> As for disks for wood, theres these but ive only used the first link. I know they say theyre for paint, but they work great for sanding wood. They leave a decent finish. I used mine for sanding wheel wells on a skateboard. I found them at walmart for 2.50 a disk. They dont last long. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QLWHZLS/

Have you ever used a 'flap disc'? So far I've found a 36g flap disc to be fastest, I've used abrasives similar to what you link but not that coarse (like you say though, they'd wear-out fast - I know they're cheap, but my ultimate projects involve removing lots of wood so I want something that's long-term not disposable)

>https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O3IOEW/

I'd seen the chainsaw-type discs but only today did I start seeing these fixed-tooth (circular-saw style) discs, they're certainly priced-right but I think those are more for cutting a branch off a tree, whereas I'm looking to remove large areas (like, remove a softball's worth of wood from a specific spot), so the toothing on a chainsaw disc seemed my best bet and was what I'd planned until I saw these discs with rasps, I get the impression that, with the coarse option, that these beasts would remove material about as fast as a chainsaw-edged disc would but they have '3D' control, like I can really work shapes with those whereas a chainsaw-type disc only works on its edge/perimeter..

>Theres also this awesome but insanely priced turbo plane https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NA2IJ0/

Yeah Arbortech is crazy expensive, I've seen a 'turbo shaft' that I think is for use with that planer, or maybe a smaller diameter planer by them, but it puts the disc ~3" away from the grinder - neat gear for sure but wayyyy out of my price range, am quite happy with my cheap stuff so far and, once I find the right disc for my angle-grinder I'm sure I'll be set (as I've got a die-grinder for smaller/detail work, so this is just for 'roughing-out' my cuts, then I'd switch to using rasps on my die-grinder to finish a project :) )

>The kutzall disks and lancelot seem like the best deal to me. Harbor freight sells a chain disk like that btw.

The HF chain disc isn't that much cheaper than a real lancelot and since the lancelot's chain is not fixed (it's sandwiched between two plates, so far less likely to ever kick-back) I'd sooner go with the Lancelot - but the kutzall and saburrtooth rasp-discs seem like they may be a better choice than a chainsaw disc, just wish I knew how much wood they remove / how efficient they are compared to the chainsaw-type!

>I would recommend a dewalt corded grinder, it will last a lifetime.

Already got cheapie HF gear, am approaching it with the mindset that this is just for getting into it, for learning - once I've had some experience I'll know what's best for me and can then comfortably buy brand-name gear (I got my die- and angle-grinder for less than I'd pay for a dewalt grinder... I know there's a huge quality difference, but so far as performance goes I'm nothing but satisfied with both of my grinders and I don't even have the best attachments yet! So as far as I'm concerned, it just makes sense to use these til they fail and then upgrade, will be in a much better spot to do so at that point!

Thanks a ton for the help, really means a lot!!

First, what is your goal? To prep stock by hand, to clean up after power tools? fine micro adjustments on tenons?

I'll just go through the order of operations and then you can decide what you will or won't use.

Start with a rough sawn board from the mill. Shaggy, cupped, and twisted.

Bench Planes

1. Scrub plane. There are dedicated scrubs, like the Stanley #44 but they are rare. There are also new scrubs like the pinnacle (high end woodriver) and expensive. The best thing to do is get a rough around the edges #4, put a heavy camber on the blade, and widen the mouth.
   These are used to remove a lot of material, and generally used cross grain. Great for getting a rough board in shape, or getting a board to the required thickness.
   
   
2. Jack Plane. In Stanley lingo, a #5. These are fairly long and wide, and they are used to clean up after your scrub plane. Because they are long and wide, they are good for getting things fairly flat. Generally used diagonal to the grain first, then with the grain.
   
   
3. Jointer. These are long. A #7 is good for most things. A #8 is good if you work with boards over 6 feet long often. This will flatten the board. Because it's so long, it will skip over small low spots. So you will have a flat board, but not necessarily a smooth board
   
   
4. A smoother. Stanley lingo #4, or the preferable and wider 4 1/2. This is what you use to get that flat board smooth. They are short, generally around 9". It should have a very tight mouth and set up to take a very light shaving.
   
