed to even give away? As
in, 'I wouldn't wish that on anyone?'


"... Here, man, this is for you. no,, no.. don't look at it too
closely. you can have it, I got a better one that actually works. just
get that thing out of my shop...."





Patriarch

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)