So I need a blockplane ...

[liam_fnq]

Hey, wanna buy a bloke plane?

Can I team it with my lady plane and get myself a whole bunch of miniature planes?

[Clancy]

Hey, wanna buy a bloke plane?

Can I team it with my lady plane and get myself a whole bunch of miniature planes?

I could edit that, but sometimes it's the little stuff ups in life that give the most reward.

Besides, you don't think I'd be wanting to sell my lovely shiny block plane do you?
I could sit on the sidewalk with it in front of me and people would appreciate it sooo much they would toss coins in the hat I'd place next to it

[kiwigeo]

Couldn't decide between the Veritas LA, Veritas NX60, HNT Gordon or LN blockie....so I got 'em all

All those hours sitting on a platform have to be good for something.

Okay, but which one do you reach for most? Use one for particular tasks over the other two?

[kiwigeo]

So, a wee hijack if I may. Jim's comment about the cowboy hat and holster has me wondering, has anyone here had the opportunity to actually road test the Veritas low angle blockie agin the Lei Nielsen low angle blockie in a shoot out??? Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

Similar price, but I do like the bronze

Cheers

Kim

Having used them both Id go for the Veritas.....I like the throat adjustment better than the LN.

[kiwigeo]

Couldn't decide between the Veritas LA, Veritas NX60, HNT Gordon or LN blockie....so I got 'em all

All those hours sitting on a platform have to be good for something.

Havent been on a rig for some time now. Im currently in Perth working in clients office while they wait to remain the rig after another cyclone evac. Cycline currently passing Exmouth and looks like a low to the north which will form into another cyclone. Im heading home to Adelaide on Friday and will sit around there until theyre ready for me.

Back to planes....heres my list of most used planes in my shop:

1. Veritas LA blockie
2. LN No 4 smoother with a toothed blade for tops.
3. Veritas No 8 jointer for jointing tops and also for working ribs on lutes.

Cheers Martin

[DarwinStrings]

3. Veritas No 8 jointer for jointing tops and also for working ribs on lutes.

Is that like a Stanley number 8? like the whole 24" jointer?

Jim

[kiwigeo]

3. Veritas No 8 jointer for jointing tops and also for working ribs on lutes.

Is that like a Stanley number 8? like the whole 24" jointer?

Jim

Its big.....not home at present so cant go out and measure it.

[Dominic]

Hey Martin, I can't find a #8 jointer on the veritas site. Do you have the bevel up jointer? I don't think so because it looks made to run on the sole as the sides are no milled square to the sole for the whole length of the body. It looks made for use with a fence to run on its sole and not on a shouting board. Perhaps it is a LN #8.

My most used planes are.... For jointing tops and backs, I'll usually run my sets through my CT benchtop jointer a couple of times to establish a flat, then use either my Veritas #6 or my HT Gordon trying plane. I have the veritas set up for more aggressive cuts then move to the Ht Gordon which is set very fine to close any gaps. The HT G is so lovely to use for jointing. Lighter and easier to hold. And much easier to control when trying to fix a hollow or a bump in the middle of the plates. And the blade is just amazing.

I also use my NX 60 a lot, most used plane. Plus my little violin finger planes and two small japanese wood shaping planes for carving braces. I find them much easier and faster on braces than using a chisel.

Cheers
Dom

[kiwigeo]

Hey Martin, I can't find a #8 jointer on the veritas site. Do you have the bevel up jointer? I don't think so because it looks made to run on the sole as the sides are no milled square to the sole for the whole length of the body. It looks made for use with a fence to run on its sole and not on a shouting board. Perhaps it is a LN #8.

Sorry its actually Veritas's No 6 fore plane but I use it as a jointer......sole is 18" long.

[Dominic]

Woodriver planes (from woodcraft http://www.woodcraft.com/Family/2080308 ... lanes.aspx) have two block planes that got very good reviews in the latest Finewoodworking mag. At about $90 from the US, these seem to be really good value. They have a standard and a low angle block plane. Check them out.
Dom

[DarwinStrings]

Amazon have the Stanley 60 1/2 SW (that's the LN copy sort of ) for $70.

Jim

[sapperpie]

Thanks guys! Lots of places to go looking haha.