   It's also used to get your piece ready for a final finish. That means cleaning up where joinery meets (like dovetails and half laps) and removing any machine marks, squeeze out, or clamping indentations.
   
   Because this is such a versatile sized plane, many people skip a #5 and just use a smoother. It will be your most used plane, so get a good one.
   
   Optional - A number 6 Fore plane. Many people substitute a scrub plane with a fore plane. You can also use it as a small jointer in spots where a jack is too small but a #7 is too big
   
   Specialty planes
   
   The block plane. Many people recommend a block in the initial purchase, but IME it's almost never the right tool for the job. Unless you need to scribe a door or cabinet really quick, a properly set up smoother is a better choice. If you have a really tight spot to get into or need to plane a very small, thin edge, a block is good.
   
   Shoulder plane - these are great for squaring up tenons and rabbets
   
   Rabbet plane - cutting rabbets
   
   Plough plane - Cutting dados
   
   As far as what to buy - Pre WWII (or even war time) Stanley bailey pattern represents the best value. They are as good as any plane sold today. However tuning them up can be tricky. You may think it's good but it still cuts like crap.
   
   I would recommend buying a brand new smoother for your first plane. That way you have a good frame of reference as to how a properly tuned plane works and can be adjusted.
   
   Good - woodriver V3. This is pretty much an exact reproduction of a Pre-WWII Stanley bedrock plane, but with a thicker iron. I also really like the T10 steel they use in their irons.
   
   Better/Best - Veritas No.4. Very high quality plane. Personally I hate the norris style adjustment.
   
   Best - Lie Nielsen #4 1/2. Yes, it costs almost as much as my tablesaw, but it's an amazing plane.
   
   
   

Here are the basics, I will edit if I think of any more essential tools, but you can go an awfully long way with these.

Hand Tools:

• Hand saw- I prefer Japanese style pull saws, meaning they cut on the pull stroke. My go to utility saw is a Vaughn bear saw, which is a robust package, with several types of interchangeable blades. There are countless types of saws, for different uses, but a fine toothed Japanese saw will get you by for most things.
  
  
• Combination square- A sliding ruler square, perfect for marking and layout. you will also want a speed square eventually, so you might as well get one.
  
  
• Tape measure- Start with a basic 25' tape, and get more as needed.
  
  
• Basic chisel set- Most of the entry grade chisels are pretty much the same, this Irwin set is a pretty good buy. to start with a set of 1/4", 1/2", and 1" are all you really need, but you can never have enough chisels.
  
  
• Block plane- A low angle block plane will get you a long ways breaking corners and trimming pieces. Stanley makes a great, affordable, option. As time goes by you will need a jack plane, but a block plane will do for now.
  
  
• Sharpening equipment- A fine diamond stone like this will get you a long way keeping your chisels and plane sharp. You should do research into sharpening methods as you use your tools more, and build a system that fits you.
  
  
• Hammer- A cheap smooth face hammer. Build a wooden mallet as a starter project.
  
  
• Clamps- You always need more clamps. Big clamps. Small clamps. Weird clamps. I like bar clamps. Harbour Freight has good deals on fair clamps, but don't expect too much out of them. To start with get a couple with ~8" throat, and a couple with ~18" throat.
  
  Power Tools:
  
  
• Cordless drill- If you're willing to spend the money for a good, reliable, tool I recommend Makita, but a Ryobi or Rigid will serve you well if you're just working on small projects. Everyone has their favourite cordless tool brand, and, for the most part, it really is just preference. I highly recommend adding an impact driver and circular saw to whichever system you choose.
  
  
• Circular Saw- If you want to work with plywood or larger sticks, you will want a circular saw, which is the most basic power saw. Most of the major tool companies make fine starter saws, Skil is the original, and is quite cheap, but there are plenty of others, browse a store and see what takes your fancy.
  
  
• Jig saw- A jig saw is used for cutting curves, and you will eventually need it if you build enough things. I prefer Bosch but there are cheaper options. See what feels right to you.
  
  
• Miter saw- You don't need this right away, but if you start doing more projects you will want one. I recommend going right to a sliding compound miter saw, like this Dewalt. You will never need more miter saw than that, and if you get a small one you will eventually end up buying a the real deal.
  
