The hand plane in woodworking isn’t an auxuliary tool , but it’s super essential if you want to smooth and trimming – correct your wooden surfaces , with easiness in a very high level .
If your blade is sharpened correctly and as you wish and your in a good mood , you can have so top and smooth plane – trimming results that don’t need sanding after . Yes , so smooth and perfect .
If you want a quick reminder about planes , before i’ll share some of my favorite planes , go HERE .
Stanley will “dominate” , my suggestions because it’s the brand i’ve experience , but of course there are many other top manufacturers .
Veritas and Lie Nielsen are top planes as well .
This small 12 – 101 Stanley plane is a fine beginning plane for smaller smoothings . It’s so solid – sturdy , portable and so “handy” , you can take it with you , even if you have the smallest wood toolbox .
The metallurgy is very neat and solid and you’ll feel it from your first touch . Of course you shouldn’t overdo it and try it to bigger projects . It isn’t made for this and you may hurt your fingers – hands .
It’s for refining , finishing a plane job , after the use of your bigger planes , or stuff like that . Yes, it’ll go a little further than you may think , but not too far to big wood surfaces and more hard jobs .
For the light plane stuff , this is a Champion . Take this from Amazon , you won’t regret it for sure .
I said that Stanley will dominate these suggestions , but i cannot hide my enthusiasm for a couple of Japanese plane – blades .
I don’t know about you , but in me the Japanese blades – tools have a “magic” influence . I like then very much and i respect them of course . They have their way with blades , either is a Katana sword or whatever .
I have very small Japanese blades – tools experience but i try to expand it .
This 7.1″ wooden Hakubi plane is the most cheap in the area , but is super . A friend of mine has a similar and i’ve used it a little . You’ll be amazed for the quality of this 20$ plane .
It needs a little work to fit perfectly the blade and adjust it , but not big deal . The oak is perfect , the metal is super “decent” and sharp and the feeling in your hands superb .
Just take it from the Amazon .
Other Japanese wooden planes are in the 200$ area and ok , that’s a lot of money , but if you can don’t hesitate . The Japanese blades will never disappoint you .
The next two planes from Stanley are “super” must have . The Stanley 62 – low angle Jack plane is a plane that shouldn’t be missing from any tool box .
**The high angle planes are very good to flatten difficult wood grain and you may find them named , as scraper planes also .
The higher the angle , the “stronger” scraping you have to hardwood – difficult wood .
It’s solid and heavy as it should , the quality of the blade is well known , the handle needs a little more stabilize maybe , the beautiness is top , the adjustments are very easy and that’t it . This doesn’t need more intrudustion .
It’s a classical piece and it could have been to museum .
Take it from the Amazon platform .
The second must have Stanley is the number 4 . Except all the other elite features , the most important for me is that it’s blade is extra thick in order to have all the freedom you want to make the bevel – edge , as you like .
I don’t think there is a disadvantage in here . Make your personal adjustments and bring it to your measures and you’ll be ready . The A2 steel “holds” the sharpening extremely well .
If you’re ready the Amazon is the way , for this num.4 Stanley .
The plane area cannot be finished in no way and i’ll update with more planes , but for the last Walfront plane i like very much this full wooden one plane , for around the 20$ bucks .
It’s very traditional , it’s very vintage style plane , it has the warmth of the wood , it’s very handy ( almost an 1″ of width ) to the hand and because it’s on the 1″ area , you can do many tasks .
I’ve used many wooden planes – tools and even if you may think that they done’t have very god metal alloys , this isn’t true . Even the very old vintagfe ones , they’ve very good steel .
The adjustments is a “piece of cake” , with not much adjustments screws , et.c and you’ll make it ready for use in a glimpse . You’ll need to fit the sharpness in your needs , but no big deal .
Ok , we should be realistic and don’t expect to have the general stability in a second as a more expensive plane , but you can make it very stable easily spending some seconds more !!!!
Don’t compare it to a fully metal plane . You take this for the emotions , but not only .
It’s a definition of simplicity and simplicity is wisdom .
And it’s not expensive . This is very nice for the quality these wooden type of planes , give .
Go to Amazon for the rest .
Keep woodworking and the happiness is certain , no matter what .
