Replies

1. 
   user-52763 | Apr 13, 2006 02:28pm | #1

   Your plane can be tuned to work fairly well if you replace the blade and cap iron.  Ron hock makes very good ones (http://www.hocktools.com/).  You'll also need to true up the frog and flatten the sole.  All this makes the tool pretty expensive.  Before Lie-Nielsen tools started producing good planes this was what you had to do to get a good plane.  But I don't think you'll get a great return on your time investment and eventually you'll just buy a better plane.  You could just buy a good plane to start with and start woodworking instead of metal working.  You will learn a lot about the plane by tuning it up, but mostly I think you will learn about how poorly it is made.  There is just so much to learn about woodworking, I can't advise getting into rebuilding putting an expensive blade in a poorly made tool.  I also think it will be easier to make a wooden plane that works beautifully with a Hock iron than to tune up a Stanley to work as well.

         I hope you kept the reciept.

    

   Brian

1. 
   pulper | Apr 13, 2006 02:51pm | #2

   Thank you for your reply. You mention Lie Nielson. They are more difficult (and expensive) to get for me in Canada than the Lee Valley Block Planes. Do you know if Lee Valley's come in the same way as the LN (ie pretty much ready to go?).Thanks again,Paul

1. 
   user-52763 | Apr 14, 2006 01:42am | #3

   Lee Valley is a respectable company that makes pretty good tools.  I think the price difference is a good reflection of the difference in the tools.  Still a big step above Stanley.  Not a lot of work to do to make them cut well.  This week I am teaching a class on hand tools and seeing students with both Lie Nielson  and Lee Valley planes to work with.  The difference is easy to see.  Lee Valley planes will get you started.  Lie Nielson planes are more enjoyable to use.  To me they just feel better in the hand. 

    

   Brian

1. 
   pulper | Feb 12, 2007 09:10pm | #4

   Since posting this originally, I've come to learn that Brian sells a spokeshave through Lie-Nielson. Although I cannot say that his business dealings with LN altered the opinion that he provided in this matter, it would have been better had he stated this before stating that he prefers LN planes to LV planes.For future reference and for anyone else reading this post, I felt it necessary to point this out.Paul

1. 
   user-148830 | Feb 13, 2007 09:11pm | #5

   Pulper,
   I do not have a business relationship with L-N. I do tell my students that the L-N low angle block plane is the best money they will ever spend on a tool. The Stanley you bought is a pile of work waiting to happen and it will still not work as well as a L-N straight out of the box. As for other tools, like shoulder planes, there are plenty of differing opinions on which to buy. Not on the block plane.
   Gary Rogowski

2. 
   pulper | Feb 13, 2007 09:18pm | #6

   Thanks Gary for your response. BTW, I have enjoyed a couple of your videos (Router and also Table Saw). I respect your opinion and am glad that you took the time to respond on this. When I look to purchase the block plane (still haven't btw as i just got back into woodworking), i will get the L-N.Have a great day!Paul

3. 
   Ch1selhead | Feb 18, 2007 06:03pm | #7

   pulper,Not to underscore what the experts have said and I am by no means a took expert. I agree that tuning a cheap plane and replacing the blade with a more expense blade is a poor choice. I personally made the same poor choice when I began using hand planes. The time and money that will take will easily equal the price of a Lie Nielsen block plane. That being said, I personally own many planes made by both Veritas (aka Lee Valley) and Lie Nielsen. My personal observations are that the Lie Nielsen bench planes and block planes are superior to the Veritas equivalent. On the other hand, I see no significant difference between the Veritas low angle bench planes and shoulder planes to the Lie Nielsen planes. In fact, I prefer the Veritas shoulder planes and would purchase them again over a Lie Nielsen.I hope this helps and I did not confuse you further. Good luck.