Full disclosure: I am not a woodworker. I am an engineer who is starting to do a few projects in retirement. If I may offer some advice - When your sandpaper starts to get loaded up with iron filings or anything do not reach for a brush and scatter the dust all over your shop. Instead, turn on your shop vac* and suck it up. Much cleaner. Thanks for all your videos. I find them very helpful. *If you don't have a shop vac, why not?
I think my favorite part of this video is how succinctly you were able to prove the "tap adjustment" method works in a way that can't be gainsaid - each step of the process is followed by an immediate hands-on demonstration (based on a method previously used and described in the video) of its practical effect on the workpiece. Tap tap, take a shaving; tap tap, take a shaving; tap tap, take a shaving. It's beautifully simple, and I feel like it's exactly the kind of thing that would get left out of a more advanced demonstration of the process. Well done, Rex.
Rex, I'm about 1 year into woodworking, and even have some local awards for my beginner stuff. In fact, your 6 board chest was part of what helped get me going. This video just helped me solve my plane problem. The cheep plane I have been fighting with for 8 months about had me ready to load it into our trebuchet and use it for target practice, but I looked back at your old video's, saw this, and holy s***! That was the answer. Pulling the screws out and using a hammer to tap it....I'm getting BEAUTIFUL shavings now that are just a sight to behold. Keep up the good work! And God bless you! Cisco
Wow, Rex! I clicked on this video expecting a brief tune up of a cheap plane. What I got was an amazingly in-depth look at how woodworking doesn't depend on expensive tools but the time, effort, & ingenuity one puts in to the project and figuring out to over come hurdles that you face. Thanks for all the time & effort you put into this video and your channel!
on the subject of cheap woodworking (and since the use of sandpaper is an integral part of this video) i want to point out that you can buy a huge ass block of sandpaper cleaner for fifteen bucks that'll clean all the crud out of your sandpaper, like a huge pencil eraser. i (and i'm pretty sure most people here) didn't even know those existed until a skater (who uses the stuff to clean his grip tape) pointed it out to me and i didn't have to buy new belts for my belt sander ever since.
I bought a Harbor Freight that looks like your plane's brother. for $13. I flattened it and sharpened it and hated it because of those adjusters. Tomorrow, they are coming off so i can try the tapping trick. I have my hope restored. Thank you.
I did carpentry and joinery when I was super young at school. The teachers didn't teach you how to set up the tools or how to keep them in good conditions. I feel like that was one of their biggest failures. Thank you for the wealth of knowledge for free.
Just for kicks and giggles, search RUclips for Japanese Plane competitions. Instructionals on making your own block planes is pretty stinking interesting...
Thanks. You are a great instructor, extremely clear, not only telling someone what to do but why to do it. Can't thank you enough. Been doing home woodworking for 30 years and my father's Stanley Nos 4 and 6 have been sitting there looking at me all the time, unused. Time to get busy. Best regards, John from SF, CA
Well, I just finished following these steps on this exact plane. Either the Gator brand sandpaper I can get here is junk, or the overall finish of my plane was much worse than yours, because it took forever. I ended up going down a grit to 150 to do the bulk of the work, then finishing with 220 for a final pass, and I actually used up 4 sheets of sandpaper, to the point that no amount of sweeping would un-clog them. I probably removed three tablespoons of iron dust. I am delighted to report that the results are fantastic! I followed the sharpening steps using automotive paper, no strop, and although my results are not quite as hair shavingly perfect as yours Rex, they now cut a beautiful shavings on wood! I also took the time to run the same process of flattening and sharpening on the little Stanley block plane i had from the local hardware store that I was previously disappointed in, and now I'm proud to announce it is actually a working little plane! Thanks for all the tips, you've inspired me to actually get started on so many projects!
Liked the video. I relocated to Malaysia some time ago and sadly there is no DIY tradition here despite having a Mr DIY chain. Most tools are cheap and not so cheerful and Home Depot style stores don't exist. You don't just roll up cruise the aisles and load your trolley with goodies. You really have to hunt for the basics. On my last trip to Oz I managed to bring back two old Stanley planes and I'll probably get one decent plane out of them plus spares. I've brought a few cheap tools from China online and so far so good. In fact a cheap Japanese style pull saw helped solve a major frustration for me. Damage to my wrist means I cant hold a conventional pistol grip push saw properly and no matter how hard I try can't get straight cuts. Using a pull saw made woodwork fun again.
15:05 - My old high school wood working teacher would have pulled me by the ear and dragged me around the workshop if I dropped the plane on the bench like you did Rex, It always had to go in the tool well angled, or, IF it were left on the bench it had to be placed side down, so as not to damage or ding the edge of the cutting iron. It's great watching your videos. It brings up lots of fond and not so fond memories for me. My shoulders are big enough to enjoy the lot, regardless. Keep up the good work.
Another popular woodworker on RUclips who was a former teacher explained this was because any damage to the irons or planes needed sorting out by the teachers and the budget was usually tight. So by not dropping them on bench, on top of nails screws chisels etc, or knocking them onto floor from edge of bench it saved time and money. No problem with your plane being put down like that if you are careful or accept the risk.
The workbench isn't going to damage the plane iron, but the plane iron might mar the bench surface (although that just means you need to practice your planing to correct it). Just think about it, you put the iron onto wood all the time, every single stroke of the plane, it doesn't break the iron then. Putting it down on other hardened steel tools might do something, but the solution there is to not leave sharp chisels or the like laying around where you are going to drop stuff on them.
@@coopercummings8370 Yes what you say is correct, perhaps I should have rephrased, it issue was with maintaining the sharp edge of the iron, and not carelessly dulling the edge before time. Cheers.
@@mrgolftennisviolin Cool. Although I've repaired many a violin, I've never actually made one. The closest have been a couple vielles, sort of a medieval violin. I'm mostly a historical bowmaker, but I also build lots of stringed instruments, from kitharas to psaltery harps. If you want to hear a sample of what my lyre sounds like, check this out: soundcloud.com/scott-wallace-189088488/cauliflower Good luck on your first violin! I'll have to get around to making one someday, but if so, after my own design and five stringed. cheers from foggy Vienna, Scott
Thank you so much, Rex! When starting with woodworking, I bought a cheap 25 € Stanley plane that was real bad. I tinkered about with it quite some time and could get it work until the Y-yoke broke. My next step was to buy a vintage stanley plane and restore it. It has turned out to be a phantastic tool. After watching this video I made up my mind to tune the cheap Stanley after your suggestions: I got rid of the adjusting yoke and nut, ground the sole, sharpened the knife and it´s way better now. I know how to adjust a wooden plane but until watching your video I would not have thought of the idea to adjust a cast iron plane like that. So this helped me a lot and now I got a second plae that I can use.
I was about to spend $2000 on power tool for wood working, but i realized ive collected more tools than i need over the years to build quality projects, now i just have to get going!
I am a carpenter by trade, but My goal is to have a nice wood working shop like my grandpa did, so i started collecting all the basic hand tools for joinery. I inherited his craftsman miter saw, and i bought other small power tools second hand, circular saw, jig saw etc. i recently bought a grizzly table saw which i love and im planning to build cabinets for the shop and a few work benches. Ive been researching for a long time to see what is best for me. I just found your channel and i really like the roman bench, and the other basic bench. So instead of buying a brand new jointer, planer and band saw, im going to save that money, use it for more old school hand tools and get good and using all the hand tools i have and use the builds from your channel. My wife will be happy haha. Thanks
This is so incredibly helpful.. thank you!!! my Dad was a woodworker and he passed 5 years ago without passing his knowledge along.. this is so incredibly helpful!! Please continue!!!
I have the same plane type and I never liked the adjusters but I didn't think about tapping it like a wooden plane. I did take the world's worst block plane and did the same truing method you used and it worked perfectly. Thanks for posting this very useful tutorial.