[Lillian]

Woodriver planes (from woodcraft http://www.woodcraft.com/Family/2080308 ... lanes.aspx) have two block planes that got very good reviews in the latest Finewoodworking mag. At about $90 from the US, these seem to be really good value. They have a standard and a low angle block plane. Check them out.
Dom

I've always been skeptical of house brands for tools. I went looking and found some interesting reviews on WoodRiver planes.


http://www.kcwoodworkersguild.org/Educa ... review.pdf


http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/141 ... nd-stanley

http://www.finewoodworking.com/ToolGuid ... x?id=32552

I'd have to say that I'll be giving them a much closer look when I go to buy a plane.

[simonm]

These look to be the Quangsheng planes I mentioned earlier. According to a dealer here in Germany they make slight variations for different buyers - in the UK one person sells them under the Quangsheng brand directly and in Germany its Juuma with perhaps a tiny difference in the finish. I have the block plane and am very happy with it. Locally they don't sell a toothed blade for it but thats about the only downside I see. I will get their no 4 sooner or later.

[ckngumbo]

Hey, wanna buy a bloke plane?

Can I team it with my lady plane and get myself a whole bunch of miniature planes?

As long as the polarity is reversed there's a chance

I have had good luck with Woodcraft house brands if it's any help. . . .
If you only had one block plane would it make sense to get the low angle?

[Lillian]

Hey, wanna buy a bloke plane?

Can I team it with my lady plane and get myself a whole bunch of miniature planes?

As long as the polarity is reversed there's a chance

I have had good luck with Woodcraft house brands if it's any help. . . .
If you only had one block plane would it make sense to get the low angle?

As far as I'm concerned, yes.

[ckngumbo]

Thanks!

[pavliku]

I also need a block plane. Just been looking at the carbatec site - They have Irwin block planes which look pretty good.
How do the compare to the Veritas planes? - at a hundred nz$ cheaper it's worth knowing.
Does anyone have an Irwin plane?
Paul

[DarwinStrings]

G'day Paul, I am not sure about the veritas but I had a 9 1/2 record (which is now the Irwin) and it was a nice block but not as good as the new Stanley SW 60 1/2 which has better adjustment and a thicker blade. I had a look at Carbatech and they want a few bucks for those Irwin, I am not sure about N.Z. but they want over $150 for both the 09 1/2 and the 060 1/2 in Australia and I don't reckon that would be as good value as the Stanley SW 60 1/2(which they made to try to compete with Veritas LN etc) at $70 (plus a bit of post) from here http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss? ... sw&x=0&y=0.

Jim

[Lillian]

If you can find an old Millers Falls 75B on eBay or whatnot, pick it up. I don't think you'll be disappointed with it after you clean it up a bit. Even with a new blade you shouldn't have too much into it. I had the Stanley 60 1/2 and the Millers. I gave the Stanley away because I kept reaching for the Millers.

[Puff]

Am intrigued. Much great info on planes here but the initial remark "I am at a stage where I need a block plane..." has me buggered.
Will I ever need a block plane to qualify as something or is it ok to keep making instruments without one.

[DarwinStrings]

Was that the old 60 1/2 Lillian or the new SW model?. You can't really compare the two especially as the old 60 1/2 had no lateral adjustment (the one I used to have didn't anyway).

Jim

[pavliku]

Had a look at the Stanley today - got the guy to take it out of the pack for me - which he did reluctantly.
Looked ok but also looked like it would need a fair bit of setting up.
Was a much nicer price than the others.
Paul

[DarwinStrings]

I couldn't find the Stanley at Carbatech in Australia, how much did they want for it Paul and was it the SW? I have to say I was a bit surprised by the price of that Irwin.

Jim

[Lillian]

Jim, it was an older 60 1/2. You are right, neither of them have a lateral adjuster.

I just went into the shop to have a look at it and realized I had misspoke. Its a 56B. It is the same design as Stanley with very subtle differences. Weight was the first thing I noticed. It has a bit more heft to it and since they are the same size, the casting has to be a bit thicker somewhere on the Millers Fall. They are hard to tell apart at 2 paces, but blindfolded I could tell you which one I was holding. The really enticing aspect of the Millers Fall 56B is that most people don't know about it. Everyone talks about the Stanley 60 1/2 as the ultimate vintage block plane, so you can save a lot of cash going with the Millers Fall.