The Orange Block Plane – a review

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Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)

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The Orange Block Plane – a review


After paring chisels and spokeshaves, my favourite tool is a block plane. These tools all have in common “feel”, a more direct involvement with the wood.

My block plane collection of regular users centres on four planes, Stanleys #18 Knuckle joint (62 degree cutting angle) and #65 Knuckle joint (37 degree cutting angle), and Lie Nielsens #60 ½ (37 degree cutting angle) and bronze #103 (45 degree cutting angle).

The #18 is used as a small smoother for difficult face grain. The #65 (with a Hock blade) is probably the best performer of the lot. However, it is quite a large block plane and the LN #60 ½ is more comfortable in the hand. The little #103 is the one I grab first when I work away from the bench. Its small size disguises a plane with the heft of something significantly larger. It does lack the ultimate performance of its bigger sibling owing to having a larger mouth.

I was asked to review The Orange Block Plane by my son, Jamie, who has owned it since it was discovered in the bargain bin of Bunnings (the local borg) several years ago. At the time I felt that the $5 asking price was daylight robbery. Still, it does have some novel features, and I shall come to these in due course.

I had not used this plane in some years. It had originally been purchased for Jamie (then 6 years old) to practice on in the workshop. He stored it amongst his treasures at the back of his wardrobe under a pile of old socks. He is now 13 years old and was recently re-introduced to woodworking at high school by Ms Robinson. He seems keen.

Who manufactures The Orange Block Plane? Who indeed? It has no markings at all. Perhaps, this is a deliberate ploy of Triton (who shares this colour scheme) to manipulate everyone into using their ‘tailed routers instead!

Here is the collection of block planes mentioned above. See if you can spot The Orange Block Plane.

1.jpg


And in case you had any difficulty, here is a close up:

2.jpg



Important features of TOBP (The Orange Block Plane)

· Pressed steel construction that is even more durable than Ductile Iron.
· Bright orange colour will not get lost among the mess … uh work-in-progress of the average workbench. Here is a close up of the colour:

3.jpg


· No moving parts to wear out.
· Admittedly, a modification had to be made to the lever cap. The original black plastic knob broke after being subjected to a stress test (i.e. it was eaten by Rufus, the dog), and a steel bolt was used as a replacement. This has proved a very successful upgrade.
· The lever cap screw now doubles as a hang hole.
· Construction has been simplified so that it is possible to press all pieces out of the same piece of steel. Hopefully no one gets confused and sharpens up the wrong bit.

4.jpg


· The absence of a bed for the blade is a brave new design. The blade hangs in the air at 20°.
· There is a finger hole at the front for your finger. It is a single finger hole designed for a single finger.
· The sole has been lapped to .00000001mm deviation across its length of 6 3/8”.
· It has a blade. It is made out of steel. For the technical boffins amongst us, it is 1 5/8” wide and 5/64” (2mm) thick, or vice versa.
· It also has a mouth – somewhat reminiscent of the Grand Canyon:

5.jpg


· The edges are rounded (so that you do not cut yourself?).

Tuning up The Orange Block Plane

Surprisingly, the plane was not ready to go out of the box. It required tuning. The original bevel appeared to be honed at 45°. This was re-ground to 25° and I freehand sharpened it to 8000 grit.

The back of the blade had a low area throughout its length and width, a lot like a Japanese blade. I’m sure it was on purpose. It was possible to flatten it at the important back edge of the bevel.

I assumed that I lapped the sole all those years ago as it was flat against a straight edge. I made no effort to flatten it this time around.

The blade was place on the rear of the mouth and the cap iron tightened down. Fine adjustment was made with a mallet. The large mouth was ignored and the blade projection was considered sufficient once fine shavings emerged.

Making Shavings

Planing of pine face grain was completed by Jamie. Here is his style:

6.jpg


And here are the shavings he made:

7.jpg


A little later I attempted to cut pine endgrain:

8.jpg


The resultant surface was actually pretty good. Pine end grain actually has a high rating on the difficulty scale. The soft wood fibres do not “stand up” to be cut, and a clean slice is a good measure of the blades ability to penetrate these fibres. What we would call “sharp” is really a combination of the smoothness and the angle of the bevel. A lower cutting angle and a smoother bevel equate to easier penetration.

