Wooden planes

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marcros

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I was looking around online for some details about wooden planes and came across this site.

http://www.hyperkitten.com/tools/articl ... Basics.php

From it, the following is discussed by the author:

"People often ask me to recommend a good starter set of planes. I answer them by thinking of the molding planes I use the most and trying to figure out which planes I would miss the most if they disappeared. I should mention that most of my work is small to medium size case pieces, boxes, etc. Thus, the plane sizes I recommend are scaled for that size work. If you primarily work on larger or smaller pieces you might want to look for different sizes. If I had to narrow down my working set to just a few planes and prioritize them in order of preference, I would choose the following:

Moving Fillister
Skew Rabbet Planes- 2in and smaller around 3/4in.
Side Beads: 1/8in., 3/16in., 1/4in.
Dado Planes: 3/8in., 1/2in., 5/8in.
Tongue and Groove pair- 3/4in.
Hollow and Rounds- sizes near 6,8,10,12

I think that is a good starter set of molding planes. Of course, you don't need to acquire them all at once- get one or two planes and try them out. Get a feel for sharpening them, using them- setting the wedge, etc. Then add more as your projects demand. There's no need to run out and get a full set of H&Rs or every size dado right away. I like to acquire tools as I need them, taking the time to tune up each new plane on its own rather than acquire everything I may ever need all at once. Once you get your first experience with a properly tuned molding plane- and whiff of that distinct smell 100year old beech makes when it heats up in use, you'll be hooked."

So for small to medium sized pieces what do people think to that list?
 
If you're talking specifically about moulding planes, I'm sure those are fine as a starter or just buy whatever turns up, but for wooden planes in general I would start with a jack and a coffin smoother. Then a trying plane.
 
Yes to the moving fillister, as for the rebate planes for small to medium work a 3/4" would probaby do, a 2" rebate plane for small to medium work might be a bit much, I wouldn't like to have to spend long pushing it, cripes! Maybe just get a moving fillister first and see if you need the rebate planes?

As for the smaller side beads, a scratch stock could substitute for a while. I don't think you'd need 3 dado planes to get started, maybe just get a 1/2" and get more sizes later to suit your work if needed.

The T&G matched pair could come in handy nut not necessary, 3/4" might be a bit big, maybe a 1/2" or 1/4" pair? They could be expensive and rare to get a good pair. I think I'd like to have some smaller H&R's, maybe pairs of 4's, 8's & 12's.

Cheers
Donald
 
bugbear":3os9odl2 said:
tobytools":3os9odl2 said:
I based my wooden plane selection on that web site reference but at some stage I got carried away :a

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4zv7k95wxmh2w ... .50.55.jpg

TT

What - no reeding plane?

BugBear

:)
Have no need for a reeding plane, I can simply use what I have "a hollow and a bill snipe" :)

http://musingsfrombigpink.blogspot.co.u ... n.html?m=1
This worse comes to worse I'll use a scratch stock or a Edward Preston reeder.

TT
 
arnoldmason8":393k8ihc said:
tobytools":393k8ihc said:
I based my wooden plane selection on that web site reference but at some stage I got carried away :a

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4zv7k95wxmh2w ... .50.55.jpg

TT


You think that is getting carried away!!!! What about this------









Oh and I bought a couple of moulding planes last week just to top up !!

Regards Arnold

My kind of friend.
A few dado planes you got there.
If I where to pick anyone of your up are they full functional?......
Not all mine are :(

If I have moulding planes for sale I know who to pm :)

Cheers
TT

Love the big jointer, how big?
 
tobytools":33kx1s5q said:
Love the big jointer, how big?
Hi TT - Its 30" Long and by W Greenslade of Bristol and was one of the first old planes that I bought (about 1973) -the start of the slippery slope!!
Strangely The Jack plane was one of the hardest to collect--Realy decent ones are hard to find.
Regards---Arnold
 
Planes...what planes?

2014-05-20%2015.29.21.jpg


We actually feel better now we don't have the Baileys....don't we ALF?

2014-05-20%2015.30.40.jpg


More room for more woodies eh Dad?

ALFIE!
 