This is exactly the kind of thing I've always wanted. Just someone to walk me through a tool or a technique without making me feel self conscious or without judgement. this is so valuable to so many of us, thank you
@@Simon-oy7kf It doesn't sound like you have the patience, or a light touch. You may be more suited for the other end of woodworking. A lumberjack? Or maybe a portable sawmill owner-operator...??? There is a place for rough cuts. Just as necessary and valuable as the fine cuts.
@@johnshilling2221 you do realise that adjusters also prevent the blade from sliding back when you actually use the plane, don't you? nice thoughts for youtube but dont apply in real life
That is basically how you adjust a wood plane. Never thought of doing with a Stanley. I'll have to try that! BTW you can pickup a wood plane on Amazon for about the same price as the Stanley: www.amazon.com/YOGEON-Woodworking-Carpenter-Woodcraft-Smoothing/dp/B08242WCKR
I did not like my Stanley no 4, until it got stolen, I needed it and couldn't afford a new one. I had to settle for an eBay no4 (brand new) which I got for the equivalent of 10 USD, but by following your videos, I ended up with a good working plane, the setup was time consuming but well worth it. Thank you for all your help. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I like how you induce "problems" to answer questions people probably didn't know they had, like "These parts of the sole are important, don't kill yourself over this part." or "Mechanical adjusters have been around for hundreds of years, but planes have been around for thousands" or "Oops, I went too far. Here is how you can fix that". I've come across a few things in videos and my own work, so I watch and "ask questions" you may have generated from something you said. You do a good job of answering those questions, very comprehensive!
Maybe show a Japanese Kanna: those planes still work off of hammers for adjustment for those who may think your technique is old and "ghetto". Then, show them the competitions they have using those in Japan! That's not just to show it works, but to show it is a standard, and preferred method by experienced woodworkers to this day.
Rex, I discovered you recently and love your stuff. This particular video impressed me because of your thorough and brutally honest assessment of the flaws and upsides of this tool, and giving the solution of removing those crappy adjusters, which truly are a pain. I decided to join your Patreon crew directly because of this video. I really appreciate your close to the ground approach to teaching for those of us lacking a workshop loaded with tools and built up over many years. And fortunately for me, I live in rural Maine where, once we get past this damned pandemic, is constantly alive with flea markets and old tools waiting to be restored to good purpose. Thanks for your good work Rex, you are benefitting many.
Based on this demonstration I thought I’d get this plane and try it out instead of buying an expensive plane right away. I think the skills learned in tuning this up would serve me well if I did buy an expensive plane later. Thanks Rex. You are a gift to us guys beginning this hobby
This has been my go-to scrub plane for years! Ever since you made the Roman workbench, I added an aggressive 8 inch camber and this thing hogs off material like nobody's business. This video was the one that got me hooked!
For sharpening, I work it with diamond grit 200, 400, 600 and 800 then go to the slow leather stropping wheel with green compound to get a beautifully polished super sharp edge. It works great for chisels, knives, blades and razors.
19:50 Here I realised, that this video shows everything I need! The plain I bought some years ago was even cheeper. A wooden plain in a German hardwarestore for 13€. And it has no blade adjusters what so ever. I think I will buy some sandpaper, some sharpening jig and probably a wooden hammer now. Love this video!
I have watched a number of videos over the past 2 years that were pretty much what you have done in this video. It proves that it is the user and not the tool. Thanks for the great video. Looking forward to the bench build.
If you look on amazon you can get a normal style plane with wooden handles made by draper but its a tiny bit more expensive. Ive never seen a review on them or even used a draper plane but judging by the quality of other draper tools it would probably be a good plane
Can't wait to use your advice: curving the cutting knife, dealing with scratches, getting rid of those annoying adjusting knobs. Did a bit of research when I bought this same plane a few years back, but this video is so in-depth. Really appreciate the care you put into these videos and taking the time to break down this tool specifically.
Thankyou for highlighting how to prepare a planes cutting iron. I am a newcomer to woodworking and videos like this inspire me to learn more. Again, thankyou for sharing your expertise...much appreciated.
Thank you for this video, Rex. I got one of these from my brother when he passed away, but the horrible adjustment system was driving me to abandon it almost before I got started. I'll be taking those adjusters out now!
I have one of these Rex. I left the adjusters in mine. Move one a little and then turn it back to take up the slack, test. Just never try to wind one a long way back without moving the other adjuster. I had already flattened the chip breaker and the sole. It really is a win for the price.
When i got my first plane the adjustment were like that one but the body was bent sheet metal and i took out the knobs too thinking it was some kind of sacrilegious thing to do, but hey, if it works, it works and now it is my go to scrub plane. Keep this no frills woodworking videos coming, they are great!
I've had this plane for at least 15 years. I've used it probably 3 times. Until this week. This week I filled up half of a 30 gallon garbage can with wood shavings. Just because it was more fun than stopping. Thanks for the advice. I am predominantly a machine guy, but have to say, lately I'm all about the planes and hand saws.
Great video Rex. It's good to know that not all professionals pan the tools a lot of us can afford. It gives me a sense of reassurance that I've not totally wasted money on the tools I can buy.
Rex you're a very good speaker. It's easy to learn from you. I know a lot of what you're explaining which makes me confident that stuff that's new to me is going to be correct and your demonstration shows that you are. Thank you! One tip for you: pay a little more attention to the clarity of your hand signals.
Picked up a job-lot of old tools including one of these. So far stuck with the adjusters but after flattening the sole and back of the iron honing it up as you describe it works just great. Used it on bottom of a couple of internal doors and for smoothing off some pine on a box I am making, light and easy to carry about in tool bag, useful cheap tool, thanks for your videos.will give it a go without adjusters.
Talk about timing... ok, yeah, this was made in 2019. It is now Oct 1, 2022 and I was looking for a plane since I live in an apartment where you can't do a lot outside (well, you can do some unless you get caught)... well, lo and behold, I run across this video on a plane that is within my budget. This is what I like about Rex and his channel. We can do it if we set our minds to it and think creatively. Seriously thinking I'll buy this plan ($22.99 on Amazon as of today) and use the knowledge he shared to add this to my inexpensive arsenal. Thanks, Rex.
You're an excellent educator! I know essentially zero about woodworking, and now I've been introduced to the topic of planes in a most effective manner. Thank you. I've subscribed and chosen to get alerts about new videos!
Hi from London! Another great video. As an oldie newbie to hobby woodworking it’s good to watch a video that shows how to do it without spending ££££'S! Thanks, keep up the brilliant work!
Astonishing video. You taught me so much about how planes work that I'm no longer afraid to tune up my grandpa's No. 4 and give it a shot. Wonderfully well done video. Wood working for human beings indeed. I could hug you.
Rex, You have a great teaching technique. I always looked at this as a part of woodworking I was not really understanding the correct methods and why.; I was looking for just this video. Thanks so much for making this a simple way of pursuing the goal of setting up and maintaining the sharp edge on a plane.
Took me awhile to jive to your style but it’s valuable and appreciated. Excellent instruction and info with less chatter and opinion than others. Well done.
It's always great to know about tools that have a very low barrier to entry. This is awesome, and a plane I would consider buying as a very very occasional and casual woodworker.
Hi Rex, enjoy your videos. Sharpening is very important. I have one of those angle jigs, used it once and threw it in the back of the junk drawer. I invested in the Veritas set up which is highly accurate. I have never used the sand paper method you used. Everything I sharpen starts on DMT Diamond Bench Stones. And then moves to the Norton Wet Stones which goes to 8000 grit. And like you, everything gets a little stropping. Except my razor. It gets a little work on the ceramic 12,000 grit wet stone before a fine stropping. I know this is a more expensive method, but they last a long time and well worth the investment. I have even built a special bench I call my wet bench which has a built in water tank to keep the stones in. It keeps them from cycles of wet/dry which makes them last much longer. Keep up the good work of your video's, your content is great!
Great video. I have a cheap Amazon plane that showed up broken and they shipped another and didn’t even ask for the broken one back... shows you how cheap it was... now I’m going to follow your video to improve it..