  
• Table saw- Again, you don't need this right away, but eventually you will feel you need the precision and ease that a table saw brings. The Rigid portable table saw is a great saw if you're working in tight quarters and need to pack up, but you'll appreciate the appreciate the stability of a cast iron topped cabinet saw if you have the cash and space for it.
  
  Misc:
  
  
• Drill bits- Get a cheap twist drill set that goes from 1/16" to 1/2" and a basic spade bit set. Later you will want a set of forstners and hole saws.
  
  
• Utility knife
  
  
• Driver bits
  

One of the biggest mistakes I see is trying to use too small of plane for the job. The bigger the boards, the bigger the plane.

Most people use a #4 Smooth plane as their starter plane. It's a good overall plane, but if you're trying to get something large flat it's workable but not great.

I usually use a #5 Jack or #7 Jointer plane. I've also replaced most of my irons and chipbreakers with Hocks. This is not a route to take if you don't find hand planing to be a "religious" experience.

Most people think that Hand tools are the "Cheap" way to do it. You can get a cheap #4 hand plane and it will work, but a good quality hand plane will be much more expensive new. See if you can find a Stanley Bailey #4 for a much better plane at a reasonable price. If you find you absolutely love hand planing, I've heard good things about Veritas and using my instructor's bronze Lie Nieson was an amazing experience.

Used planes are hit-and-miss if you don't know what you're looking for. Lots of them are in pretty poor shape, and then you're competing with collectors who want them for decoration. Stanley #4 planes are pretty common on the used market and pretty cheap but anything else gets harder to find quickly (except for Ebay, but then you can't inspect it yourself before buying so it's a gamble). I've found a couple of #5's in decent shape, and I'll occasionally run into something else, but usually too expensive or not in good shape.

Note that you could probably find a decent 4" bench power jointer on craigslist in most areas for less than $100 (usually Craftsman)

If you want to learn how to do lots of traditional woodworking stuff, I'd recommend picking up a copy of Tage Fried Teaches Woodworking. I'm pretty sure he covers planing stock, including winding sticks in there.

Not sure it will make much of a difference but popular will be a touch lighter then birch but the birch is stronger. So get what ever you can get a better deal on.

I have made some shafts from hardwood dowels and it does take more time then using nice preselected, pre-sized shafts. So you save money but spend time. But since your spending the time anyways you can get closer to what you want.

Since you are likely going to have to narrow down the ends to get them to fit 11/32" points and nocks. Now is a good time to learn how to make barreled or breasted arrow shafts. They would be period of most places that shot archery. And if you have a small plane it is surprisingly quick. I prefer them because it helps to make the shafts more forgiving and gets the weight forward (for breasted shafts). Plus it helps reduce the weight on the hardwood shafts. So it is a win all around.

One last thing. I'm sure you have figured out by now that with the longer shafts you'll need heavier spined shafts and/or lighter tips to get the proper spine (which doesn't matter as much since you shoot thumb ring)

edit to add:
another option is to make footed shafts to get long arrows. I have done that to turn a standard 32" Port orford cedar arrow shaft into a 36" shaft for my Korean bow. Worked great but takes time to do by hand. If I had a router table I might do it more often.

This is just my experience (~2yrs woodworking) but it might help you. You hear opinions often of people way more advanced and while they can be very accurate, they also are much more sensitive to the finer details that aren't as important right now for us.

I went with the Stanley 4 for my 1st and if I could do it again I would go probably go Stanley Jack instead. They're both super comfortably priced (the jack spiked for the holidays but it'll drop in a week or two, use this to check the price. Those are more than high enough quality for our skills. It's hard to justify the price of a premium plane (LN/V) when starting out.

YES they are nice and incredible quality and will last generations, but it's fun to learn on something you aren't afraid to mess up but that also has some quality to it (yes, it will take some tune up, but it's really fun to learn, scour youtube). I know people will rag on the modern Stanleys, but I absolutely love mine. I'll be going Veritas/LN when the time is right.

Finding an old one to refurbish can be overwhelming especially when starting out. There's a ton all over the place and it's hard to know what to look for and what is the right condition it should be in etc —if anyone wants to chime in here; please do.

That's it from me, good luck!

