Favourite Stanley Bench Plane Type

WW II era 4 1/2

Angus Barclay, in New Zealand

>My WWII era 4 1/2 smoother may not be very desirable to most people on WoodCentral but around these parts it rates as a real gem in comparison to the rest of my plane arsenal (mostly British made Stanleys).

regards

Angus Barclay

(posting from old tool heck).

Re: Favourite Stanley Bench Plane Type

Frank Mutchler in Colorado Springs

>The one that get's the job done ;>) It's impossible for me to pick just one...sort of like picking only one of your kids, each is unique.

I'm looking to add a 4 1/2 similar to the one referred to by Angus and that may be a real contender for the title.

Now, if the question were, "Which plane do you use the most?", then I'd say my Clifton #7 followed very closely by my Clifton #4 which has a LV low angle block hot on its heels.

Re: Favourite Stanley Bench Plane Type

Tom MacGregor

>I, too, have been partial to Type 11's for some time, and still like them for general use. For final smoothing, however, my first Bedrock - a 604C outfitted with a Hock iron & chipbreaker - is rapidly becoming my favorite, especially on hardwoods. I'm finally getting the kind of fluffy shavings I've seen in photos. Glass smooth surface with no tearout in hard maple. I've recently purchased a 605 but haven't tuned it yet. I hope to compare it to my #5 Type 11 by using the same blades, both original and Hock, in each plane on a variety of cuts and woods.

Re: Favourite Stanley Bench Plane Type

Matt Berry in MI

>The one that I reach for the most is a type 9 #4.

Re: Favourite Stanley Bench Plane Type

AD

>Frank,

I have one of the Stanley 4 1/2's mentioned and despite much tuning, even trying a LN blade and new chipbreaker, I still can't seem to get it to work as consistently as my LV 4 1/2. The only thing that seems to be the real difference is I seem to be able to get a much finer mouth with the LV without clogging. I can get as fine a mouth with the Stanley but it seems to clog up and I have to back it off a bit.

I tell you though, the LV low angle block replaced my low angle stanley a few months ago and wow - what a difference in end grain. To be fair, the stanley was nice to use and I didn't try an aftermarket blade but the LV wins hands down.

regards,

AD

Re: Favourite Stanley Bench Plane Type

AD

>Hi Tom, thanks for responding. I am also keeping an eye out on a 605 1/2 on ebay at the moment as well as a type 11. If I can ask, what makes the bedrock so good compared to the other stanley planes? Is it build quality as well as the frog design? I'm quite interested to hear your opinion.

I am working wth some Australian swamp gum at the moment and boy, does it kill plane blades in no time at all ( should see my 2" two cherries firmer chisel I re ground at 30 degrees with a 2 degree micro bevel back 3/16" and it still crumbled after a dozen whacks with the mallet!)

My LV 4 1/2 goes ok with frequent sharpening but the best seems to be the type 11 #7 as it has the momentum to get through. I am only running the original blade in this plane but I will try a LN aftermarket setup to see if there is any difference.

Thanks again,

AD

Re: Favourite Stanley Bench Plane Type

John, NY

>I should persevere with the Stanley. I had a similar problem when, as a newbie, I sent for a 4.5 and got a nice British made piece of scrap metal! Over the last year or so I have flattened and scraped, fitted much thicker cutter, and basically fettled it so that it is now one of my goto planes. I like it a lot but it was also a lot of work, now my 1930's 5.5, wow, good user straight out of the packaging, well maybe a light hone and a bit of a fettling and a furkeling. Thankyou Mr Leach, a pleasure doing business with you...

Another blade choice

Wiley Horne--Glendora CA

>Whew! Those Aussies woods are murder. Andrew F. has an M2 from Academy Saw Works that in two reasonably well-controlled tests has outlasted other blades, including A2 on both occasions. One of those tests was published in an Australian woodworking journal, and the other was performed by our own Roger Nixon and reported as his Traditional Tools site.

Of course, you still need the olde-tyme 5-1/2.

Wiley

P.S. I should have

Wiley Horne--Glendora CA

>mentioned above that sharpening is an issue with M2, and IMO you want diamond media or some kind of motorized system for it. YMMV.

Wiley

Re: Favourite Stanley Bench Plane Type

Bob Hackett

>Favorite Stanley=#3 that used to belong to my greatgrandfather,hard to beat history.

Most used Stanley=Early #5 and LA block w/knuckle cap.

Most used overall plane=any of the 6 core woodies(including the Ogontz frankenplane) ,a Steve Knight smoother being among them.I can`t honestly answer the question of how many wood planes I have as I don`t know where they all are hiding and the number changes constantly.

Mainely,Bob

And a possible alternative to M2,

David Barnett

>which sharpens beautifully on white aluminum oxide, and holds a superb edge for 3 to 4 1/2 times as long as M2 (no, this is not a mistake): Asea Stora Process (ASP) steels ASP2030 and ASP2060. These temper at 66 to 67 HRC yet have excellent impact resistance. The grain structure is superfine, too, which is one reason it sharpens so finely and easily; like butter compared to M2. Turning tools are already produced with ASP2060. I wish I had a set of chisels made from this stuff. It sure makes good gravers for carving steel.