First: thank you for making this video! I've been "chomping at the bit" to finally buy a plane and start using it, but have been unsure how to even begin. I'm pretty confident that I can now get started, and know how to maintain the thing. I used the link to Amazon, and that Stanley plane is now $27.00. Not super cheap for a super cheap tool! It's listed as 9 3/4". Your viewers may may like to know about a Kobalt plane, listed as 9.75" (same thing) is only $35.00-- just $8.00 more. AND it doesn't have those hideous adjusters! Found this at Lowe's (three available in stock at my local store. Link below). The Kobalt plane has hardwood handle and knob, as opposed to Stanley's polymer handle and knob. This info is accurate as of 2/13/2020. Generally, I have no problems with polymer parts on tools-- it's strong and durable. But my romantic view of planes doesn't tolerate plastic on these tools. (Sorry, "March Of Time", there are just some traditions you don't mess with!. Oh, and don't "re-invent the wheel" with a more complicated alignment jig-- why "fix" what isn't broken?) Love your vids, Rex, and I'll use this one to tune up my new Kobalt plane when I buy it. Again, thanks! Kobalt plane at Lowe's: www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-9-75-in-Bench-Plane/4069033
Rex u a real one bro. I just got divorced and lost a lot of my tools n stuff. Been trying to replace. Thanks for all the inspiration and motivation dude. Can't wait to do some more. Been working a lot but trying to fit in whittle time in evenings/weekend
How the heck is it you only have 28,000 ? You are a wizard! I have been grumbling over the desire for a lathe for long but thin handles, and that series you did DUDE! I am starting one for 6 foot handles.. THANK YOU! and this on scum planes? Remarkable!
Garage woodworker here. Not a pro. That's the first plane I bought about 4 years ago. Still have it. Still works. That and a block plane pretty much handle my needs
Indeed, almost five years later, walk into any hardware store (and I've been to half a dozen out of curiosity), and these bottom-of-the-barrel planes with the lopsided Stanley stickers are what you will find. It seems like the online outlets (Amazon, etc.) are also making knock-offs of them. Well, "knock-off" might be a bit too generous toward the originals. But the point being, if you're a novice and you're searching for the cheapest way to get into the plane game, this is what you'll end up with. Thanks for a surprisingly understandable introduction to making the most of these ubiquitous tools.
Have this exact plane and didn't know how to use it or adjust it. Just watched this video 1/25/20, removed the adjusters and the tap method worked wonders and I never used a plane before. I took the blade out and worked it on my 1250 and 3000 stones I have and man does it need a lot more work, hills and valleys all over. I had great success for the first time sharping and using this plane.
Thanks a ton for this video. I have one of those planes and can't currently afford an upgrade, i loathe using it because of those stupid adjustment screws. Now i know there's another way. Thanks again, you've saved me hours of frustration.
Thank you Rex, I am very new to woodworking (lockdown distraction) and I was going to dump this plane as "purchase error". After watching this video and after several hour of fiddling I got my first shaving today. Going to fine tune new (with the two hammers method!)
I have a Stanley #4 I got off Amazon and the hammer technique is just what I needed. Those adjustment screw were a huge pain in the a$$, I have seen the hammer technique on home built wooden planes but didn't know it would work for this. Thank you for this information.
So, I watched this and a couple other of your hand planing videos today, when home and tuned my harbor freight plane. It looks just like the one on your video but i bought it 5 years ago from HF. Never could get it to work or any plane for that matter. I can sharpen and flatten and buff and have all the necessary skills but just never really understood the hand plane. Well... it sure was satisfying when that HF plane just took off and performed like a champ, both on edge and on face. The finish was incredible and the shavings just like you showed your buddy. Thank You. Would love to send before and after pic.
I just bought a smaller version of this plane for my ten year old grandson. The Stanley SB3.. It's about the size of a no.3. I'm amazed at how good it is and the adjustment is easy to use. I actually like the thing...
Thank you so much for showing us HOW to actually do something without needing to spend thousands of dollars on machinery to get started. I'm really enjoying watching your videos and am really excited to get started. Now all I need is some space...
There are plenty of factors that you can fine tune to make a plane take off thin and consistent shavings. Flattening the sole is one of them. A cheap plane probably needs it out of the factory, a wooden plane will need it over time.
@@z4zuse I never flattened a plane in my life and they all work fine for me. If the iron is set right and sharp a plane is going to work. I've never seen any evidence that is not the case. In fact I have one really messed up plane here with a big dent in the sole due to severe damage and know what, it works too! Now when I saw that I was like I always knew flattening plane soles was BS. Three legged stools stand up too.
Paul Frederick yeah, when I went to window making school in Germany the first 2 days of workshop where all about our tools and workbench, I never heard about flattening your plane's sole. But if a would have used a metal sole plane I think my teacher would have killed me. There is also so much more that goes into flatting a surface, that your sole being slightly off is not a big deal.
@@Schuhmiball fettling plane soles seems like nonsense to me. I mean yeah if a plane is really warped, bowed or twisted there may be a problem. But an absolute requirement of it being dead flat to within microns? Nah I'm just not seeing it.
This kind of thinking is so familiar, coming from someone who works in an optics lab. I think I might even have my undergrads watch some of these videos to get them started on the optics table. Precision is precision!
I was always taught that no matter how much you spent on a plane, you always flatten out the bottom. I have heard that even the more expensive ones tend to have little issues like that. I have a 30 something year old plane that was one of the cheapest in the day I’m sure and it’s lasted me years with no issues. Of course, I’m not doing the most amazing work out there either but for general work, it has served me fine. As long as you properly care for your tools, even cheap hand tools can work great.
I just started using this plane. It was very frustrating trying to get it adjusted. Just terrible design. Your video saved this plane from the scrapyard. Thank You. Very helpful video.
Tip for flattening on sandpaper - buy 100 grit fabric backed sandpaper and use some kind of oil for lubrication. Chainsaw oil works well. The oil will trap that cancerogenous dust and actually suck the plane into sandpaper, increasing its efficacy. Once it's black with iron, wipe the oil with a rag. Sandpaper will be clean again, repeat as necessary.
Your videos are good for schools. It explains a lot about the principles of cutting tools. I started with this thing just in my dads' messed up shed not knowing that much about it but understood it on my own for quiet a stretch, this would've tuned me so much better. Nowadays just a viewer of vids due to accident, I miss creating.
Thanks Rex this is a super video! I have one of these planes and have always found it frustrating to use. I decided I wanted to do some woodwork this year, and with all the nice LN and Veritas planes out of stock just about everywhere I have been stuck with this old Stanley. I flattened the base and the back of the blade, and ground a fresh clean bevel and this has made a big difference - but now realising I can do without the adjustment screws is really transformative.
I’ve been using this Stanley from Lowe’s for a number of years but never thought if it requires tune and adjust. Now it’s time to do that. Great video, thanks!
one of the first youtube videos on plane tuning where they are not using 15 tons of force on their sandpaper when flattening the sole. I would recommend using windex sprayed onto the sandpaper to let the iron filings come off the sandpaper, they float off the sandpaper and don't get inside your breathing toobs.
Thanks for this! Literally just bought this plane. I'm not new to woodworking, just don't have much money. I've always been used to vintage tools out of dad's shop and trying to build my own collection has been a daunting task. When I first busted this out it I was so mad I'd wasted my money. This will help me get up and running do some basic woodworking. Thanks again!
I’m working on restoring a smoothing plane today with my four year old, and he loves it. Just have to keep the blade away from him! I/we love restoring older tools, and prefer this type of content.
Thank you so much for your video. I have a tatty old plane and had no idea how to fix it. Your video is so easy to follow and now I have a lovely working plane. Hours of sanding are a thing of the past :-)
Thanx for all the tips Rex. I just bough my first plane. A local cheapo brand that looks just as the one you presented if not even more crappy in finish. But thanx to your advice I managed to make it quite servicable.
