Early Access Video: Amazing Indian Hand-planes
Added 2019-08-10 11:00:02 +0000 UTCFriends:
I'm still on the hunt for the best affordable hand plane and this week, I have two impressive smoothing planes from Soba industries in Dehli, India. Both of these planes were solid, but one of them showed surprising defects that only came up after hours of testing.
It's always an adventure around here.
Happy Saturday!
--Rex
Comments
Will do!
Ron Halloff
2022-02-18 18:00:30 +0000 UTCYou're very welcome! If the tote is loose, try grinding a little off the long screw that holds it.
Rex Krueger
2022-02-18 14:21:37 +0000 UTC#Rex, Love your tool vids! I just recieved the Grizzly from Amazon. I've never used a plane, well not for 40 years, but I was able to cut some pretty decent strips right out of the box. The only real issue I see with it right now is the tote is a bit loose. It rotates on the base a bit. Thanks again!
Ron Halloff
2022-02-16 00:36:16 +0000 UTCI didn't, but the Grizzly was the winner. There are just so many cheap planes out there that I got overwhelmed.
Rex Krueger
2020-11-20 12:13:44 +0000 UTCDid you ever get to do the shootout for the planes?
Billy Schwake
2020-11-18 21:55:20 +0000 UTCI will have a look at that!
Rex Krueger
2019-12-21 19:53:30 +0000 UTCWranglerstar just did a review of the cheapest plane on Amazon. It looks suspiciously like the Big Horn with an Amazon Basics brand on it.
Elias Brewer
2019-12-20 23:20:16 +0000 UTCGrizzly offers it cheaper, but once you add in shipping to my location, the prices are nearly the same. I buy so much stuff from Amazon, it's just click and done.
Rex Krueger
2019-08-19 01:48:52 +0000 UTCHi Rex - Today, 8/18/2019 the Grizzly plane H7569 is on sale from Grizzly for $32.95 https://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-10-Smoothing-Plane/H7569?adlclid=ADL-05cc2922-b11f-414d-bce6-13703964b575 Amazon wants $46.95 for it. Mike
Michael Ross
2019-08-18 15:52:21 +0000 UTChehehe the Big Horn 19316 Adjustable Smoothing Bench Jack Plane is sold here in Greece by the Leroy Merlin Brand chain stores for 25€ (euros) and yes it is a nice plane .. (after honing etc etc )
Alexander Charonitakis
2019-08-16 13:27:05 +0000 UTCNew Patreon supporter! I just ordered the Grizzly and will see how it works out. I also have a #5 Bailey which I have yet to tune up and now will thanks to your video. I need to find something suitable for flattening and sharpening. Maybe a marble tile from Home Depot? Always on the look out for thick glass panels too.
John Hannon
2019-08-15 23:06:49 +0000 UTChey rex, I have been on the hunt for an affordable hand tool to help with dados, grooves, and rebates. Like the stanley combination plane. I have looked at the used market for these but they are not cheap. In this hunt for an affordable bench plain have come across something that fills this void?
Aaron Sprague
2019-08-15 22:49:22 +0000 UTCI'm honesty glad to hear that yous doesn't bottom-out the way mine did. Mine was no nice overall that I don't want there to be problems. It's a fine plane in every other way.
Rex Krueger
2019-08-13 11:46:47 +0000 UTCI'm quite interested in Tay as well, but it seems clear to me that their planes are just more re-branded Soba planes. I kind of want to pick one up, but that's lot of money just to verify that they're the same.
Rex Krueger
2019-08-13 11:44:20 +0000 UTCDude never apologize for making mistakes in English. It's a bastard of a language because none of our words and sayings follow the rules. I wish I ever spoke German half as well as you write, and I lived there for 4 years as a kid!!! -I fixed a few typos in this ( my first language that I use all day every day).
Nic Beurskens
2019-08-13 02:44:02 +0000 UTCWhat about taytools? I have been very curious about their planes. Taytools 469607 Jack Smoothing Bench Hand Plane #5, 14-1/4 Inch Sole, Ductile Cast Body, Lapped Sides and Bottom, Blade RHC 55-60, Sapele Handle and Tote https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D47HF7T/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ssGuDb86X6M7W. They are a bit higher but I've seen them a lot cheaper than this link.