Re: Favourite Stanley Bench Plane Type

Steve Kubien

>I have far fewer planes than many reading this. I have a really nice Type 11 (I think) #4 with the original iron and chipbreaker. It is one of my 2 favourite planes to reach for and use (the other is my Knight smoother). It is easy to adjust and I can get fluffy shavings or hog off some significant stock if needed. If I was looking to expand my Bailey-style arsenal, I would look to other type 11's because I am so happy with the #4.

Having said all of this, I've never used a Bedrock of any vintage, never touched a transitional and my only woodie (for now) is my Knight smoother. Obviously, there are others here with more experience.

Steve Kubien

Ajax, Ont.

remove _9 to email

Re: Favourite Stanley Bench Plane Type

Ernie Miller Topeka

>My favorite Stanley is a #3 type 12 or 13 can't remember all this stuff most all the rest of my planes are 11 or 9's kinda just the luck of the draw. favorite smoother is a home made infill or my Steve Knight. I have a no name 4 1/2 that seems to never leave the bench.

Re: Favourite Stanley Bench Plane Type

Tom MacGregor

>I find the most difference on fine cuts in hardwoods. I believe it's because the Bedrock frog design keeps the blade supported right to the edge of the bevel when it's moved forward for a tight mouth, cutting down on chatter. You might want to think about a #6 size. I think they're underrated and usually go for less money than 5-1/2's.

Where do you get it?

Dan Donaldson

>And is it something that you can harden yourself?

Re: No6

Andrew F in Australia

>I use a No6 for all work - with a small block plane occasionally.

I don't think that I've touched a smoother in about two years.

The No6 is a good size - long enough to joint with reasonably comfortably, short enough to handle most tasks.

Others use a 5 1/2 instead of a 6 - still work fine.

(I'm trade trained and the only plane they use in training is the No6 with a smoother used occasionally.)

Cheers,

Andrew

My favorite .... *LINK*

Jonathan Peck - N.Y.

>...is a Bailey #3 type 9. Sure, the type 9 doesn't have the frog adjustment screw, but I don't really need it. Once this plane is set-up, I don't scr*..uh..mess with it. Yup, this one's my favorite - meaty tote, low knob, good balance, and deep rich patina.

I don't know if the composition of the cast arn or the blade steel was different before 1907, but there does seem to be some intangable difference, to me anyhow. Anyhow, you asked.

BTW - AD, do you have a real name?


Stanley #3 type 11

Re: Favourite Stanley Bench Plane Type

John Horobin

>I really like the Stanley type 14-15's myself. Only made for a couple of years or so in the 1930's but these seem to have an ideal range of features including the flat faced frog and a ring cast for the front knob to help prevent the wood splitting. Although the flat faced frog had gone with the type 16 the basic design was copied by Record and continued for another 20 years until the mid 1950's.

John

Re: Favourite Stanley Bench Plane Type

Jim in Burlington Ontario

>I bought a sweetheart 605 and it just talks to me. Didn't refinsh it but the blade did need replacing it was down to a stump smelled like pipe tobacco.

Re: Where do you get it?

David Barnett

>It's a Swedish powder steel (pulverized with gas jets into extremely fine grains, then fused, etc.). I understand there are UK and German distributors, but I haven't tried to locate them. All I have are a couple lengths of 3/32" square stock for gravers, and this was given to me. I want more, though, and in 1/4" for micro lathe tool bits. It's superb for carving steel by hand, although I mostly use it on silver and gold. It came hardened to Rockwell 67 but I easily shaped it on Norton white and pink wheels, then honed with diamond (because I have so many diamond laps) and polished with Super Blue, a new very fine friable aluminum oxide that breaks down into very sharp and aggressive grains. Linde 'B' is fine, too, of course. Best steel I've ever used. As soon as I find a reliable source dealing in small quantities, I'll let you know.

Not likely you'd heat treat this at home unless you have a vacuum furnace.

Re: My favorite ....

AD

>Hey Jonathon,

Thanks for the reply.

Yes I do.

regards,

Andrew

Re: hijack - knob shapes

paul womack

>I really do prefer the low knob over the tall knob.

There's a little known third option - the "mushroom"

Mushroom post on OLDTOOLS

BugBear

That's a new word---to me

Todd O. Cronkhite Native of Maine

>and a bit of a fettling and a furkeling

John, are you trying to add new words to our vocabulary? "Furkeling" to I do think it should be spelled Furkling, as you'd drop the "e" when adding "ing" right?

So, in use, one might say "This plane has been well fettled and furked", or, "That plane was given a good fettling and furking"

I suppose that "Fettle" and all it's tenses would cover the subject quite nicly all by itself as it has for some time now, but I do like the addition of a companion word for it. "Furke" seems to fit well with it, and I suppose that it could be shortened to "This plane has been 2F'd and is ready to go to work", or something of that effect eh?

Todd O.

He Furkels, she furkels, we furkel, to furkel.

John, NY

>Now back in the Land of my Fathers', thats Wales to the uninitiated, which is situated to the West of England and East of Eire. My old Da' used to use the word Furkel with the definition of messing around with, fiddling with etc. So if I was furkeling with my carby then it generally meant that I had bits of my Amal carburettor all over my workbench and my Triumph was 3 weeks away from running again...

Can't find it in any dictionaries over here tho'!