I've bought several things from Amazon for the shop, and they're just the sorts of things that /u/abnormal_human suggests; Woodcraft also sells through Amazon, so you can get some decent hand tools that way, but that's not really "amazon" per se. For a recent birthday my wife went a little nuts on my Amazon wishlist and I received two waterstones, a lapping plate, and this shoulder plane - very extravagant gifts.

Amazon is also a pretty good place to shop for some woodworking machinery if you want to buy new and especially if you happen to have Amazon prime; free delivery on a drill press or a band saw can be kind of a big deal. Those are on my "dream shop" wish list...not going to happen any time soon, but if I can't dream on the Internet...where can I?

Another neat thing that I didn't know about until recently is camelcamelcamel which is an amazon price tracker. Companies adjust their retail price on amazon all the time, and you can set thresholds at which you would like to be notified. For example, here is the price history for the drill press I linked above. Helps to see if it's a good time to buy, or if you should maybe wait.

Have fun!

I mix it up, depending on the type of wood I'm planing. Softwoods.. Japanese planes are the way to go. I own three of them... the amazon smoother (60$ senkichi) and two 42mm block planes, which I also love (they were cheap).

Hardwoods, depends. I use Japanese planes on black walnut and they work fantastic. On super hard or figured woods, I use a mujingfang jack outfitted with a backbevel of 12 degrees (so the total angle/pitch is around 57degrees). Just works better that way. No Standard angle plane, euro or Japanese, can match it.

I recently bought a high angle mujingfang for curly maple, 63 degree pitch. Works like a dream once I set it up and sharpened it and practiced.

You're gonna want a few different sizes and styles, and if you're lacking on milling equipment, I definitely recommend a good jointer plane, LV or LN early on. Save some dough and pull the trigger. You'll be glad you did.

Here is the amazon plane I bought: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0026FBGT6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The sole of the dai came ready to go, perfectly tuned. The blade, however, took some work to get fitted right.

Stay away from pallets please, cough up some money and some time (if you go to a box store) getting some okay dimensional lumber for projects.

If you decide to go the hand tool route, I've got all sorts of info and what not, I'd share. (Im a historical furniture maker's apprentice, I like to think I've got some decent knowledge) I've included a list here if thats the route you go.

Used this list for a couple posts, its about $200ish in all to get you started. This list uses chisels in lieu of say a router plane for dados and doesn't have an option for grooves but that's later down the road. I've got a big enthusiast list as well if you'd be interested.

> Crosscut/Ripsaw: Irwin Double Sided Pullsaw https://www.amazon.com/IRWIN-Tools-Double-Edge-9-5-Inch-213103/dp/B0001GLEZ8
> Joinery Saw - I think this is the one Japanese saw I own? works okay https://www.amazon.com/Z-saw-Dozuki-Z-Saw/dp/B001DSY7G6/ref=pd_sbs_469_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B001DSY7G6&pd_rd_r=RBVEGF6TKKCZHVCH7WSH&pd_rd_w=16INj&pd_rd_wg=gFI50&psc=1&refRID=RBVEGF6TKKCZHVCH7WSH
> Chisels https://www.amazon.com/Narex-Republic-Woodworking-Chisels-863010/dp/B00GPC74ZQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1499302108&sr=1-1&keywords=narex+chisels
> Marking Gauge https://www.amazon.com/Crown-135-Marking-Gauge-Beech/dp/B00EC9AOZQ/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_469_lp_t_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZBYMV8TF850C6M5JDGDG
> Bevel Gauge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XC2NYKS?psc=1
> Mallet - I'd personally make one or buy a used one (of heavier wood, good grain and quality construction.) Amazon has some though. https://www.amazon.com/Narex-gram-Beech-Carving-Mallet/dp/B00L7BQL54/ref=sr_1_11?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1499302341&sr=1-11&keywords=mallet
> Combination square -does the work of several sizes of squares for the price of one - https://www.amazon.com/IRWIN-Combination-Square-Metal-Body-1794469/dp/B005XUHIBG/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1499302407&sr=1-2&keywords=square
> A No 4 or 5 sized plane - I buy old Stanley's/Bailey's because they're great, and usually cheap for bench planes - Flea Market/Antique stores/ebay -$20 ish --- Amazon also sells new (I give no guarantee on quality however) - https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-12-404-Adjustable-2-Inch-Cutter/dp/B000FK3WI2/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1499302507&sr=1-1&keywords=stanley+plane
> "Workbench" - temporary thing to hold pieces while you make dovetails - https://www.amazon.com/WM125-Workmate-350-Pound-Capacity-Portable/dp/B000077CQ0/ref=pd_cart_vw_2_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=CA9X21QD5D7QAXKMGE6S
> Woodscrew clamp, used to clamp peice to workbench while chiseling waste - https://www.amazon.com/ATE-Pro-USA-30143-Handscrew/dp/B0006A4A5U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499303583&sr=8-1&keywords=wood+screw+clamp
>
> Other than clamps, glue, mortice gauge, etc, this is good enough to get you started making carcass (dovetailed) pieces of furniture, like a shoe cubby or bookshelf.
>
> Thats around $200 for getting you started. Add a mortise chisel and mortise gauge and you can start mortise and tenon work. Invest in pipe clamps when you reach a glue up point.