Jonathan Boatman
2019-08-13 00:30:54 +0000 UTCYou mentioned that the same manufacturer seems to make planes for Faithfull (yes, the double L is intentional) and since I own one of their planes I figured I might contribute to your research a bit! I was on vacation in London back in October 2017 and by chance found out there was a trade & tool show just outside of town organized annually by some large tool store, so I rented a car and headed out to see what I can find - It was a fine show, and I ended up getting my DeWalt 1/4" router there, and a Faithfull #4 plane that was dirt cheap, seemed well made and came in a great wooden box. It was this one: https://www.faithfulltools.com/p/FAIPLANE4B/No.4-Smoothing-Plane-in-Wooden-Box#_ It does indeed seem like the cheaper of the planes you reviewed but it doesn't have that cam-lever mechanism, instead it has a normal screw, and does not bottom out that early. To be fully honest, I haven't invested any time in honing it and it works fine for my needs so far, might have gotten lucky there. I only worked the iron a little bit when I got it, using a cheap-o sharpening kit I got at the same stall at the show. It seems Faithfull are a UK based company that source their tools elsewhere (possibly not just the folks you found in India) and sell it on western markets such as the UK for very competitive prices compared to the known brands. For me that was exactly what I was after.
Moti Granovsky
2019-08-12 19:41:49 +0000 UTCAnd normaly my english is not that bad...lots of typos and misspellings, sorry, wrote in a hurry.
Ingolf Maurer
2019-08-12 15:55:50 +0000 UTCIt looks mostly like the Bighorn you showed, ihe frog adjustment screw is itself sloted and pulls or pushes a U-shaped metal plate to adjust the frog, so not at alle like the Bighorn. But reviewing your video I realised that I got kind of the same problem wit the screw that holds the cap Iron, in my limeted experience its a little more then light shavings but after some sharpning I will be there, so I will follow your solution for that. Compairing I would say mine is still from Soba but a earlier/sheaper model.
Ingolf Maurer
2019-08-12 15:53:35 +0000 UTCI'm actually 99% sure that the Tay IS the grizzly. They're SO similar. As to the grooves, that's an excellent idea and i will be doing a grooving plane in the future. First, I'll do a rabbet plane.
Rex Krueger
2019-08-12 14:17:35 +0000 UTCGreat minds think alike! I've been reading that dude's blog a lot recently. It's actually quite good.
Rex Krueger
2019-08-12 14:14:16 +0000 UTCI can't say for sure, but that Silverline looks A LOT like my Soba planes. Does the silverline have the frog adjustment screw that I point out?
Rex Krueger
2019-08-12 14:11:34 +0000 UTCMy pleasure! I hope you like the Grizzly.
Rex Krueger
2019-08-12 14:06:46 +0000 UTCLiked this video very much. I live in Denmark and the used tools market is very bad :( mostly old wooden planes in bad shape Buying them from abroad and the shipping cost makes it not worth the buy. Hence I am always looking for good cheap new tools so this video is right up my alley. I will wait for your other reviews otherwise I'll probably invest in the Grizzly (from their web site because I have to pay for shipping from Amazon as well). Thanks for all your content !!! It is great!
Teunis de Wit
2019-08-11 18:03:55 +0000 UTCI bought recently a Silverline No. 4 for 23 Euro shipped, groved sole, painted, quite flat and square, handle and knob were loose, easy fix, blade needed lots of attention. Only complain I have is that the lever on the cap can spring open when I hit a hard knob in my spruce wood, sendingh all the parts flying. Other than that I got really nice shavings and a very smooth surface with this plane. Link: https://www.silverlinetools.com/en-GB/Product/ProductDetail?ModelName=633465
Ingolf Maurer
2019-08-11 06:52:55 +0000 UTCI found this which might be of interest about the dude behind Soba (Article is a few years old though): https://indiandiy.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-man-behind-shobha-planes.html
Jason Brooks
2019-08-11 05:37:20 +0000 UTCThanks for another good review. I've been looking at both Grizzly and Taytools hand planes. Based on your testing, the lower priced Grizzly is starting to look pretty good. Also, if I could throw out another Woodworking for Humans topic, I'd suggest tips for plowing grooves, especially long ones.
