Shopping List

[Brent in Montreal]

Hi Everyone,

As some of you may know, I'm in the process of expanding my shop. At a point where we're waiting for some concrete to cure before painting. So, I decided now is as good a time as any to start tool buying to fill the expansion.

Handplanes, yes the backbone of the workshop. I'm looking to spend a bit of money on rounding out my kit. First project when the shop is finished will be a plane cabinet, so I'm thinking buy the planes and build the cabinet around them. I have all the usual suspects, smoothers, jacks, jointers, in bevel up and down. Also shoulders, routers and blockplanes. What I want to buy are the speciality planes.

So, let's hear opinions, ideas and experiences with these often overlooked toys...er...tools. What do you have, what do you want, what don't you have that you need. Help me fill up my yet to be built plane cabinet.

[Chris in Pickering]

Brent.....

Sounds like you have all the planes you need as do I but it becomes such a addiction dosent it..... I personally tend to want planes rather than need them. After all many different planes will do the same job..
When it comes to storage in my shop I tend to make a plain cabinet box with shelves out of usually BB plywood. I cannot justify using good hardwood lumber for workshop storage.
For a nice plane cabinet I envision each plane having its own "Parking space" separated by a vertical member so that there is no chance of hitting one plane off another. The smaller planes such as the block planes would be in small drawers that would also have dividers.....
I would also have a place for my good chisels and dovetail or carcass saws as well as my sharpening jigs and layout tools.....

Maybe you could make a list of all the planes you would like to buy in the future and build a parking space into the cabinet for each one.... Then in time it would be fun to eventually fill all the spots....

[Brent in Montreal]

Hi Chris (?),

You're right, it is at the point where I have everything I NEED. But, as you pointed out, there are a lot of things that I WANT.

I'm thinking of something along the lines that you mentioned for a cabinet. Luckily, I'm in a position right now to buy all the extras in one swoop. That way I can truly design a cabinet around them (it's not like they wear out). Years ago I built a wall cabinet for my chisels, saws and measuring tools, so they don't come into the equation for this cabinet. The plane cabinet will be built from walnut with bloodwood trim to match the other one. Most of my shop stuff is built from BB ply, but for tools that I especially care about, why not go the extra mile :) .

You didn't mention any planes that you would want to add to your tool kit given the oppurtunity. There must be a few that you'd like to pick up (needed now or not) :lol:

[Chris in Pickering]

I am sure I have mentioned on other threads that I am a relative beginner with hand tools, but I have started a nice collection of user planes including a LN#4 bronze , 4 1/2, LV LA block, and the entire bevel up series as well as the LV large shoulder plane I would like to add a LN #3 bronze, #5 and my real dream a closed handle infill smoother (maybe Ray Illes?)
I would also love to build a nice piece of furniture like the one you describe to house all of them, but in the area where I live I would be better off storing them in a gun safe.....

[Jim in Burlington]

Some of the more useful planes that are getting harder to track down is a good condition or new Record 0778 it has the 2 rails instead of one, a very useful plane. If you make or find someone that will make you a 1/8" thick blade for it that tightens up the mouth and makes it close to prefect. Record 044 is a good high quality plough plane. Make sure you buy one with all the blades. Shipping from england is about 20 pounds. If you don't have the Veritas shoulder planes and bullnose they are all excellent tools to own. One good compass plane. Add one raised panel plane. I have bought about 35 moulding planes and haven't got around to using half of them yet but they are addictive and functional. Personally I am not sure about the whole infill plane being better than bedrocks but sooner or later I am going to take the plunge and buy one. I'd bet my last dollar LV is coming out with one or two new planes for their annual catalogue release shortly.

[Mark in Burlington]

Brent, Personally I have an addiction to measuring tools. I like my Starretts and have 6 different comb square, lots of rules, protractors ect.
I am after the big one now "the builders square" :mrgreen:
I know you were looking at handplanes but I thought I would put my 2 cents in for filling a tool cabinet.
Cheers, Mark

[Darrell]

Brent,

New toys, eh? So you have a basic set of bench planes, and want to acquire some of the specialty planes.

Side Rabbet. I have a Stanley #79 and it makes sizing grooves trivial. If you have no time to hunt for a #79 you can always spring for the LN left & right pair (very pretty planes!)

Compass Plane. I have an old Record O20. Makes quick work of cleaning up the edges of round table tops.

Plow Planes. Notice that this is plural. First one to get is the Record O43 (or similar, mine is made by Rapier). This is a cute little plow that you can use one handed if need be. It is the best plane for drawer bottom grooves. You also need a larger plow, like a #44, 45, or 50 for bigger grooves. A wooden plow will also work fine for this.

Dado Planes. Another plural. You can shell out big buck$ for the Stanley #39 planes or go cheap with a handful of wooden dado planes. I have the wooden ones, and once tuned up, they cut dados fast and easy.