For $25 you're not going to get a lot of plane. I bought this plane a few years ago and it's...pretty OK. If you can get the iron really sharp it does decent work but the adjusting is a bit crap because instead of a single wheel like more expensive planes it has 1 screw on either side. I also have a brand new and fairly expensive SB #7 that is having a shit-ton of problems with the adjusting lever and I haven't been able to get much good work out of it. If you can find an old plane on ebay or an antique shop or something for that cheap you might need to do a lot of work to it...though you can get lucky. I got an old SB #220 in perfect condition for like a buck.

Arguably a #7 is more useful for luthiery since the craft lends to needing a lot of large, flat surfaces. You can do the same thing with a #4 which is significantly cheaper for something that works more-or-less but it takes a lot more care than a #7.

Its good to blow out your grinder now and then, although you dont need to do it often unless youre cutting masonry. Take the cover off on the back of the shaft of the grinder. Youll see a ring and pinion gear that make it an 'angle' grinder vs a straight grinder. Put your grease there. When the grinder gets warm the grease will become thinner and coat the gears.

As for disks for wood, theres these but ive only used the first link. I know they say theyre for paint, but they work great for sanding wood. They leave a decent finish. I used mine for sanding wheel wells on a skateboard. I found them at walmart for 2.50 a disk. They dont last long.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QLWHZLS/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O3IOEW/

Theres also this awesome but insanely priced turbo plane
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NA2IJ0/

The kutzall disks and lancelot seem like the best deal to me. Harbor freight sells a chain disk like that btw.

I would recommend a dewalt corded grinder, it will last a lifetime.

Edit: my reason for getting dewalt tools is theyre made in usa. They have 7 facilities in america. I have the 11 amp angle grinder, die grinder, 12 amp sawzall, and impact driver and drill and all of them are made in usa. Some products arent made in usa though. Also their grinders have built in dust ejection.

Awesome job, really excellent for the first couple. My first couple were dreadfully unbalanced and unequal. I personally like a spokeshave to do handles, as you can control depth of cut very easily so you don't accidentally gouge too deep or start getting too thin. It also allows you to get very even and symmetrical contours on the handle and outside bowl. This Stanley one works well but you can get cheaper version on Amazon and eBay. I started out with a cheaper one but the steel isn't great quality and the mouth is a bit too big, but it will work well enough just starting out and investing in tools. If you have any antique shops or flea markets around, check those for old antique spokeshaves. Some may need refinishing but that is a fun hobby in and of itself. It you can find an old Stanley #53 adjustable mouth spokeshave, they work the best in my opinion because you can tune them to take extremely thin shavings and the surface is left finish ready. It is just my preference, it can all be done with carving knives with enough practice. I prefer the bench vise and bench tools method more than carving knives, mostly because I work in seasoned hardwoods instead of greenwood.

I wouldn't bother with trying to get that Skil to fall in under $100. I much prefer the Bosch having used it in a production environment for 6 months or so. The Skil units were frequently returned when I worked there, they seem to have far too much play in the spindle and are generally of a lower quality.

Since you're looking at mostly power tools I wouldn't spend a lot on your hand tools. This chisel set is $55. I'm happy with it so far and I'm working entirely with hand tools at this point. A 4 piece set is a bit cheaper and would probably cover you pretty well.

