While I like the metal body planes for the "middle" functions, most of the time for stock prep I will reach for a wood stock plane for no other reason than they are lighter and easier to use. For smoothing I tend to go back and forth with each type of plane getting about the same amount of use.
It is shaping where the small wood stock planes really shine. One of my favorite planes for shaping, for planing chamfers or round overs and such, is the little shop made Krenov style plane on the right side of the photo. It's not much good as a smoothing plane but for shaping it can't be beat by any metal body plane.
On the far left is a "Philly" single iron smoother, next to it is a Steve Voigt double iron smoother. Steve, as far as I know, is the only maker currently making double iron wood stock planes. I have three of his planes. They are a joy to use and are a bargain with reasonably short wait times. Next to Steve's plane is a double iron ECE, I'm not sure if ECE still makes this plane but if you can find one it is a steal at any price, if you do not want it email me. In the middle is a ECE single iron, I believe it is sold as a "Gents" plane, whatever it is a wonderful, light, nimble, plane to use on wood that does not need a double iron.
Today I used the ECE double iron to flush some pegs and final smoothing of the Sapele legs and the shop made plane to do some shaping to hide a couple of whopsies on MsBubba's small table. Without the shop made plane I'm not sure that the table's base would not have ended up in the burn pile.
ken
Hi Ken
ReplyDeleteIf I have to dress some wide stock I normally reach for a jointer size wooden plane with a curved iron first. Like a large scrub plane. A wooden plane really glides smooth over the wood and like you say they are fairly light too.
For smoothing I normally prefer my old Bedrock No 4.
Brgds
Jonas
Hi Ken,
ReplyDeleteI have a little scrub plane that looks similar to your "gents" plane. I don't know the brand but it is stamped Germany. It's my go-to plane for quick material removal and excels at hogging off wood. My Stanley 40 sits on a shelf gathering dust.
That's a nice herd of smoothers you have.
Bob B.
Bob,
DeleteWhile they were out I had a sharpening party and then turned a big hunk of wood into a small one. Mindless but enjoyable. The surface after planing is sensual.
ken
ECE :
ReplyDeletehttp://ecemmerich.de/en/portfolio/planes/
Sylvain
Jonas,
ReplyDeleteWhile a #8 LN is a work of art, I'm too old to do much more than a pass or two with mine. Where if I pace myself I can work for several hours with the woodie.
I'll be watching to read about how you MacGyver your next shipboard project. My guess is it will be soon.
Bob,
ReplyDeleteThanks,
There are one or two more smoothers stuck somewhere which do not get much love. Like I posted before all you really need or three planes. The rest are just because.
I have the ECI version of the scrub plane, my guess is mine is 30 or more years old and while rough looking it still works great and is still my goto scrub.
ken
Sylvain,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link. My old and feeble brain keeps insisting on typing ECI when right on top of each is posted ECE....Go figure.
ken
If you call more than three a disease...OMG, I must be terminal !! :-)
ReplyDeletebut yeah three is all we need, well sort of, because, then there is and...
Bob, gotta go, the nurse is coming around with my pills... :-)
Bob,
DeleteDo the pills work? If so I need some for a chisel jones as well.
But whatever, I just received two new Sorby paring chisels. What a beautiful chisel with a very long, thin, and flexible blade like a old pattern maker's chisel. Just what I have been looking for, I haven't a clue why I hadn't looked at them before other than my Sorby Sash Mortise chisels are just chisels and nothing special.
ken