Planes and dovetail saws?

Re: Planes and dovetail saws?

Richard R

>JL,

There's really no way of giving your question a definitive(or brief)answer. If you catch the bug, then you'll constantly be adding to your hand tool collection, I mean, uh, arsenal :) Have you tuned the Craftsman and MF? I think they'll be perfectly serviceable tools, but you'll need to tune and use them often to get to know their little "nuances". Most of my planes are LN. Yes, they're expensive, but I feel that they're a bargain at the same time. You've used one...so you'll have to make that decision on your own. Bronze is only offered up through the #4, with the exception of a couple of the blocks and specialty tools. It adds a bit of heft, and looks prettier, that's about it. It can leave marks, I've read, on certain woods. My 102 never has, so I can't comment further on that. The standard ductile iron will take a beating, so I don't really think strength is an issue.

I've never used a Groz, and probably never will, so I would say that you likely get what you pay for. They are based on the no-longer-manufactured Records. I own a Record #5. I spent a lot of time and effort tuning it. Then I replaced the iron with a Hock, cause the original was junk. Making adjustments to it is a royal PITA, due to the fit and finish. And every time I remove the iron for sharpening, I have to fiddle around for a while to get it back to where it was. Every time. I don't experience anything like this with my LN's (or my Bedrock).

Regarding the saws, well, I'll say that any saw in good condition and properly sharpened and set, will serve you just fine. Problem with a lot of the cheaper saws is that many times they're not ready to go right out of the box. If you have a Woodcraft near you, go and see if they'll let you try out a LN (they might have one in the back which they use for classes). Then you can see how a saw is supposed to perform, and decide which route you want to take.

BTW, there are excellent how-to's on both tuning planes and saw sharpening in the Articles and Reviews section to the left.

Hope this helps,

RR

Re: Planes and dovetail saws?

Jack Guzman from Maine

>Besides what Richard said,this question gets asked alot here on WC.You could do a search and read past responses.I have used a $2 ebay dt saw and an LN.They both work fine for the job. The LN is just a real fine tool.I love the feel of it.You could cut dovetails with a hacksaw.---Jack

Re: Anant?

paul womack

>I've never used a Groz, and probably never will, so I would say that you likely get what you pay for. They are based on the no-longer-manufactured Records.

I think you (both) mean Anant.

AFAIK Groz don't supply planes. They do supply metrology equipment to a high enough standard that David Charlesworth uses it.

BugBear

Re: Anant?

Alice Frampton, UK

>They do now. I think the "Workshop" ones at Axminster may be their's too.

Cheers, Alf

Re: new news!

paul womack

>

Re: Anant?

Jack Guzman from Maine

>I just saw some Groz planes at Rockler yesterday.---Jack

Re: weird

paul womack

>Nothing on

the Groz web site

Just at highland hardware

The planes look (as they claim) pretty neat. especially at the price.

BugBear

Re: weird

sawdustdan

>FWW June 2005 included a Groz #4 in their smooth plane review

Re: weird

paul womack

>FWW June 2005 included a Groz #4 in their smooth plane review

Did they rate it or slate it?

BugBear

Groz (and Anant)

Luke Herzberg

>Not a good review of the Groz in FWW. I think the purchase price was $35. Frog not flat, sole not flat, thin iron, etc. It was fitted with an aftermarket iron and breaker and still came up short.

The Anant got fairly good marks, except for a thin iron. From the authors description, I was surprised he didn't put the "Best Value" tag on it, but it makes me wonder if both Anant and Groz quality are a crap shoot where the descriptions of each could have been easily reversed had a different plane been grabbed off the shelf.

Still, the handfull of reviews I've seen of the Anant are all similar...looks horrible but well made where it needs it, expect to spend time tuning but should be very serviceable in the end.

Re: Groz (and Anant)

paul womack

>Not a good review of the Groz in FWW. I think the purchase price was $35.

Curious. This picture would appear to indicate good fit 'n' finish, at least for the money.

http://www.tools-for-woodworking.com/ProductImages/handplanes/199171.jpg

Perhaps the image owes a little more to selection or photoshop than it ought?

Bit like the famous 150 mph Jaguar E-types...

BugBear

Any car can go 150 mph

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>if the cliff is high enough.

I'm trying to imagine the electricity staying in the Lucas electrical parts at 150 mph - wouldn't it leak out?

Ahh, how well I remember

Dan Donaldson

>Lucas electrics, the memories. A friend of mine had a BSA and if it even clouded up and looked like rain, it wouldn't run;-) I had an Enfield that had Lucas on it, and it was a real challenge to keep it going too. Those electrical systems had to be one of the worst inventions ever foisted on the public.

Lucas? The Prince of Darkness?

Don Thompson - Cutler Ridge, Florida

>

I was under the impression

Bob Hackett

>Lucas parts created thier own electricity just so they could leak it after the battery had gone dead.

Mainely,Bob-Who still thinks the engineer who invented the Zeiner diode should be strangled.If he`s dead then dig him up and strangle him anyway.

Re: Warm beer?

Ted Shuck, Centennial, CO

>And, of course, this leads to the old joke:

Why do Brits drink warm beer?

Lucas refrigerators!

Ted