New Toy

[Diane Kauffmds]

I reach for my old Stanley 118 low angle plane almost every time I work on the guitar, but it doesn't have the adjustments that I that I really need. I got to play with the Stanley Sweetheart 60 1/2 at Woodcrafter. I love the plane, but the price is a little too hefty for me. I found this Stanley, which was made in Sheffield, England (including the iron). This is the plane that Stewmac used to sell, until Stanley moved their English factory offshore, and the plant is closed.

It's almost new, and has the original box and paperwork. I'm not even sure that the iron has ever cut wood. The tolerances are tight, everything adjusts like silk in all ways, including side to side. The iron is thick. It looks like the "contractors grade" 60 1/2 sold at the big box stores, but the fit and finish are much better on this plane, and it's heavier made.

It's not the best in the world, but it'll do the job, which is what counts.

stanley plane.jpg

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Awesome! You will use that alot. You know me, I love planes.

[Diane Kauffmds]

Awesome! You will use that alot. You know me, I love planes.

Ah yes, a kindred spirit. Next on my list: a decent low angle jack plane...

[tippie53]

I have a low angle stanley that was my Pops dated 1909
great tool to have
keep the pinkies out of the sharp stuff

[Diane Kauffmds]

I have a low angle stanley that was my Pops dated 1909
great tool to have
keep the pinkies out of the sharp stuff

I've got two regular Stanley block planes that were my Grandmother's. I have no idea how old they are though. It's always a good idea to keep the fingers away from the sharp stuff and Lord knows I learned the hard way! LOL

[ruby@magpage.com]

Diane

This plane appears to be from the 90's or 00's - pretty new. There is nothing wrong with this plane, but I find that the quality of the castings - a bit chunky and unrefined - don't meet my aesthetic sensibilities. Look here:

http://tinyurl.com/qxjkonh

And you can see that older ones are going for $30-40 in very nice shape. Again, nothing at all wrong with that plane - it might be the last LA block that you buy if the price is right. Be sure to get one with a lot of blade left. The gold standard on these is a Sweetheart era version - 1921-33 - with a little heart under the Stanley logo on the blade, a vestige of when the Stanley Tool and Level Company, maker of tools, and the Stanley Works, maker of hardware, joined forces under a chairman named Hart.

You will love this plane. I keep two of them on my bench - fine work/tight mouth/super sharp, less fine work/less tight mouth/less sharp.

My daughter who owns a guitar repair shop in Brooklyn was given a Lie-Nielson 102. This is a copy of the Stanley 102 smaller block plane, but they made it low-angle where Stanley did not. It is a wonderful (but very expensive) plane for guitar -sized work.

Ed