A lot of really good knowledge in this video. Thank you for your clear, reasonable explanations that take a lot of the mystery out of wood working for those just getting into the craft. Actually, even for those of us that have been doing it a while you make good interesting points. Now if there were just some way to get notified of upcoming videos...
@@kairu_aname there is an option to send a tweet when posting a video on youtube. It's by far the most consistent way to get notified, but the creator has to decide to enable that.
@@kairu_aname were you being sarcastic and referring to the yt one? It is wildly inconsistent, and tends to just not send out notifications for hours, or even days. and even with the bell on all it sometimes just refuses to notify me about some videos.
In Australia its called the SB40. Like any plane lube on the sole is a must this plane will certainly benefit. Rob Cosman uses and sells a linseed/wax mixture, Paul Sellers uses a tin stuffed with a roll of fabric that is soaked in (Singer sewing, 3 in 1) machine oil. My preference despite myself is the Paul Sellers where the sole glides without much effort, the wax needs to be warmed up by a bit of friction Both finishes prevent rusting. I finally obtained one of these SB40s in a box of tools from auction. It's just a spoke shave with growing problems.
15:06 I was told 51 years ago, under the threat of Mr Collins' (our woodwork teacher) belt, to *never* put a plane down on the blade like that and to always lay it on its side so the blade edge was not inadvertently damaged. Guess the steel the blades are made of are a lot stronger now. Appreciate the refresher on blade sharpening. Thanks.
IT was never a an issue of the steel. IT was more an issue of who was using the plane, youths are a bit rough on the planes. Mechanically, unless you are on hard rough surface like concrete or metal, it is safer to have it sole down for both iron and the user.
A few months ago I got the Harbor Freight No 33 Bench Plane and tried it (same style as this one). I assumed I just didn't have the skill because I sucked so bad at it and tucked it away and forgot about it. I'm also still very much learning woodworking, so lack of education did not help. Today I found your video and I was reminded of my bench plane and I decided to grab it and check it out. For one, and I didn't realize it until today, the blade was put wrong at factory and it was also not sharpened, I should have known better and tried sharpening it first... Two, I did the sandpaper trick on the bottom and found out that, well, the middle was flat but the toe and heel was very much *not flat*. And the back of the blade is very much not flat either. I'm still working on the bottom of the plane and I'm kind of regretting not taking the tool back originally because of how bad it is. But it's out of the return date so I'm going to work at it until its fixed. Worst $12.99 I ever spent. 😅
I followed this video with my spear and jackson no. 5. I bought a really cheap set of diamond stones ranging from 200 to 2000. And its not perfect by any means but its definitely the sharpest ive ever been able to get a blade in my life. Unfortunately the firet go around i somehow sharpened the iron with a huge skew even with the honong guide. So i used a file to grind it back to pretty dang close to square and started over. Its good that im learning all this and getting my fuck ups out of the way before i someday get a quality plane. Thanks for the help Rex!
Love your idiot proof videos! You have a way to explain everything in it's simplest form! Just an FYI, when you were "grinding your iron you have the jig's wheel on the paper. Changing over to the honing, it is not on that paper altering the angle. I built myself a honing guide last year and found that can make a huge difference in the length of time it takes to remove the heavy grit marks. Keep up the good work!!!
Well this one.got me to subscribe! Very very very informative. Product reveiw, product tuning, blade sharpening, history listens, alternate tuning methods! Look forward to more of your work.
Rex, you’re the master ! I just bought this and then read all the negative reviews about it. *(should have read the reviews first) You’ve given me hope
Hi Rex. I enjoy your videos. I'm not much of a woodworker but developed a plane fetish some 25 years ago when i got into woodturning. Bought a similar plane made by Annant. Very cheaply. I think i bought it for the blade but whatever i fettled it and its an excellent tool. Almost as good as a No4 bailey. One thing though that you haven't mentioned (in videos i have watched so far.) You don't mention the backlash in the adjusting screw(s) which all metal planes have. This design of plane relys on the the screws to stop the blade slipping back and always need to be snugged up to the blade. Otherwise you are relying on the cap being very tight to stop the blade slipping. No need to use a hammer. Smooth the gaps in the blade. Smooth inside the adjusting screws where they bear on the blade. Rub candle wax over the contact area and always snug the adhuster to take up any slop. Hope you don't mind my comment.
Thanks Rex. After watching this video and a couple of your other ones I went to buy a smoothing plane. I decided not to go cheap so rather than pick up the $25 I went for the Trojan TJ8040 plane $65 that had the same sort of adjustment as the old Bailey plane. Get home with sandpaper in hand 150 grit. Err the sole had a dip in the middle that ran the length of the plane. No worries. 2hrs later dip gone. 😟 Plane rusts in 2secs flat. So I grab some old very used engine oil and just soak it. Clean it up. Problem solved even after washing off oil. Next bland. Went well with 25'. Tried a cut. Not impressed by how sloppy the adjustment is but once I got it set ohh magic .1mm cuts very fine.
Btw i live in Australia. You may notice few spots on the sole that are a different colour. These I think are where there have been bubbles in the casting that they have simply applied welds to fill in. I keep thinking that I should have bought a Stanley, which was $20 more but I don't know if it would have been better.
I got a similar plane from my neighbour's garage sale, it's a German-made No.3, but had no iron or cap. Did still have those crappy screw adjusters though. I made a new iron and cap for it, but I wish I'd thought of just not using the adjusters, would have saved me the trouble of cutting those slots in the iron. I put a heavy camber on it and use it as a scrub plane, it's great.
Full disclosure: I am not a woodworker. I am an engineer who is starting to do a few projects in retirement.
If I may offer some advice - When your sandpaper starts to get loaded up with iron filings or anything do not reach for a brush and scatter the dust all over your shop. Instead, turn on your shop vac* and suck it up. Much cleaner. Thanks for all your videos. I find them very helpful.
*If you don't have a shop vac, why not?
I think my favorite part of this video is how succinctly you were able to prove the "tap adjustment" method works in a way that can't be gainsaid - each step of the process is followed by an immediate hands-on demonstration (based on a method previously used and described in the video) of its practical effect on the workpiece. Tap tap, take a shaving; tap tap, take a shaving; tap tap, take a shaving. It's beautifully simple, and I feel like it's exactly the kind of thing that would get left out of a more advanced demonstration of the process.
Well done, Rex.
Rex,
I'm about 1 year into woodworking, and even have some local awards for my beginner stuff. In fact, your 6 board chest was part of what helped get me going.
This video just helped me solve my plane problem. The cheep plane I have been fighting with for 8 months about had me ready to load it into our trebuchet and use it for target practice, but I looked back at your old video's, saw this, and holy s***! That was the answer. Pulling the screws out and using a hammer to tap it....I'm getting BEAUTIFUL shavings now that are just a sight to behold.
Keep up the good work! And God bless you!
Cisco
Wow, Rex! I clicked on this video expecting a brief tune up of a cheap plane. What I got was an amazingly in-depth look at how woodworking doesn't depend on expensive tools but the time, effort, & ingenuity one puts in to the project and figuring out to over come hurdles that you face. Thanks for all the time & effort you put into this video and your channel!
It's my pleasure! The craft has given me so much. I want other people to get the joy and relaxation I get from making things.
Brutally long winded.
@@brothajonze yet nothing superfluous was said
on the subject of cheap woodworking (and since the use of sandpaper is an integral part of this video) i want to point out that you can buy a huge ass block of sandpaper cleaner for fifteen bucks that'll clean all the crud out of your sandpaper, like a huge pencil eraser.
i (and i'm pretty sure most people here) didn't even know those existed until a skater (who uses the stuff to clean his grip tape) pointed it out to me and i didn't have to buy new belts for my belt sander ever since.
I bought a Harbor Freight that looks like your plane's brother. for $13. I flattened it and sharpened it and hated it because of those adjusters. Tomorrow, they are coming off so i can try the tapping trick. I have my hope restored. Thank you.
My pleasure. I'm thinking of doing a video on that HF plane. What do you think? Worth the time?