Mark L
2019-08-11 04:49:52 +0000 UTCI started out with a wooden jointer and a 44mm Japanese plane that I used as an apron plane. Eventually I found an old No.4 blue plane in horrible nick, which I made into a scrub plane. Last month I picked up an old Stanley Bailey fully adjustable block plane. The weight of the metal planes is absolutely a huge advantage. But, the wooden ones do work just as well, and produce just as good results, with more work. As time and money make possible, I will likely replace my Japanese’s 58mm plane with a really good smoothing plane.
William Allen
2019-08-11 00:32:55 +0000 UTCI'm glad someone else likes it. That reassures me that mine isn't a fluke. I really like it.
Rex Krueger
2019-08-10 23:22:24 +0000 UTCThey do, but there is shipping. Amazon and Grizzly are so close on price that it makes no difference.
Rex Krueger
2019-08-10 23:21:46 +0000 UTCI LOVE wooden planes. I cannot even describe how much I love them. But I think having one metallic, adjustable plane is just so valuable in the shop. You can get lots of cuts and the weight of metal makes a small plane work easily without much downward pressure. For anything above a smoothing plane, I'm a big advocate of wood.
Rex Krueger
2019-08-10 23:21:12 +0000 UTCThat looks SO much like the Big Horn I reviewed. Might be an earlier version. I think $18 is an utter STEAL.
Rex Krueger
2019-08-10 23:19:11 +0000 UTCSometimes, that's the way you have to do it. Good for you for having the guts to go for it!
Rex Krueger
2019-08-10 23:17:30 +0000 UTCGood Video - I have the slightly longer model Grizzly plane, with powdercoat, etc and found similar issues setting it up, but I'm really happy with it for the money. Taking the time to sharpen the blade and flatten the chip breaker was well worth the effort. Looking forward to future video shoot outs. Thanks!
Richard Hengst
2019-08-10 16:05:56 +0000 UTCAnd I messed it up! Ack! Just an fyi, there may be shipping involved, but I think the Grizzly website sells their plane for $34.95?
Chris Shaw
2019-08-10 15:00:10 +0000 UTCMy first post ever!
Chris Shaw
2019-08-10 14:58:32 +0000 UTCHow do you feel the wooden planes compare to cheap metal ones? for example, Japanese planes, good quality ones, white oak, good hand forged blades, are around $50cdn, same as these cheap western style planes. Western style wood planes are pretty easy to make, or very cheap to find at garage and estate sales and antique shops. I also posted this comment on YouTube.
William Allen
2019-08-10 14:53:35 +0000 UTCI'm really enjoying this series. I got this plane a couple years ago for $18.99 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0764JZK9L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and I think I can fix it up (I've not really put any time into it yet) But it is now unavailable, I think you will run into that a lot unfortunately. I think general things to look for when buying will be the most helpful. Since it is hard to know if it is useful until it is in your hands, your advice on returnability is very good.
David Bumpus
2019-08-10 13:37:57 +0000 UTCGood tip! Thanks I'll employ this method if needed :)
David Bumpus
2019-08-10 13:31:14 +0000 UTCPercussive maintenance is a useful technique, especially when you line all your other planes up on the workbench as witnesses. They'll learn or they'll suffer the same fate.
Matthew Leigh
2019-08-10 12:03:44 +0000 UTCI bought the Grizzly, since I happened to be looking for a smoothing plane at the same time you released this video. I had a tough time getting the chip breaker to mate tight to the iron and it kept jamming up with shavings. I kept honing it and honing it. The right side of the breaker would be tight but the left side had a big gap. Finally I set it on the workbench and whammed it a couple times with a rubber mallet on the high side. It fits right all the way across now and it works perfectly.
Elias Brewer
2019-08-10 11:56:52 +0000 UTC