Fillister Plane. Either a wooden moving fillister or a Stanley 78 / record 778 for making rebates. Set it rank and hog off the material. Use your shoulder plane to clean up if necessary. The benefit of a wooden fillister is the skewed iron, which means that your cross grain rebates are fairly clean cut.

Sash Fillister. What? *Another* rebate plane? Yes! When you set the fence and depth stop of that moving fillister you are specifying exactly how much wood you want to remove. When you set up the sash fillister you are specifying how much wood you want to LEAVE. A subtle but highly important difference.

Molding Planes. Start with a 3/16 inch bead, and a sash ovolo. Those will take you a long ways, and sensitize you to what you might want to look for in other planes. Steer clear of any wide complex molders unless you KNOW that they are working when you buy them.

Badger Plane. This is a skew ironed jack-sized handled wooden rabbet plane. It will cut BIG rebates with ease. I've used mine for raised panels too.

So there you go. Lots to choose from, all useful, but not often.

Darrell

[Brent in Montreal]

I guess I'm going to make this a bit harder on everyone. Some really great replies and some ideas that have been added to my list so far. Maybe I should give a list of the speciality planes I already have.

79, 98, 99
Compass
Rebate
L&R Panel
78
90, 92, 93, LN lg. shoulder, LV med. shoulder
router planes 71, 271 and Veritas
combination plane 50

I think that's it (not sure off the top of my head, hence the reason I need a cabinet)

The plow and fillister planes are in the direction I want to go. Also thinking about a #9. Wondering about a scraper plane and definately molding planes are on the list ( Thanks Darrell for a starting point). How about a set of hollows and rounds. Has anyone had much use for them? Infills....a whole other story....unfortunately I got caught up in the recent unpleasantnes so I may wait on that, but then again some makers have caught my eye. And then, of course, because I start thinking about this today LN decides to unveil their 25th anniversarry plane. A 4 1/2 made of bronze, that must slide across wood on it's own, maybe 8) .

So, anymore ideas?

[Chris in Pickering]

That was one I never mentioned......
The LN Bronze special Addition 4 1/2...... Found out about it 1 month after recieving my 4 1/2HAF..... Little dissapointed as I would have happily paid the extra $100.00 USD. Maybe I will order one anyway and ask Rob Cosman if he would ship to me with the regular frog.....

[Norman (Ottawa)]

Hello Brent,

Now that everyone has covered which planes to get :)
here are a couple of pics of wall-mounted plane cabinets
you might consider. They are fairly quick to make , the dividers take
time as they are customized for each cubbyhole.

The wall-mounted enclosed plane cabinets are low-profile
to save on space, and keep dust out also.

They are for the most part plywood with hardwood trim.

Just a couple ideas to throw at you...

Norman

[Chris in Pickering]

Norman,

Cabinets look great.....Looks like you have a real nice collection! The debate goes on about storing planes on their base or side..... Personally I like the look of a plane stored upright.
I would choose to make parking spaces where the planes front knob faces the wall,(handles facing the user for easy access) and all the planes under 12or 14" in lenght are parallel to each other, and the larger planes are stored across the width of the cabinet.
One advantage of normans cabinet is that it only has to be 6" deep or so.......

[Brent in Montreal]

Hi Norman,

Some good ideas there, I'm still fiddling around with just how I want to go with the cabinet. I like Chris's idea of having the smoothers lined up next to each other and your's of having the longer planes upright.

On another note, I broke down and just put in my order for the LN anniverssary plane. Allan told me that Rob (Cosman) is getting 25 of them and I'm #2 on the list. So there are still a few available :wink:

[Chris in Pickering]

Brent,

I have also e-mailed Mr Rob Cosman about the 4 1/2 bronze....... Will it be a user for you? Or will you let it appreciate in the box?

Also, am I alone or do others worry about theft as a nice collection of planes can be worth a small fortune? I am wondering what others have done to reduce the risk.... Locking cabinet? Plexi doors?

[Jim in Burlington]

As for a scraping plane I've the LV for quite a while. It's got a little learning curve to it but is a huge improvement on the older version and copies. Hollows and rounds aren't all that usefull IMO.

[Brent in Montreal]

Hi Chris,

It'll be a user, no point in leaving a good tool in the box. I'm sure there will be a few that are kept for future values sake though.

My tools are all locked up in my garage. It would take quite a bit of noise to get in there. If someone does get in Cane will no doubt make them feel right at home, or at least make them feel it right to the bone. He's a 160 lbs Cane Corso who really believes that what's mine should stay mine. Probably the second best way to keep them safe would be out of sight under lock and key.

[Chris in Pickering]

As a dog lover I am well aware of what a Cane Corso is..... They are big and scary looking, basically looks like a small horse with big teeth...... A dog is far better than any security system on the market.
For now, I have cameras on the property and alarm on the garage...

Glad to hear you will be putting that new# 4 1/2 to work, I bet it will feel real solid. Is must weigh close to a pound more that the ductile iron version.