I did carpentry and joinery when I was super young at school. The teachers didn't teach you how to set up the tools or how to keep them in good conditions. I feel like that was one of their biggest failures. Thank you for the wealth of knowledge for free.
This is by far the most reasonable and useful introduction to setting up and using a metal handplane I found on the net. Very well done, thank you!
Just for kicks and giggles, search RUclips for Japanese Plane competitions. Instructionals on making your own block planes is pretty stinking interesting...
Thanks. You are a great instructor, extremely clear, not only telling someone what to do but why to do it. Can't thank you enough. Been doing home woodworking for 30 years and my father's Stanley Nos 4 and 6 have been sitting there looking at me all the time, unused. Time to get busy.
Best regards,
John from SF, CA
Well, I just finished following these steps on this exact plane.
Either the Gator brand sandpaper I can get here is junk, or the overall finish of my plane was much worse than yours, because it took forever.
I ended up going down a grit to 150 to do the bulk of the work, then finishing with 220 for a final pass, and I actually used up 4 sheets of sandpaper, to the point that no amount of sweeping would un-clog them. I probably removed three tablespoons of iron dust.
I am delighted to report that the results are fantastic! I followed the sharpening steps using automotive paper, no strop, and although my results are not quite as hair shavingly perfect as yours Rex, they now cut a beautiful shavings on wood!
I also took the time to run the same process of flattening and sharpening on the little Stanley block plane i had from the local hardware store that I was previously disappointed in, and now I'm proud to announce it is actually a working little plane! Thanks for all the tips, you've inspired me to actually get started on so many projects!
It’s the gator sandpaper. That stuff is crap lol
Thank you for not being the average RUclips person who believes you must have the most expensive items to do a hobby or side hustle.
Liked the video. I relocated to Malaysia some time ago and sadly there is no DIY tradition here despite having a Mr DIY chain. Most tools are cheap and not so cheerful and Home Depot style stores don't exist. You don't just roll up cruise the aisles and load your trolley with goodies. You really have to hunt for the basics. On my last trip to Oz I managed to bring back two old Stanley planes and I'll probably get one decent plane out of them plus spares. I've brought a few cheap tools from China online and so far so good. In fact a cheap Japanese style pull saw helped solve a major frustration for me. Damage to my wrist means I cant hold a conventional pistol grip push saw properly and no matter how hard I try can't get straight cuts. Using a pull saw made woodwork fun again.
I can relate. I've had wrist problems. You just keep adapting. Glad you're back at it!
Rex, you not only KNOW your stuff, but you are wonderfully skillful at getting it across to us. Many thanks!!
You're very kind to say so!
It's true.
some smart guy once said that you don't actually understand a subject if you can't explain in a way a child can understand.
15:05 - My old high school wood working teacher would have pulled me by the ear and dragged me around the workshop if I dropped the plane on the bench like you did Rex, It always had to go in the tool well angled, or, IF it were left on the bench it had to be placed side down, so as not to damage or ding the edge of the cutting iron. It's great watching your videos. It brings up lots of fond and not so fond memories for me. My shoulders are big enough to enjoy the lot, regardless. Keep up the good work.
Another popular woodworker on RUclips who was a former teacher explained this was because any damage to the irons or planes needed sorting out by the teachers and the budget was usually tight. So by not dropping them on bench, on top of nails screws chisels etc, or knocking them onto floor from edge of bench it saved time and money. No problem with your plane being put down like that if you are careful or accept the risk.
The workbench isn't going to damage the plane iron, but the plane iron might mar the bench surface (although that just means you need to practice your planing to correct it). Just think about it, you put the iron onto wood all the time, every single stroke of the plane, it doesn't break the iron then. Putting it down on other hardened steel tools might do something, but the solution there is to not leave sharp chisels or the like laying around where you are going to drop stuff on them.
@@coopercummings8370 Yes what you say is correct, perhaps I should have rephrased, it issue was with maintaining the sharp edge of the iron, and not carelessly dulling the edge before time. Cheers.
As a musical instrument maker for fifty years, I can corroborate that planing is satisfying.
Nice work again. Cheers from sunny Vienna, Scott
Hi Scott, what instruments do you make? I’m making my first violin right now.
@@mrgolftennisviolin Cool. Although I've repaired many a violin, I've never actually made one. The closest have been a couple vielles, sort of a medieval violin. I'm mostly a historical bowmaker, but I also build lots of stringed instruments, from kitharas to psaltery harps. If you want to hear a sample of what my lyre sounds like, check this out: soundcloud.com/scott-wallace-189088488/cauliflower
Good luck on your first violin! I'll have to get around to making one someday, but if so, after my own design and five stringed.
cheers from foggy Vienna, Scott
"...if you are new to this, go ahead and take a few strokes. You might be really surprised at how satisfying this sensation is..."
Fair enough.
I'm tempted to offer the standard 'That's what she said' joke here, but.... Nah.... Too easy. 😀
Need to make a shirt with just a plane on the front and this on the back.
@@colenattermann9464 I don't buy merch, but I'd consider buying that. lol
Use a little honing compound if it does not work right away.
Thank you so much, Rex! When starting with woodworking, I bought a cheap 25 € Stanley plane that was real bad. I tinkered about with it quite some time and could get it work until the Y-yoke broke. My next step was to buy a vintage stanley plane and restore it. It has turned out to be a phantastic tool. After watching this video I made up my mind to tune the cheap Stanley after your suggestions: I got rid of the adjusting yoke and nut, ground the sole, sharpened the knife and it´s way better now. I know how to adjust a wooden plane but until watching your video I would not have thought of the idea to adjust a cast iron plane like that. So this helped me a lot and now I got a second plae that I can use.
I was about to spend $2000 on power tool for wood working, but i realized ive collected more tools than i need over the years to build quality projects, now i just have to get going!
I have all the big power tools, but I'm constantly shocked at how little it takes to get going.
I am a carpenter by trade, but My goal is to have a nice wood working shop like my grandpa did, so i started collecting all the basic hand tools for joinery. I inherited his craftsman miter saw, and i bought other small power tools second hand, circular saw, jig saw etc. i recently bought a grizzly table saw which i love and im planning to build cabinets for the shop and a few work benches. Ive been researching for a long time to see what is best for me. I just found your channel and i really like the roman bench, and the other basic bench. So instead of buying a brand new jointer, planer and band saw, im going to save that money, use it for more old school hand tools and get good and using all the hand tools i have and use the builds from your channel. My wife will be happy haha. Thanks
This is so incredibly helpful.. thank you!!! my Dad was a woodworker and he passed 5 years ago without passing his knowledge along.. this is so incredibly helpful!! Please continue!!!
I sure will! Glad it helped.
I have the same plane type and I never liked the adjusters but I didn't think about tapping it like a wooden plane. I did take the world's worst block plane and did the same truing method you used and it worked perfectly. Thanks for posting this very useful tutorial.
This is exactly the kind of thing I've always wanted. Just someone to walk me through a tool or a technique without making me feel self conscious or without judgement. this is so valuable to so many of us, thank you
You're very welcome!
Seeing you remove the adjusters was a revelation.
I have this same plane and I was shocked hahahahaha!
Until you go through the frustration of tapping it with the hammer all the time and you wish you just had a normal adjuster
@@Simon-oy7kf It doesn't sound like you have the patience, or a light touch. You may be more suited for the other end of woodworking. A lumberjack? Or maybe a portable sawmill owner-operator...??? There is a place for rough cuts. Just as necessary and valuable as the fine cuts.
