Early Access Video: Three Planes Tested for a Year
Added 2021-05-01 11:00:04 +0000 UTCFriends:
This video is a full year in the making! 12 months ago, I bought three semi-premium hand planes and started using them in my day-to-day work. I know that many of my viewers are ready to step up to higher quality tools, but they’re still reluctant to spend big money. So, I purchased three planes that looked like a solid value and tested them for a full year so I could be sure of their strengths and weaknesses.
And the results are in! Each of these tools has some advantages and some drawbacks but there’s a tool here for every shop and most every budget. This is a detailed video and I get right into the weeds with each tool.
Hope everyone enjoys!
--Rex
Comments
Watched it here when released, and watched again on youtube when released. Does it count 2 views towards youtube or just 1 vew here and 1 view on youtube?
Yang Ji
2021-05-13 08:01:46 +0000 UTCJust watched the video, it'd be interesting to see how these compare to Veritas & WoodRiver planes since they are the same price. All of them are out of my price range, but I enjoy restoring vintage ones.
Chris Evans
2021-05-11 19:31:44 +0000 UTCGreat info, but I think I am going to stick with vintage planes. I have several now and the only new one I bought was a Loews Kobalt jack plane that I am constantly fiddling with... may have the same problem as those other new planes and I need to true it again. Today however I got my 100+ year old Stanley #4...cleaned it with the wire brush on the grinder method... sharpened the blade... oiled the mechanisms... and put to the test on a table leg blank I had lying around. The leg was about 1 3/8s “ wide and 28” long and damned if I didn’t get a ribbon of wood the same dimensions! Wow...what a joy to use!
Gerald Eddy
2021-05-06 19:43:32 +0000 UTCI'm looking to buy my first hand plane to build my first bench after watching your videos. I think I'm gonna do a version of the English Joiners bench but with a two-level top, using a narrow, laminated front more like the Low Roman bench. I was gonna just get a $35~ Greatneck #4 to setup as a scrub, but am wondering if I should go up to the $50 Grizzly you've reviewed. There's also a 14" Grizzly for around $60. Can I get away with only one for this build, or should I really just buy two and be better setup going forward?
Jeff Good
2021-05-03 16:20:18 +0000 UTCGarage sale and flea market season is beginning anew. Good hunting and good luck.
Ed Balko
2021-05-02 20:19:43 +0000 UTCI mean, the kuntz #4 and the entry level veritas #4 are very close in price ($220 for the Kuntz #4 from highland woodworking, $230 for a veritas #4 direct from Lee Valley). It's hard to find much written about the Veritas planes, but they're made in canada, and you hear very good things about their joinery and LA planes.
Jonathan Musselwhite
2021-05-02 17:08:51 +0000 UTCI'm in SW Michigan, and even I'm having trouble finding a #4 in a condition and pricing I'm willing to pay for. Although I did find a Stanley #6 for $45 yesterday. Looks like it needs sharpening and a sole check and it should be good to go. Now if I could find a workshop that easily...
Hauptmann
2021-05-02 12:53:47 +0000 UTCAfter all is said and done, none of these is better than my vintage number 4. If you can buy and restore one of those, then that's the best option.
Rex Krueger
2021-05-02 12:08:41 +0000 UTCThe plastic part just spreads the pressure from the pin. It's totally fine; no need to mess with it.
Rex Krueger
2021-05-02 12:06:55 +0000 UTCThe problem is the number of people who can't find good vintage planes at reasonable prices. I hear from them a lot, so I make videos about new tools, too.
Rex Krueger
2021-05-02 12:06:09 +0000 UTCThank you Rex for the plane review. I have drooled over a number of the newly manufactured high end planes for years, but like being married, I still come back to the comfortable and well loved #4 and #5 Stanleys. Take care and have a great week ahead.
Matt Evans-Koch
2021-05-02 03:04:47 +0000 UTCSome days I just worry I will spend all my free money on handplanes... This video is not helping :) Thanks for the reviews, Rex.
Otakar Schön
2021-05-01 23:09:27 +0000 UTCI'm glad to see you're well and back to your normal self. I've been curious about the ECE planes for quite a while. Thanx for the review. I'm glad to hear that they work well, but I'm still a little leary of the plastic wedge-stop. It looks like it's held in with spring pressure. Correct? Maybe it can be replaced by a wooden one?
