Buying a Dick woodworking plane from Dictum

[Rhossydd]

Has anyone here actually bought a Dick woodworking plane from Dictum ?
eg https://www.dictum.com/en/tools/woodwor ... =szmoX6-D_
With the only other alternative low angle jacks available in the UK are either poor quality like the Stanley or expensive like the Lie Nielsen & Veritas. With the current euro exchange rate being so good the Dick looks a good deal

Searching back through the forum it's alleged that these are from the same factory as Quangsheng/Wood River etc so ought to be decent quality, but I can't find any specific reviews online of this brand.

Does anyone actually own one of this brand and can comment on build quality please ?

 

[pedder]

Woodriver, Dick, Quengshang, Juuma, they all are made by the same factory, but to the quality goals of the retailer.
I'd never buy a Dick plane, becaue of the colour. The brown is... brown and doesn't work with the beech.
I'd buy Juuma or in England Quengshang from workshop heaven.

Cheers
Pedder

 

[David C]

Brown is a very strange choice!

David

 

[Peter Sefton]

The Dick plane is not the same as a WoodRiver and a Quangsheng is different again. I have the latter two in my kit and you can see the Dick is a different design from those seen in the UK.

Cheers Peter

 

[RogerP]

Brown is a very strange choice!

David

... well it's certainly different. But not as bad as the sickly lime green of one maker!

 

[Rhossydd]

Colour is irrelevant. All I'm interested in is how well it's made and performs.

 

[JJ1]

If you can stretch the budget a little by another 74 euros you can get the Veritas Low Angle Jack which is an outstanding plane. Not an answer to your question but just another option that may, or may not be of interest. At least you know you'll definitely be getting a top end plane with a proven track record.

 

[Rhossydd]

the Veritas Low Angle Jack

The problem with that particular model is that it doesn't have machined sides, so isn't so suitable for use on a shooting board.
Another issue is the cruder mouth adjuster on the Veritas low angle models.
Plus the jack/jointer planes are quite a lot bigger than the smoothers.
The Quangsheng and Dick low angles at 355mm seems just the right sort of size I'd like.

 

[Vann]

the Veritas Low Angle Jack

The problem with that particular model is that it doesn't have machined sides, so isn't so suitable for use on a shooting board...

Ahem

Looks good for shooting to me. And at 15" long it's very close to your preferred 355mm... (hammer)

Cheers, Vann .

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

The Veritas LA jack is absolutely machined square for use on a shooting board, it was one of its design criteria. It has machined recesses in the sides for the thumbs when using it on its side. I'm not sure about the mouth adjustment being crude, either. It is extremely finely machined and has a settable stop, so mouth settings are retained when opening to remove the blade, and coarse work. It also stops the toe hitting the blade if the plane is run into a bench stop or the likes. Obviously a bit dearer than the Dick plane, but made to a higher quality, for sure. And not brown!

Mike.

 

[JJ1]

The problem with that particular model is that it doesn't have machined sides, so isn't so suitable for use on a shooting board.
Another issue is the cruder mouth adjuster on the Veritas low angle models.

Really!!!! Who told you that? Low angle jack planes don't come much better.

The sides are perfectly square to the sole and the plane is superb for use on a shooting board. I wouldn't regard the mouth adjuster as crude either. It's as smooth as silk and can be fully opened or closed to within a fraction of the plane iron with a simple twist of the front knob. It doesn't get much easier and less crude than that IMO.
It's an outstanding plane and one I certainly wouldn't want to be without.

Plus the jack/jointer planes are quite a lot bigger than the smoothers.
The Quangsheng and Dick low angles at 355mm seems just the right sort of size I'd like.

The jointer is obviously much bigger but the jack isn't, the Veritas is approximately 37 1/2 cm long.

 

[Rhossydd]

OK, I stand corrected about the machining. I'm mixing up the jack and jointer.
However I can't see the LA jack on Dictum's site, so where is it only 74 euros more than the Dick ?

The Dick works out at £135 delivered, the cheapest Veritas I can find in the UK is £275.

and I still don't like the Veritas mouth adjustment.

 

[JJ1]

However I can't see the LA jack on Dictum's site, so where is it only 74 euros more than the Dick ?

Dieter Schmid - Fine Tools

 

[G S Haydon]

It looks ok as a tool. However I'm not sure I could own a Dick plane. The amount of "banter" I'd experience in our workshop does not bear thinking about.

 

[pedder]

You'd certainly need a second one, a Kunz. A Dick is nothing without.
(hammer)
:shock:

 

[G S Haydon]

:lol: Roflamo :lol:

I could start the banter but I think I'd be banned within seconds!

 

[Jacob]

......I wouldn't regard the mouth adjuster as crude either. It's as smooth as silk and can be fully opened or closed to within a fraction of the plane iron with a simple twist of the front knob. It doesn't get much easier and less crude than that IMO.
It's an outstanding plane and one I certainly wouldn't want to be without.......

I dumped mine on Ebay I couldn't see the point having all that money locked up in one very ordinary plane. But I agree - the mouth adjuster was very good, and better than the alternatives (Stanley mouth adjuster or bedrock design).
However the LV and the Dick both have the Norris lateral adjuster, which is hopeless, which is why it went out of fashion in the first place. You need a little hammer for fine adjustment. They both really are retro and rather stupid designs.

I've tried a few of these heavy expensive retro design planes and am not impressed. It's always a pleasure to get back to the old Stanley/Bailey variations.

If I wanted to spend time fiddling with novelty planes I'd do it with old woodies - they are at least very cheap!

 

[G S Haydon]

You never know Jacob, order one from Germany. You might enjoy fiddling with your.... :lol: . Ok no more :lol:

 

[Rhossydd]

Wow, 36 hours before a dick joke and Jacob butts in and says anything new isn't worth buying.

Thread now dead with no really constructive comment then :-(

 

[G S Haydon]

Sorry dude, they look decent enough planes. I'm sure it'd be perfect for anything you'd encounter.