@@johnshilling2221 you do realise that adjusters also prevent the blade from sliding back when you actually use the plane, don't you? nice thoughts for youtube but dont apply in real life
That is basically how you adjust a wood plane. Never thought of doing with a Stanley. I'll have to try that! BTW you can pickup a wood plane on Amazon for about the same price as the Stanley:
www.amazon.com/YOGEON-Woodworking-Carpenter-Woodcraft-Smoothing/dp/B08242WCKR
I did not like my Stanley no 4, until it got stolen, I needed it and couldn't afford a new one. I had to settle for an eBay no4 (brand new) which I got for the equivalent of 10 USD, but by following your videos, I ended up with a good working plane, the setup was time consuming but well worth it. Thank you for all your help. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I like how you induce "problems" to answer questions people probably didn't know they had, like "These parts of the sole are important, don't kill yourself over this part." or "Mechanical adjusters have been around for hundreds of years, but planes have been around for thousands" or "Oops, I went too far. Here is how you can fix that". I've come across a few things in videos and my own work, so I watch and "ask questions" you may have generated from something you said. You do a good job of answering those questions, very comprehensive!
Maybe show a Japanese Kanna: those planes still work off of hammers for adjustment for those who may think your technique is old and "ghetto". Then, show them the competitions they have using those in Japan! That's not just to show it works, but to show it is a standard, and preferred method by experienced woodworkers to this day.
I really do need to add some Kanna planes to the mix. You're not the first person to suggest this.
Rex, I discovered you recently and love your stuff. This particular video impressed me because of your thorough and brutally honest assessment of the flaws and upsides of this tool, and giving the solution of removing those crappy adjusters, which truly are a pain. I decided to join your Patreon crew directly because of this video. I really appreciate your close to the ground approach to teaching for those of us lacking a workshop loaded with tools and built up over many years. And fortunately for me, I live in rural Maine where, once we get past this damned pandemic, is constantly alive with flea markets and old tools waiting to be restored to good purpose. Thanks for your good work Rex, you are benefitting many.
Based on this demonstration I thought I’d get this plane and try it out instead of buying an expensive plane right away. I think the skills learned in tuning this up would serve me well if I did buy an expensive plane later. Thanks Rex. You are a gift to us guys beginning this hobby
This has been my go-to scrub plane for years! Ever since you made the Roman workbench, I added an aggressive 8 inch camber and this thing hogs off material like nobody's business. This video was the one that got me hooked!
I've got one of these Stanley planes, and I hated it. Now, after this video, I love it! Thanks Rex!
For sharpening, I work it with diamond grit 200, 400, 600 and 800 then go to the slow leather stropping wheel with green compound to get a beautifully polished super sharp edge. It works great for chisels, knives, blades and razors.
19:50 Here I realised, that this video shows everything I need! The plain I bought some years ago was even cheeper. A wooden plain in a German hardwarestore for 13€. And it has no blade adjusters what so ever.
I think I will buy some sandpaper, some sharpening jig and probably a wooden hammer now. Love this video!
You don’t need adjusters, just tap blade gently to make deeper,turn plane over and tap on bench to make shallower.
I have watched a number of videos over the past 2 years that were pretty much what you have done in this video. It proves that it is the user and not the tool. Thanks for the great video. Looking forward to the bench build.
Thanks a lot! I'm glad you got something out of it. (For the record, it's not a great tool, but you can make it work).
If you look on amazon you can get a normal style plane with wooden handles made by draper but its a tiny bit more expensive. Ive never seen a review on them or even used a draper plane but judging by the quality of other draper tools it would probably be a good plane
Can't wait to use your advice: curving the cutting knife, dealing with scratches, getting rid of those annoying adjusting knobs. Did a bit of research when I bought this same plane a few years back, but this video is so in-depth. Really appreciate the care you put into these videos and taking the time to break down this tool specifically.
Thankyou for highlighting how to prepare a planes cutting iron. I am a newcomer to woodworking and videos like this inspire me to learn more. Again, thankyou for sharing your expertise...much appreciated.
Thank you for this video, Rex. I got one of these from my brother when he passed away, but the horrible adjustment system was driving me to abandon it almost before I got started. I'll be taking those adjusters out now!
Great video! My Stanley Jackplane is 40 years old. Often i sharpen it and plane wood just for the pleasure of it. Beautiful super thin shavings
I have one of these Rex. I left the adjusters in mine. Move one a little and then turn it back to take up the slack, test. Just never try to wind one a long way back without moving the other adjuster. I had already flattened the chip breaker and the sole. It really is a win for the price.
When i got my first plane the adjustment were like that one but the body was bent sheet metal and i took out the knobs too thinking it was some kind of sacrilegious thing to do, but hey, if it works, it works and now it is my go to scrub plane. Keep this no frills woodworking videos coming, they are great!
Cool! I'm glad I'm not the only one.
I've had this plane for at least 15 years. I've used it probably 3 times. Until this week. This week I filled up half of a 30 gallon garbage can with wood shavings. Just because it was more fun than stopping. Thanks for the advice. I am predominantly a machine guy, but have to say, lately I'm all about the planes and hand saws.
Great video Rex. It's good to know that not all professionals pan the tools a lot of us can afford. It gives me a sense of reassurance that I've not totally wasted money on the tools I can buy.
Not at all! I plane is just a jig that holds a blade. Doesn't need to be fancy. Don't get discouraged!
have had the same plane for a couple of years - will definitely try the 'no adjusters adjustment'...
Try the "Make a better plane with it" adjustment. Great way to lose a couple pairs of socks.
Rex you're a very good speaker. It's easy to learn from you. I know a lot of what you're explaining which makes me confident that stuff that's new to me is going to be correct and your demonstration shows that you are. Thank you! One tip for you: pay a little more attention to the clarity of your hand signals.
Picked up a job-lot of old tools including one of these. So far stuck with the adjusters but after flattening the sole and back of the iron honing it up as you describe it works just great. Used it on bottom of a couple of internal doors and for smoothing off some pine on a box I am making, light and easy to carry about in tool bag, useful cheap tool, thanks for your videos.will give it a go without adjusters.
Talk about timing... ok, yeah, this was made in 2019. It is now Oct 1, 2022 and I was looking for a plane since I live in an apartment where you can't do a lot outside (well, you can do some unless you get caught)... well, lo and behold, I run across this video on a plane that is within my budget. This is what I like about Rex and his channel. We can do it if we set our minds to it and think creatively. Seriously thinking I'll buy this plan ($22.99 on Amazon as of today) and use the knowledge he shared to add this to my inexpensive arsenal. Thanks, Rex.
You're an excellent educator! I know essentially zero about woodworking, and now I've been introduced to the topic of planes in a most effective manner. Thank you. I've subscribed and chosen to get alerts about new videos!
Awesome, thank you!
Damn. I bought this plane and hated these adjusters. Removing them and teaching the "tapping" technique was revealing. Thank you for this!
Totally my pleasure!
"It pretty much is crap, but it never stopped me" great quote. You're doing a great job, rex. Love your vids so much.
Hi from London! Another great video. As an oldie newbie to hobby woodworking it’s good to watch a video that shows how to do it without spending ££££'S! Thanks, keep up the brilliant work!
Astonishing video. You taught me so much about how planes work that I'm no longer afraid to tune up my grandpa's No. 4 and give it a shot. Wonderfully well done video. Wood working for human beings indeed. I could hug you.
Rex, You have a great teaching technique. I always looked at this as a part of woodworking I was not really understanding the correct methods and why.; I was looking for just this video. Thanks so much for making this a simple way of pursuing the goal of setting up and maintaining the sharp edge on a plane.
My pleasure!
Took me awhile to jive to your style but it’s valuable and appreciated. Excellent instruction and info with less chatter and opinion than others. Well done.
It's always great to know about tools that have a very low barrier to entry. This is awesome, and a plane I would consider buying as a very very occasional and casual woodworker.
Hi Rex, enjoy your videos. Sharpening is very important. I have one of those angle jigs, used it once and threw it in the back of the junk drawer.
I invested in the Veritas set up which is highly accurate.
I have never used the sand paper method you used. Everything I sharpen starts on DMT Diamond Bench Stones.
And then moves to the Norton Wet Stones which goes to 8000 grit.
And like you, everything gets a little stropping.
Except my razor. It gets a little work on the ceramic 12,000 grit wet stone before a fine stropping.