Michael Bennett
2021-05-01 22:16:56 +0000 UTCDefinitely come ask the group. There will be good info, and real experience there to help!
Nic Beurskens
2021-05-01 21:39:39 +0000 UTCThere are a ton of discussions and reviews over on the Discourse forum if you are interested in checking those out! The group is very good about sharing their experience and setting expectations on a wide range of tools there!
Nic Beurskens
2021-05-01 21:38:17 +0000 UTCI enjoyed the video but I think you made a strong case for ignoring the new hand plane offerings and for buying a used Stanley #4 and #5. Tune up an old Stanley (or Sargent) and fit a thicker iron if you like (not essential but I like a Hoch iron) and for quite a bit less money you will have a tool superior to the ones which you discussed here.
Ed Balko
2021-05-01 21:17:25 +0000 UTCGreat video Rex, enjoyed you perspective on these different planes.
Robert
2021-05-01 18:51:21 +0000 UTCThese are really cheap T-handle hex wrenches - for a couple bucks you can adjust that Kunz easily again. https://www.amazon.com/Eklind-51910-Cushion-Grip-T-Key/dp/B002XMY7MU/ref=pd_nav_hcs_rp_2?pd_rd_w=qQGMF&pf_rd_p=aaccb902-fc91-4589-a87c-6505770c52ae&pf_rd_r=7PKMZACG557751F0A09D&pd_rd_r=07f07390-296b-4a60-a370-a04f53ab6ffb&pd_rd_wg=WFTGG&pd_rd_i=B002XMY7MU&psc=1
Eric Boyd
2021-05-01 18:05:16 +0000 UTCExactly. After seeing his channel for one month I subscribed to the Patreon, and now I'm ready to build a f****** house! This is quality content and I am more than happy to pay for this.
Jacob D Miller
2021-05-01 17:48:42 +0000 UTCGreat video !!! Thank you very much. Uhmmmm . I'm kinda new here (a week or so) and I don't exactly know how this works..... 😇😁 But again Great video.
Ton Wanten
2021-05-01 17:34:28 +0000 UTCRex, the whole reason why I got into your channel was because you didn't use advertisers. I am glad you've stuck with that. I would much rather pay you a few bucks directly and have your unbiased reviews than to have some expensive tool company shoved down my throat. We appreciate you so much. Keep up the good work!
Lucas Ellis
2021-05-01 17:27:52 +0000 UTCGreat info, and welcome back!
Jon Linna
2021-05-01 16:55:30 +0000 UTCYes, I am aware, but that does not speak to the performance of a tuned-up used plane vs these new ones. Is the only compromise your time learning how to tune it up? Or does it have other issues that one of these newer planes might do better on?
Evan Van Dyke
2021-05-01 15:11:24 +0000 UTCThe decision to get a vintage Stanley no 4 was right then. Actually i searched info about Stanley Sweetheart also, but im glad that i didnt buy it. With the money saved i can get myself a handful on old wooden planes in the sizes i need.
Tanel Mõttus
2021-05-01 14:50:42 +0000 UTCAnother great video Rex. Thank you for investing your time and expertise to help us make good decisions. A question for anybody reading this. I have several Veritas Low angle planes. I have a jack, a smoother, a jointer and a scraping plane. Barely spent any money because of estate sales and birthdays. Can I make any of these into scrub planes by cambering the blade or do I need a higher angle plane? Should I be asking this in the discourse group?
John Hiemstra
2021-05-01 14:30:19 +0000 UTCIf you pick up a vintage Stanley, trying for under $70, and restore it, you will know that plane intimately and be able to keep it tuned forever. You will also have some coin left to upgrade to a Hock iron and still be way ahead. Who knows, maybe you can find that Stanley for six bucks at a yard sale;)
John Griswold
2021-05-01 14:11:17 +0000 UTCI don't know what you are making at the 10 minute mark but I love it and want to build it and hope it becomes a video
matthewbowen0
2021-05-01 13:57:29 +0000 UTCI am glad I watched this video as it has convinced me to stay with my array of vintage Stanley’s.
Hansenomics
2021-05-01 13:48:55 +0000 UTCRex, this is a great video! Thank you for your time investment to make high quality, intelligent and practical content. I look always look forward to your videos. I hope you are taking good care of yourself. You appear rejuvenated in this video. It was good to see.
