Axminster planes

[Toscageoff]

Greetings

Does anyone have any of Axminster's "own brand" planes

Are they any good?

I am thinking of buying their 19 (copy of Stanley 92 shoulder/chisel plane) which seems a good deal at £34.94 compared to Stanley's £89.94

Thanks in advance

 

[markwuzere]

I think ByronBlack did a review on an axi plane recently,worth searching for,Mark

 

[jameslee30]

Hello, yes we just took delivery of a shoulder and a bull nose down at work. some far they seem pretty good for the money. the mouth on the bullnose needed a little work as it wasnt quite square. but the sole was nice and flat on the shoulder and once id given the blade a go over on the sharpening stone it seems really nice to use. its only a small one but it fits in the hand nicely and i didnt want anything larger.

James

 

[Ironballs]

I have one of the Axminster Groz planes, mines a number 4. I tend to use it as the first plane to attack the wood and take out the lumps and bumps; for that job it's a good plane.

It's not the last word in finish and quality, but it's square, nicely adjustable and the blade takes and holds a good edge. It's happy taking thin shavings and big chunks when doing the initial smoothing. For the price I'm amazed.

I keep thinking that at some point I'd like to upgrade it to a Clifton, but that thought never becomes a need as the plane just keeps doing its job. I have a selection of various Veritas, LN & Clifton planes and this one does not embarass itself in that company

 

[Eric The Viking]

Hello, yes we just took delivery of a shoulder and a bull nose down at work. some far they seem pretty good for the money. the mouth on the bullnose needed a little work as it wasnt quite square. but the sole was nice and flat on the shoulder and once id given the blade a go over on the sharpening stone it seems really nice to use. its only a small one but it fits in the hand nicely and i didnt want anything larger.

James

After much grief and cursing, I finally got my Stanley 'Sweetheart' premium #92 shoulder plane cutting reasonably. It's got beer can shims to get the blade to the right angle, and it needed a lot of awkward fettling to square up the mouth. It's smaller than an old style #92 or #93 copy (wot the Axminster one is), but I now wish I'd gone down the Axy route (I didn't know about them at the time - curses!).

I know Derek C doesn't like the design, and compared to, say, vintage Record or Clifton shoulder planes (or LN) I can see why, but they work, and for a fraction of the price. I've got an original Stanley #90 (the bullnose one). I love it for odd jobs - the weight and action are just right for me (and you can poke the jammed shavings out with a finger!). If the Axy copies are half decent, it'll do the job well.

So I'd say, go for it.

 

[woof]

On the question of axi planes, ... has anyone done what one of the reviews suggests on the Axminster jointer plane ....
I quote....

Not to bad a plane for the mony,cheap metal blade that wont hold its edge,bought a blade for a clifton plane for it and now have a cheap good jointer plane."

Taken from ...http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminster-No.-7-Try-or-Jointer-Plane-779621.htm

Seems a good idea since the next one up is the Clifton - although there is the QS #6 in between. Anyone tried using quality blades in a cheaper plane?

 

[Eric The Viking]

On the question of axi planes, ... has anyone done what one of the reviews suggests on the Axminster jointer plane ....
I quote....

Not to bad a plane for the mony,cheap metal blade that wont hold its edge,bought a blade for a clifton plane for it and now have a cheap good jointer plane."

Taken from ...http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminster-No.-7-Try-or-Jointer-Plane-779621.htm

Seems a good idea since the next one up is the Clifton - although there is the QS #6 in between. Anyone tried using quality blades in a cheaper plane?

Well I've got a Japanese laminated iron for my 'cooking' Stanley #5 (circa 1984). It does cut well, but, since I've practised scary sharp, and bought the Tormekkalike (Dakota) wet grinder too, the original Stanley blade is also working really well for me. I couldn't actually say which is best - probably the Japanese one - but I've been pleasantly surprised how well the Stanley blade does, now it's been re-hardened, tempered and properly ground and honed.

You may get better with a thicker blade I don't know. I do notice that the only difference I can see between the air-hardened A1 and A2 blades I have and the tool steel ones is how long they stay usefully sharp. When both types are sharp both cut equally well, or so it seems.

Regarding the Axminster #7, it looks pretty good value. You could add a Stanley blade for about £12 extra, or a LN one...

 

[big soft moose]

On the question of axi planes, ... has anyone done what one of the reviews suggests on the Axminster jointer plane ....
I quote....

Not to bad a plane for the mony,cheap metal blade that wont hold its edge,bought a blade for a clifton plane for it and now have a cheap good jointer plane."

Taken from ...http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminster-No.-7-Try-or-Jointer-Plane-779621.htm

Seems a good idea since the next one up is the Clifton - although there is the QS #6 in between. Anyone tried using quality blades in a cheaper plane?

that could have been written to describe my experience - except that my groz 7 has a jap laminated blade from axminster in it - the blade cost nearly as much ass the plane, bringing the total spend to 70 odd notes, but it is still less than a clifton or a philly plane , or even a QS

that said since i refettled my "heirloom" big woody that my grandad left me, i havent used the no.7 much and its currently on loan to miles hot

one point i would make about groz/annant tho is that their quality is very variable (ie quality control sucks) my 7 is flat soled and seems to be every bit as good as a more expensive plane, if not as pretty - but we had a groz 4 at work where the sole was so out of true that it actualy rocked when placed on a flat surface

for consistency you are probably better off restoring old records or stanleys from ebay or carboot