I know this is a more expensive method, but they last a long time and well worth the investment.
I have even built a special bench I call my wet bench which has a built in water tank to keep the stones in.
It keeps them from cycles of wet/dry which makes them last much longer.
Keep up the good work of your video's, your content is great!
Great video. I have a cheap Amazon plane that showed up broken and they shipped another and didn’t even ask for the broken one back... shows you how cheap it was... now I’m going to follow your video to improve it..
First: thank you for making this video! I've been "chomping at the bit" to finally buy a plane and start using it, but have been unsure how to even begin. I'm pretty confident that I can now get started, and know how to maintain the thing.
I used the link to Amazon, and that Stanley plane is now $27.00. Not super cheap for a super cheap tool! It's listed as 9 3/4". Your viewers may may like to know about a Kobalt plane, listed as 9.75" (same thing) is only $35.00-- just $8.00 more. AND it doesn't have those hideous adjusters! Found this at Lowe's (three available in stock at my local store. Link below). The Kobalt plane has hardwood handle and knob, as opposed to Stanley's polymer handle and knob.
This info is accurate as of 2/13/2020.
Generally, I have no problems with polymer parts on tools-- it's strong and durable. But my romantic view of planes doesn't tolerate plastic on these tools. (Sorry, "March Of Time", there are just some traditions you don't mess with!. Oh, and don't "re-invent the wheel" with a more complicated alignment jig-- why "fix" what isn't broken?)
Love your vids, Rex, and I'll use this one to tune up my new Kobalt plane when I buy it. Again, thanks!
Kobalt plane at Lowe's:
www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-9-75-in-Bench-Plane/4069033
Rex u a real one bro.
I just got divorced and lost a lot of my tools n stuff. Been trying to replace.
Thanks for all the inspiration and motivation dude. Can't wait to do some more. Been working a lot but trying to fit in whittle time in evenings/weekend
How the heck is it you only have 28,000 ? You are a wizard! I have been grumbling over the desire for a lathe for long but thin handles, and that series you did DUDE! I am starting one for 6 foot handles.. THANK YOU!
and this on scum planes? Remarkable!
You're very kind. I think I'm lucky to have the great viewers I do have. Thanks so much for the kind thoughts!
Garage woodworker here. Not a pro. That's the first plane I bought about 4 years ago. Still have it. Still works. That and a block plane pretty much handle my needs
Indeed, almost five years later, walk into any hardware store (and I've been to half a dozen out of curiosity), and these bottom-of-the-barrel planes with the lopsided Stanley stickers are what you will find. It seems like the online outlets (Amazon, etc.) are also making knock-offs of them. Well, "knock-off" might be a bit too generous toward the originals. But the point being, if you're a novice and you're searching for the cheapest way to get into the plane game, this is what you'll end up with. Thanks for a surprisingly understandable introduction to making the most of these ubiquitous tools.
Have this exact plane and didn't know how to use it or adjust it. Just watched this video 1/25/20, removed the adjusters and the tap method worked wonders and I never used a plane before. I took the blade out and worked it on my 1250 and 3000 stones I have and man does it need a lot more work, hills and valleys all over. I had great success for the first time sharping and using this plane.
Thanks a ton for this video. I have one of those planes and can't currently afford an upgrade, i loathe using it because of those stupid adjustment screws. Now i know there's another way. Thanks again, you've saved me hours of frustration.
That was some black magic right there!
Thank you Rex, I am very new to woodworking (lockdown distraction) and I was going to dump this plane as "purchase error". After watching this video and after several hour of fiddling I got my first shaving today. Going to fine tune new (with the two hammers method!)
I have a Stanley #4 I got off Amazon and the hammer technique is just what I needed. Those adjustment screw were a huge pain in the a$$, I have seen the hammer technique on home built wooden planes but didn't know it would work for this. Thank you for this information.
So, I watched this and a couple other of your hand planing videos today, when home and tuned my harbor freight plane. It looks just like the one on your video but i bought it 5 years ago from HF. Never could get it to work or any plane for that matter. I can sharpen and flatten and buff and have all the necessary skills but just never really understood the hand plane. Well... it sure was satisfying when that HF plane just took off and performed like a champ, both on edge and on face. The finish was incredible and the shavings just like you showed your buddy. Thank You. Would love to send before and after pic.
Hi Rex
I owned and used this plane for over 20 years.
One of the most reliable tools I have had.
Great video Rex.
Regards
Dave UK
I just bought a smaller version of this plane for my ten year old grandson. The Stanley SB3..
It's about the size of a no.3. I'm amazed at how good it is and the adjustment is easy to use. I actually like the thing...
bought this plane yesterday, unknowingly.. Thx to this video it was not a total waste of money! thx
Hammer adjustment is just so cool honestly
Thanks!
Thank you so much for showing us HOW to actually do something without needing to spend thousands of dollars on machinery to get started. I'm really enjoying watching your videos and am really excited to get started. Now all I need is some space...
Important to flatten the sole with the plane iron mounted (as you did).
This allows for the right tension in the plane body.
Is it really that important to fettle plane soles? That's a rhetorical question BTW. Because I really don't think that it is.
There are plenty of factors that you can fine tune to make a plane take off thin and consistent shavings. Flattening the sole is one of them. A cheap plane probably needs it out of the factory, a wooden plane will need it over time.
@@z4zuse I never flattened a plane in my life and they all work fine for me. If the iron is set right and sharp a plane is going to work. I've never seen any evidence that is not the case. In fact I have one really messed up plane here with a big dent in the sole due to severe damage and know what, it works too! Now when I saw that I was like I always knew flattening plane soles was BS. Three legged stools stand up too.
Paul Frederick yeah, when I went to window making school in Germany the first 2 days of workshop where all about our tools and workbench, I never heard about flattening your plane's sole. But if a would have used a metal sole plane I think my teacher would have killed me. There is also so much more that goes into flatting a surface, that your sole being slightly off is not a big deal.
@@Schuhmiball fettling plane soles seems like nonsense to me. I mean yeah if a plane is really warped, bowed or twisted there may be a problem. But an absolute requirement of it being dead flat to within microns? Nah I'm just not seeing it.
This kind of thinking is so familiar, coming from someone who works in an optics lab. I think I might even have my undergrads watch some of these videos to get them started on the optics table. Precision is precision!
I was always taught that no matter how much you spent on a plane, you always flatten out the bottom. I have heard that even the more expensive ones tend to have little issues like that. I have a 30 something year old plane that was one of the cheapest in the day I’m sure and it’s lasted me years with no issues. Of course, I’m not doing the most amazing work out there either but for general work, it has served me fine. As long as you properly care for your tools, even cheap hand tools can work great.
I just started using this plane. It was very frustrating trying to get it adjusted. Just terrible design. Your video saved this plane from the scrapyard. Thank You. Very helpful video.
Tip for flattening on sandpaper - buy 100 grit fabric backed sandpaper and use some kind of oil for lubrication. Chainsaw oil works well. The oil will trap that cancerogenous dust and actually suck the plane into sandpaper, increasing its efficacy. Once it's black with iron, wipe the oil with a rag. Sandpaper will be clean again, repeat as necessary.
Your videos are good for schools. It explains a lot about the principles of cutting tools. I started with this thing just in my dads' messed up shed not knowing that much about it but understood it on my own for quiet a stretch, this would've tuned me so much better. Nowadays just a viewer of vids due to accident, I miss creating.
Thanks Rex this is a super video! I have one of these planes and have always found it frustrating to use. I decided I wanted to do some woodwork this year, and with all the nice LN and Veritas planes out of stock just about everywhere I have been stuck with this old Stanley. I flattened the base and the back of the blade, and ground a fresh clean bevel and this has made a big difference - but now realising I can do without the adjustment screws is really transformative.
I’ve been using this Stanley from Lowe’s for a number of years but never thought if it requires tune and adjust. Now it’s time to do that. Great video, thanks!
one of the first youtube videos on plane tuning where they are not using 15 tons of force on their sandpaper when flattening the sole. I would recommend using windex sprayed onto the sandpaper to let the iron filings come off the sandpaper, they float off the sandpaper and don't get inside your breathing toobs.
