I think my next project will finally push me into the cult of planes and chisels… but I want to get my feet wet before diving into it completely.
If you’ve got some old / starter hand planes that are laying around and could use some love, I would love to buy them off you.
Alternatively, if you know of some antique swaps where such items could be found, please let me know that also.
I’m searching for:
Thanks!
I get most of my hand tools at the Canton flea market. There’s always a few dudes with good vintage hand tools for very cheap, would look into it if I was you
Lynn Dowd
Dowd’s Tools
Garland, TX
Go see Lynn. He’s a great guy and the most knowledgeable person about antique tools anywhere near here. He will have just about anything you might be interested in and can steer you to good worker tools and away from the junk you might be tempted to buy in an antique store or flea market. He has an open sale twice a year at his shop and makes appearances with a select number of tools at a variety of wood shows and other events here and in Austin. He usually posts where he’s going to be on his Facebook page, but the best way to see him is call him and set up an appointment to go by his shop in Garland. (It’s in the back of his house.) The guy is a bottomless pit of knowledge on hand tools. (And his wife, Tracy, makes the most amazing pies you will ever put in your mouth! http://www.piefalootin.com/)
The low angle jack plane is a great plane but was not very common until recently when Lie Nielsen and Veritas released their versions. I doubt Lynn will have that one, but he might and if he does, an antique one might be a little pricey (about the same as buying a new Lie Nielsen).
My absolute favorite and most-used plane is my Stanley #60 block plane. Mine is a rescue I bought from Lynn years ago. Lie Nielsen sells a block plane, but I don’t like it nearly as much as my #60. It’s too heavy for my tastes. (I own both.)
Depending on what you’re trying to do, I’m guessing you need to focus on 3 planes:
#4 or #4-1/2 Smoothing plane - The #4-1/2 is a little heavier and wider than the #4. The #4 is perhaps the most common plane there is. The #4-1/2 has become more popular as it is the one the Lie Nielsen is patterned after. Which one you use is just a matter of preference. They are both smoothing planes. I’ve got a #2 and a #3 and I rarely use either of them.
#5 Jack plane - This is a great utility plane. It sits somewhere between the jointer and the smoother and can be used in a pinch for those tasks too. Everything you would want to know about a #5 you can find here: https://blog.lostartpress.com/?s=jack+plane. The #5-1/4 is a narrow plane and is fairly uncommon. I wouldn’t make this one of your first planes. Save your $$ for one of the others.
#7 or #8 Jointer plane - These are big beasts. When tuned correctly they are a lot of fun to use, but it will be an upper body workout.
As for the others, you can read about the history of them here: http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan1.htm
Search dealgorrila on ebay as a seller, he has multiple lots of nice hand planes for great prices, good seller easy to work with and fast shipper
I found Lynn on google a couple days ago but it looks like he only shows up to a couple tool swaps a year? Or does he have a store front one could walk into?
I put in so many hours one week with my #7…you aren’t kidding its a workout!!!
And Piefalooton is the best pie around without argument!
I’ve visited Lynn’s “shop”. Pickup the phone, he will meet you most any time. Super nice guy to deal with.
Yes, that’s it. Your calling mostly just to make sure he’s there at the shop and not running around somewhere. He’ll meet you just about any time.
Hi Ian, any particular reason for searching a low angle plane? New to this myself but have gotten great results from a standard #4 plus an older #4 with the mouth widened to use as a scrub plane… recently acquired a no. 5 as well and they do everything but long jointing. Might be another way to approach the project? Or an no. 4 with two irons? One as a scrub blade?
Probably the largest tool need for my next project is a shooting board (45 and 90 degree) for figured end grain.
From what I’ve been reading, low angle planes are desirable for end grain and highly figured wood.
The 3 thru 5 1/2 all appear to be roughly the same just a few quarter inches longer or wider here or there. Some of what I’ve been reading says that the higher angle is better for a shooting board. But since I’m doing end grain I don’t know which applies and I figured I’d just try both and learn.
And the block plane because now that I’m reading and watching videos about this, it seems like every single maker is saying that a block plane is //the// essential tool for woodworkers to have.
I use my block planes far more than any other planes. Primarily to put chamfers on corners. I also use cabinet scrapers since I hate sanding. Maybe we should pick a topic like planes, and have a discussion and demo at a committee meeting.
Love this idea! Hands on hand plane classes would also get my attention to learn more.
Having just bought a set of hand planes going over how to set the up and use them would be awesome.
Discussions like this will undoubtedly get people interested in buying a plane or two. I’ve seen planes at big box stores that look like a traditional Stanley plane but will not work properly. They don’t have an adjustable throat, the frog is cast in place, and the throat is way too big so you will get tear out.
Take the blade out, there should be a couple of screws to lock it place and an adjustment screw to slide it forward or back to set the throat width.
The process/attempt to tune a plane is, unexpectedly enough, called “fettling”:
(there’s a link in there for free something-or-other video).
@IanLee, also don’t ignore the option of simply making you own Krenov-style planes, at least for startsies. There was a class here once on it and it is much quicker and easier than one would think to get a damn good plane out of the process. (amiright, @coloneldan?) I won’t bore folks by posting links…they are legion. Just search on “make Krenov plane” or whatever. Howard Hale does a class on this at Woodcraft…a little pricey but it’s a maker life skill that can be used down through the years.
Yes. There was a class and it was excellent. I have the plane and I’m very proud of it. It was fun to make my own tool. Still sharp and functional.
Lynn’s ‘shop’ is literally just the backyard to his house. It has a lot of tools under tents and in surrounding outbuildings. When I went out there his wife met me, told me to go on back around the corner, and to look around. Eventually Lynn came out to talk with me and ask what I’m looking for. Nice guy, fun place to visit. Prices are hit or miss. I’m sure they’re priced appropriately but for entry stuff they were out of my price range on a lot of stuff.
Fyi, he will negotiate. He seemed to enjoy haggling.
Not sure your budget but you might check out the Veritas Seconds event at Lee Valley on Oct 28 at noon.
