Vintage vs modern hand planes

[Gord0n]

Looking at expanding my plane collection and I need to make a decision, to pick up a vintage stanley for within the $40 to 60 that needs tuning, or $200+ on a new lie nielsen or veritas that's ready to go.

Begs me the question, is a properly tuned vintage plane just as good? I'm comfortable with restoration work by the way

 

[bridger]

I'm in the vintage camp.

 

[derekcohen]

Looking at expanding my plane collection and I need to make a decision, to pick up a vintage stanley for within the $40 to 60 that needs tuning, or $200+ on a new lie nielsen or veritas that's ready to go.

Begs me the question, is a properly tuned vintage plane just as good? I'm comfortable with restoration work by the way

What type of hand plane? Smoother, jack, jointer? Wood vs Metal? Moving fillister, plough plane, router plane? All require different levels to get working correctly - the longer the sole, the more finicky a restoration.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Niloc]

What type of hand plane? Smoother, jack, jointer? Wood vs Metal? Moving fillister, plough plane, router plane? All require different levels to get working correctly - the longer the sole, the more finicky a restoration.

Regards from Perth

Derek

I have used restored Stanley planes for 50 years or more, they will do all the things needed and save you a lot of money.

 

[bridger]

I used a LN # 8 one time. That thing was way too heavy to use for more than a few minutes at a time. In general, I'd say that the current batch of 'premium' planes are well overweight for extended bench use. The thing about working wood with planes at the bench is that you'll be putting in hours of planing at a time, sometimes. The late 19th century plane makers got it right, mass and features-wise.

The extra mass of the Modern 'premium' planes is there to support the level of precision to which the mechanisms are made. That precision is nice, but not relevant to the task of cutting wood. The cost is that you are paying hundreds of dollars for a tool that is harder to use.