Thanks for this! Literally just bought this plane. I'm not new to woodworking, just don't have much money. I've always been used to vintage tools out of dad's shop and trying to build my own collection has been a daunting task. When I first busted this out it I was so mad I'd wasted my money. This will help me get up and running do some basic woodworking. Thanks again!
I’m working on restoring a smoothing plane today with my four year old, and he loves it. Just have to keep the blade away from him! I/we love restoring older tools, and prefer this type of content.
Great video. Really liked the manual tuning instruction at the end. Whatever it takes to make tools more usable...
Whatever it takes.
Thank you so much for your video. I have a tatty old plane and had no idea how to fix it. Your video is so easy to follow and now I have a lovely working plane. Hours of sanding are a thing of the past :-)
Thanx for all the tips Rex. I just bough my first plane. A local cheapo brand that looks just as the one you presented if not even more crappy in finish. But thanx to your advice I managed to make it quite servicable.
That's really great to hear!
A lot of really good knowledge in this video. Thank you for your clear, reasonable explanations that take a lot of the mystery out of wood working for those just getting into the craft. Actually, even for those of us that have been doing it a while you make good interesting points. Now if there were just some way to get notified of upcoming videos...
They still haven't come up with a good way of notification yet.
@@kairu_aname there is an option to send a tweet when posting a video on youtube. It's by far the most consistent way to get notified, but the creator has to decide to enable that.
@@marcusborderlands6177
But there is no notification system. If only there was.
@@kairu_aname were you being sarcastic and referring to the yt one? It is wildly inconsistent, and tends to just not send out notifications for hours, or even days. and even with the bell on all it sometimes just refuses to notify me about some videos.
@@marcusborderlands6177
I was referring to the video.
The video made a joke about it.
We made a joke about it.
You didn't get the joke.
Great video. It's like the old saying about a craftsman never blaming their tools.
In Australia its called the SB40. Like any plane lube on the sole is a must this plane will certainly benefit. Rob Cosman uses and sells a linseed/wax mixture, Paul Sellers uses a tin stuffed with a roll of fabric that is soaked in (Singer sewing, 3 in 1) machine oil. My preference despite myself is the Paul Sellers where the sole glides without much effort, the wax needs to be warmed up by a bit of friction Both finishes prevent rusting. I finally obtained one of these SB40s in a box of tools from auction. It's just a spoke shave with growing problems.
15:06 I was told 51 years ago, under the threat of Mr Collins' (our woodwork teacher) belt, to *never* put a plane down on the blade like that and to always lay it on its side so the blade edge was not inadvertently damaged. Guess the steel the blades are made of are a lot stronger now.
Appreciate the refresher on blade sharpening. Thanks.
IT was never a an issue of the steel. IT was more an issue of who was using the plane, youths are a bit rough on the planes. Mechanically, unless you are on hard rough surface like concrete or metal, it is safer to have it sole down for both iron and the user.
"Dual adjuster system" hammer 1 and hammer 2
Adjusting with a hammer is the best trick I have learned this week. Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge.
A few months ago I got the Harbor Freight No 33 Bench Plane and tried it (same style as this one). I assumed I just didn't have the skill because I sucked so bad at it and tucked it away and forgot about it. I'm also still very much learning woodworking, so lack of education did not help. Today I found your video and I was reminded of my bench plane and I decided to grab it and check it out.
For one, and I didn't realize it until today, the blade was put wrong at factory and it was also not sharpened, I should have known better and tried sharpening it first... Two, I did the sandpaper trick on the bottom and found out that, well, the middle was flat but the toe and heel was very much *not flat*. And the back of the blade is very much not flat either. I'm still working on the bottom of the plane and I'm kind of regretting not taking the tool back originally because of how bad it is. But it's out of the return date so I'm going to work at it until its fixed.
Worst $12.99 I ever spent. 😅
I followed this video with my spear and jackson no. 5. I bought a really cheap set of diamond stones ranging from 200 to 2000. And its not perfect by any means but its definitely the sharpest ive ever been able to get a blade in my life.
Unfortunately the firet go around i somehow sharpened the iron with a huge skew even with the honong guide. So i used a file to grind it back to pretty dang close to square and started over. Its good that im learning all this and getting my fuck ups out of the way before i someday get a quality plane.
Thanks for the help Rex!
Love your idiot proof videos! You have a way to explain everything in it's simplest form!
Just an FYI, when you were "grinding your iron you have the jig's wheel on the paper. Changing over to the honing, it is not on that paper altering the angle. I built myself a honing guide last year and found that can make a huge difference in the length of time it takes to remove the heavy grit marks.
Keep up the good work!!!
Well this one.got me to subscribe! Very very very informative. Product reveiw, product tuning, blade sharpening, history listens, alternate tuning methods! Look forward to more of your work.
Rex, you’re the master ! I just bought this and then read all the negative reviews about it. *(should have read the reviews first) You’ve given me hope
Thank you so much for this video. I was struggling with those adjusters, and never knew you could adjust the blade with the hammers!
You're welcome! Once you learn to hammer adjust, you can buy or make some wooden planes. They work GREAT.
Hi Rex. I enjoy your videos. I'm not much of a woodworker but developed a plane fetish some 25 years ago when i got into woodturning. Bought a similar plane made by Annant. Very cheaply. I think i bought it for the blade but whatever i fettled it and its an excellent tool. Almost as good as a No4 bailey. One thing though that you haven't mentioned (in videos i have watched so far.) You don't mention the backlash in the adjusting screw(s) which all metal planes have. This design of plane relys on the the screws to stop the blade slipping back and always need to be snugged up to the blade. Otherwise you are relying on the cap being very tight to stop the blade slipping. No need to use a hammer. Smooth the gaps in the blade. Smooth inside the adjusting screws where they bear on the blade. Rub candle wax over the contact area and always snug the adhuster to take up any slop. Hope you don't mind my comment.
I can't believe you put the plane down on its blade side! I learned to always put it down on its side. Your videos are super by the way!!!
Res, you're a natural teacher.
It's what I used to do for a living!
@@RexKrueger
I believe it, and sorry to spell your name wrongly.
Thanks Rex. After watching this video and a couple of your other ones I went to buy a smoothing plane. I decided not to go cheap so rather than pick up the $25 I went for the Trojan TJ8040 plane $65 that had the same sort of adjustment as the old Bailey plane.
Get home with sandpaper in hand 150 grit. Err the sole had a dip in the middle that ran the length of the plane. No worries. 2hrs later dip gone. 😟 Plane rusts in 2secs flat. So I grab some old very used engine oil and just soak it. Clean it up. Problem solved even after washing off oil. Next bland. Went well with 25'. Tried a cut. Not impressed by how sloppy the adjustment is but once I got it set ohh magic .1mm cuts very fine.
I can't even find that plane on Google!
@@RexKrueger here is a small video showing it. ruclips.net/video/o_s1N5mIyMI/видео.html
Btw i live in Australia. You may notice few spots on the sole that are a different colour. These I think are where there have been bubbles in the casting that they have simply applied welds to fill in. I keep thinking that I should have bought a Stanley, which was $20 more but I don't know if it would have been better.
I love hand planes and agree almost any plane can be tuned. I watch lots of woodworking vids. This is imho 1 of the best on tuning a plane.
Thanks a lot!
Great, great training video. I also use a small carpenter square or small try square to set up the square of my blade.
I got a similar plane from my neighbour's garage sale, it's a German-made No.3, but had no iron or cap. Did still have those crappy screw adjusters though. I made a new iron and cap for it, but I wish I'd thought of just not using the adjusters, would have saved me the trouble of cutting those slots in the iron. I put a heavy camber on it and use it as a scrub plane, it's great.
I think a scrub is the best use for this plane...unless it's all you can afford, then you can use it as a smoother.