Wow Jim, there are a few there I haven't used yet. Is that a row of Baileys I see at the back? :wink:
I agree with general above, get the moving fillister, very versatile and a basic starter / must-have.
I have a few side-beads and use them rarely - depends how often you need side beads, thay are a one-trick pony.
I'd say a complete range making a half-set H&R - but mine are a harlequin set (posh for 'don't match'). I was discussing with some here recently about the need for a matched set, how often do I need the hollow and round to exactly match? And the sizing /numbering varies by makers a bit also. A bitsa set is a very low cost way in, single maker half sets are expensive (nice later maybe).
A snipe's bill is handy I think, for detailing.
I also agree re scratch stocks - invaluable.
As you know Mark, unless you are chasing a particular maker or vintage, they are cheap as on eBay anyway so I think just get a boxful and see which you end up needing most, then add from there.

p.s. Jim, are you missing a few Gabriel rounds there...
 
marcros":23n7zm0g said:
I was looking around online for some details about wooden planes and came across this site.

http://www.hyperkitten.com/tools/articl ... Basics.php ....
He's wrong about rebate planes not being for precise rebates. It's a simple technique where you work to gauge lines - starting within the line using your fingers as a fence then when the starter rebate is deep enough turning it on its side to cut to the line. Easier to do than describe.
In fact working to lines is generally more precise and reliable than relying on fence or depth stops.
In a busy production joinery shop the simplicity of a rebate plane plus marking gauges would make it first choice in preference to sash fillisters.

It's fairly obvious that they were useful and extensively used as they are about the most common moulding plane by far.

PS - he does it in one of the videos - if you do the same but to gauge lines it's very accurate and both faces of the rebate are planed clean.
 
condeesteso":13wej5d2 said:
Wow Jim, there are a few there I haven't used yet. Is that a row of Baileys I see at the back? :wink:
.
.
.
p.s. Jim, are you missing a few Gabriel rounds there...

Not only have you used most of those planes Douglas but you actually made a couple of them!! :mrgreen:

A row of Baileys yes...but I don't have most of them anymore after the great Bailey cull of 2014! Free of Leonard (almost) at last!

There are also a few badgers that escaped to pastures new...I was in danger of getting a sett!! :oops:

Coat? Twice in one week...how very dare I!? :mrgreen:

Jimi

p.s. my Gabriels are always doing the rounds! :mrgreen:

(sound of door closing!)
 
jimi43":2nhlz4vr said:
condeesteso":2nhlz4vr said:
Wow Jim, there are a few there I haven't used yet. Is that a row of Baileys I see at the back? :wink:
.
.
.
p.s. Jim, are you missing a few Gabriel rounds there...

Not only have you used most of those planes Douglas but you actually made a couple of them!! :mrgreen:

A row of Baileys yes...but I don't have most of them anymore after the great Bailey cull of 2014! Free of Leonard (almost) at last!

There are also a few badgers that escaped to pastures new...I was in danger of getting a sett!! :oops:

Coat? Twice in one week...how very dare I!? :mrgreen:

Jimi

p.s. my Gabriels are always doing the rounds! :mrgreen:

(sound of door closing!)

This post made me giggle :)
To show such an selection of planes is not fair as I almost climbed up the slippery slop of planes.
Here we go again ;)

TT
 
Must use some of mine more often :oops: (hammer)
Must have 5X more woodies than steels and "when" :roll: I do use em (all of em, honest :---) ) it gives great satisfaction :wink: 8)
 
I'm not sure there's a 'right' answer to the question of which moulding planes to start with. It entirely depends on the sort of work in hand.

A lot of moulding planes, especially the complex ones, were made for architectural and interior joinery work - architraves, skirtings, dado rails, picture rails, cornices, door surrounds, door detailing and of course sash window work. See any Georgian or Victorian building for details. Unless you're involved in restoration or conservation work, I'd say such planes are more of interest than real use.

For cabinet work, look for planes with higher pitch - 60 degrees was the usual for hardwood mouldings. Also worth buying a copy of 'Mouldings in Practice' by Matthew Bickford (Lost Art Press) - Classic Hand Tools can supply. It's the only decent book on working mouldings. Bickford reckons you can do pretty much any furniture moulding with a few hollows and rounds (medium sizes to start with), a couple of rebate planes, a plough plane, and supplemented later with a pair of snipe-bills and a pair of side rounds.

Not sure I'd bother with dado planes, either, unless you end up doing a lot of cross-grain through housing work. For stopped housings, they're no good, so you end up doing the work with chisel, saw and router anyway.

I think I'd be inclined to keep the list short. Fewer tools means less time fettling and more time working, and you'll soon find out what you really need as you go along. Collecting is great, but I'll bet most of us have too many planes we've never used in anger, and never will.
 
Cheshirechappie":n9s41y41 said:
...
I think I'd be inclined to keep the list short. Fewer tools means less time fettling and more time working, and you'll soon find out what you really need as you go along. Collecting is great, but I'll bet most of us have too many planes we've never used in anger, and never will.
Well yes.
In fact I wonder how much use some of the fancier planes ever got, fences depth-stops and all. I think the plain rebate or moulding planes were the work horses and the more complex ones, like many "good ideas", got left on the shelf.
I'm just reading "The Shock of the Old" where he talks of "innovation-centric" thinking which tends to overlook the things which were actually used and found most useful.

Nobody more "innovation-centric" than woodwork forumites! :lol:
 
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