Chinese Shoulder Planes–Woodcraft

user-310309 | Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on October 17, 2003 07:16am

Looking for the deal on the clamps and came across the Chinese Shoulder Plane from Woodcraft. Does anyone use just such a shoulder plane. At that price ($30) I wonder if it won’t be better to just buy that plane as opposed to the Lee Valley I’ve been itching to buy and that sells for about $140.

Is setting the depth of cut by feel difficult? I suppose that’s the only drawback.

thanks

Replies

desertrat | Oct 17, 2003 05:22pm | #1
I've not used that plane, but have almost all of the others (large & small smoothers, jack and the round and hollow) and find myself reaching for them constantly. Great value and every one of them worked good out of the box. With some sharpening and very minor tuning they've become great planes.

It only takes a bit to get used to the adjusting and you'll be in great shape. I would also get the shoulder plane, but already have an HNT Gordon.
vanderpooch | Oct 17, 2003 07:32pm | #2
I bought a few for my school shop. They work well and the blade are pretty good steel. I ran one through my drum sander to take it down to just under 5/8. My kids use it to do dados.

The real advantage of the Lee Valley, or other, shoulder planes is the low bed angle. As long as you keep the iron sharp and the cut light you shouldn't have any problems with the Chinese plane...
JohnWW | Oct 18, 2003 12:57am | #3
Jose,

I found a Chinese rosewood body rabbet plane on the Woodcraft site, but I couldn't find a shoulder plane, is this what you are referring to?

While they are somewhat the same, a rabbet plane isn't a substitute for a true shoulder plane. Apparently Woodcraft isn't too clear on the difference either, since they're using a picture of a Lie-Nielsen shoulder plane to illustrate the rabbet plane section on their index page.

Veritas has just introduced a shoulder plane for $140.00 that looks like a very nice tool.

John W.

Edited 10/17/2003 6:09:10 PM ET by JohnW
NormInFujino | Oct 19, 2003 05:30am | #4
Based on the labels on the planes in the Woodcraft photos, the planes are made by by Mujingfang, from the Wah Tat Wooden Work Metal and Tool Company in Hong Kong. I recently saw the Mujinfang display at the Tokyo DIY show and bought a slightly different rabbeting plane from them, a photo of which I posted in the thread Tokyo DIY Show

I haven't used it much yet, but I've sharpened it and it seems to use decent steel; it has a bronze throat and seems made well enough for the price (equivalent of $17.00 here in Tokyo).

". . .and only the stump or fishy part of him remained."

Green Gables: A Contemplative Companion to Fujino Township