Marty Ford
2021-05-01 13:30:28 +0000 UTCRex, great video, but it leaves me with a couple questions. How much better is a used bailey that you invest time in to tune up? Is it worth saving a little more for, say a #4 veritas smoother at $225? Be interested in your thoughts.
Evan Van Dyke
2021-05-01 13:27:20 +0000 UTCI personally chose to spend a little more money and get the Veritas planes
KingQueso
2021-05-01 12:50:56 +0000 UTCThese "to have or have not" videos are great. Not only do you learn about the piece being reviewed but also how different styles do/or do not perform the same functions.
warren stockwell
2021-05-01 12:28:56 +0000 UTCAnother great video Rex, however please could you add the names of the planes to the description. The auto craptions 😃 weren't great.
The Deaf Maker
2021-05-01 12:24:35 +0000 UTCI know Kunitz makes spokeshaves, didn’t know they made planes. The European one ece is just too weird. Very disappointed in the Stanley. I have 6 vintage planes I currently use 2 craftsman jacks one set up try and one as a jointer a companion (pre war budget craftsman) set as smooth a crappy Chinese store plane as a scrub my first purchase years ago less than 15.00 . A Miller Falls rebate/ bull nose and a victor that’s a nice little smoother. I finally found a #4 that didn’t cost a fortune that’s in the mail now. So basically I don’t have $200.00 in all of this together I don’t think. I have money to spend now, however I didn’t when I went down this rabbit hole I like vintage I like fetteling I want quality but my old craftsman planes can do better work than I’m capable of lol . All this to say Great video Rex well planned and executed very informative. Have a good weekend.
Bill Snyder
2021-05-01 11:58:30 +0000 UTCThat was a bit like a merry-go-round ride :-) But it does give us enough info for each of us to make a decision based on our needs. For me, I have gotten my Grizzly 4 and 5 tamed and getting decent performance out of them and I have a decent scrub put together. My biggest complaint is I have big mallets for hands, and after an hour of use the side of my hand hurts from pressing into the casting and I end of naturally holding it with my pinky out as well as my index finger. So that Kunz was immediately attractive to me as soon as you placed it on the bench. The wooden plane introduces a bit of a new workflow/setting routine, and the stanley doesn't seem to offer that much over what I already have. So now the question becomes, do a mid-level upgrade or keep on keeping on until I can do a high level upgrade. At the price points, I am not sure a midlevel upgrade is really that great of a value, if its not a "forever" upgrade. Thanks again for the great content
Pete Halsted
2021-05-01 11:53:43 +0000 UTCI personally went with a Veritas LAJP as my primary benchplane. I think it can do most things very well. Especially shooting and jointing edges. For some time, i paired with the same ECE Smoother you just showed. But ultimately i found the difference in smoothing-ability so small, that i couldn't justify keeping a second plane in my tiny workshop. When my Jackplane is too long for smoothing i would either go to a card-scraper or try to use the blockplane.
Jonas Oßwald
2021-05-01 11:41:29 +0000 UTCHi Rex, Excelent. You may remember I ended up buying 2 Stanley No. 62. The first had the the blade bed not square with the sole, fiddling around with a file solved it. I keep that one as more of a light scrub, and the one that was right from the factory is my fine smoother. I could shoot with it, but I have a 5 1/2 I like better for that. A couple of my own comments about long time use: I always radius the cast iron where my palm rides when I am shooting, that Kunz would probably be quite a bit more comfortable if you spent a little time cutting the weird lump down and rounding it over. I might get the Kunz myself on you rec as I still don't have a 4. The other comment is a design gripe about the new Stanley's aluminum top plate. I pushed one of the 62 off the bench onto my soft floor and it wouldn't cut a anything as the cast top plate was bent and couldn't hold it all tight anymore. That big honking blade had enough momentum to bend the plate, apparently. No other damage was apparent. I was able to hammer it back to a useful shape and it is fine now, but clearly that part is fragile. I last comment. I really prefer the adjustable mouth planes. If you want change the mouth then you change the mouth. Moving a frog is just inferior to get that effect.
Michael Ross
2021-05-01 11:36:33 +0000 UTCGreat video, now my question Rex is, would you take the Kunz over a vintage Stanley #4?
Todd Maurer
2021-05-01 11:32:36 +0000 UTCExcellent. I really appreciated the part toward the end showing which other planes you would also need/want to have all the bases covered.
Robert Bullock
2021-05-01 11:30:02 +0000 UTC