Summing up

One might assume that my regular block planes are in no danger of being replaced by The Orange Block Plane, but this is not certain. The Orange Block Planet does give them a run for their money under these conditions (I did do some planing with the #65 and #60 ½, and they really did not produce any better results on this piece of pine).

The Orange Block Plane is really more than just a paperweight. It is probably one of the more “distinctive” planes I have used – indeed the colour causes me to be transfixed like a kangaroo in the headlights of my ute * on a dark night – I reckon that it would look pretty sharp in a belt holster made from a converted neoprene stubby holder **.

There is definitely something machismo about this plane. One could saunter into the pub, lean against the bar, and attract admiring glances as you casually toss it onto the counter. It says “I am not affected by fashion … (I am cheap).” And to the kids, “One day this could be yours if you are good … (because I am cheap)”.

Well that’s about it. You were expecting more? For $5? Yeah … right.


Derek Cohen
Perth, 2006


* Utility vehicle
** Beer holder
 
Paul Chapman":18f8c5bs said:
The future's bright - the future's Orange 8) 8)

Paul :lol:
I think some one has been watching too much tv :roll: :whistle:
( getting my coat QUICK) :twisted:
 
Well, someone had to say it, Colin :wink:

By the way, excellent review, Derek - up to your usual high standard :wink:

Paul
 
Hi Paul

I must say that I have been very pleasantly surprized and impressed with his recent efforts. Mainly boxes. He came home the other day to say that he had built another in his ww class, and that was all he had time to do in the 30 minutes available. I do not think that I have ever built a box in 30 minutes, nevermind that it was just nailed together.

I used to give him my spokeshaves to play with when he was younger. Now he prefers the bandsaw. I am concerned that he is going in the wrong direction. :lol:

Regards from Perth

Derek
 
Yeah, but Derek, how did it compare to the LN...? :roll: :lol:

Nice one; think I've seen a bench plane version in bright green if Jamie's looking to get a set. :wink:

Cheers, Alf

P.S. The Orange Block Plane Co. of Chow Lee, Ding Dong Province say they don't want it back and you can keep it, you lucky swine. :lol:
 
Derek,

It is surprising what does work well sometimes! :shock:

So what colour is the #55? :roll:

Could they send me one to review? :wink:
 
I feel that the reviewer here is biased... I bet he got a 'freebie'... and if the plane had come from Lev Alley, the review would have come out completely differently, especially as he NEVER even tried it with the famous radiation hardened blades from Truth Nelson... I mean, can we take him or his reviews seriously an more?

I am sure Chas and Laurie will put you straight on this infringement, Derek... and I look forward to the fray!

Har... from -g-... who is having difficulty stopping his new Marcou once it gets moving... whadya think Rob?
 
Alf":csazgj0o said:
P.S. The Orange Block Plane Co. of Chow Lee, Ding Dong Province say they don't want it back and you can keep it, you lucky swine. :lol:

hmmmmmmm questionable

Cheers Mike
 
CONGER":34u58t5i said:
I feel that the reviewer here is biased... I bet he got a 'freebie'...

He did mention on another forum that he unfortunately had to give the plane back at the end. It's really sad because I personally would like to find the other earring just like it -- quite a fashion statement.
 
It's interesting, though, isn't it? What's your 'cheapest but most loved/effective' tool?

Straying slightly from hand tools, mine's my £5.00, 5 year old Ferm power drill. No speed adjustment, reverse or fancy clutch, but just a keyed chuck and a lock to let you keep it on once running. Sometimes gravity turns it on/off (ie as I tilt it it'll cut out... :-k ), but it lives with a snail countersink in it and just 'goes and goes'...

Hand tools? Probably my set of these:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/recno/2/product-Axminster-Euro-Bevel-Edge-Chisels-21818.htm

Nothing fancy claimed or supplied, but they take all the general workshop abuse I give them, and take a very good edge (French steel).
 
For a long time, I had a bow saw that set me back $20 that was my favorite tool. Today, I got another, similar one in the mail, but it was more spendy.
 
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