You could throw a basic Stanley jack plane in there for another $50. I have used one very similar to this with acceptable results. I've gotten comparable results with one of these from HF for a whole $10, but it did take a bit of tuning work, especially on the blade.

All of that said, I have no problem asking for Lowe's gift cards for Christmas. Tools are a pretty personal choice and my family completely understands. It may not be the coolest gift under the tree, but you could get $100 closer to a better router.

Let me start by saying that this would be the bare minimum. This is assuming that you have all the experience to use these tools effectively as someone who has the appropriate skill and knows to do things like not bear down on a saw when cutting, keeping everything square, how to mill boards by hand, how to not kill sandpaper in a few strokes, how to tune and sharpen a hand plane, ETC.


2x$8.69Vise grips Two vise grip clamps. Clamps can be universally adjusted and clamped in almost any direction with some quick thinking. One is never enough.


$9.99Cheap set of chisels Everyone needs a chisel. These will be made from a milder steel, but it's better than nothing.


$22.00Generic ryoba saw A ryoba saw will double for crosscuts and ripcuts. They go as far as you can take them provided you treat them right.


$18.62Bench Plane You need to be able to take down material in terms of thickness. A simple bench plane will due for now.


$20.61Block Plane A block plane will help slightly with end grain smoothing where the bench plane cannot.


$3.47Bundled Sandpaper You need to finish your products somehow. I would get a generic bundle of sandpaper and use it sparingly and tenderly.


$12.85Square Keeping things square is vital.


$6.79Mallet Hammering your chisels is going to be very important since you cannot use a 2x4 reliably.


$3.47Wood Glue Need to be able to glue things together.


$11.80A set of card scrapers Remove material smoother and faster. You don't want to waste sandpaper if you don't have to, and these are quite versatile.


$8.06A bastard file A bastard file will do for now when it comes to heavier shaping and sharpening your card scrapers.


$15.92A small drill viseKeeping something secure in place is very important. A small vise will accommodate small and narrow pieces of lumber and can be bolted to a bench.


$3.97Assorted finer sandpapers You need something to keep your chisels constantly sharp, especially when it is such a mild steel as a set of 9.99 chisels.


$15.59Wipe on polyurethane You need to be able to finish your products somehow.


Comes to $170.52 I would use the rest to make a bench and two sawhorses out of some 2x4's.

I have the crappy Home Depot Stanly #4. People tend to dislike them compared to the older planes, but in my experience it works well enough for a project like this. The main complaint is the difficult to use adjustment mechanism, but here it's not a big deal with the shavings are perfectly even. In fact, it's probably best if they aren't.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FK3WI2?keywords=stanley%20plane&qid=1457219857&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

On the other hand, OP, I think you should get the plane that Guygan links to and then sell it to me cheap when you're done with it. :-)

I don't think you need to spend that much. This is the #4 I got: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002B56CUO?pc_redir=1409749742&robot_redir=1

It's great. Kind of the spiritual successor to the old Stanley sweetheart planes. $120 including shipping. Not peanuts, but nowhere near the $300+ lee valley/lie nielsen would charge you for a #4.

I've used that plane a lot for about a year and a half now. I'm not incredibly experienced, but I get great results with it. I've also bought 3 or 4 used planes in that time, and this is definitely still my favorite for working.

Ok, $100 isn't going to go very far, especially if you need everything, but here we go.

Whetstone - This is slightly better than the hardware store combination stones, but it's cheap, it's a water stone, and it's got a good grit combo.

Handsaw - Japanese style, cuts on a pull stroke, crosscut and rip teeth. I have this exact saw, still works pretty damn good after a dozen years of occasional use.

Beater chisels - Not the best steel, but a chisel is better than no chisel. You'll want at least 2 sets of chisels anyway - don't beat the hell out of your good set.

Block plane - Don't expect super high quality from Stanley anymore, but we've all got at least one of these little block planes somewhere.

And I'm $6 above the gift card budget. The chisels and plane will need some sharpening before use, but it's enough to get you started. You still need marking/measuring tools, a square, a work surface, clamps, vise, and obviously, some wood to sink your teeth into.

No, I only deburred when moving from one stone to the next. Is that going to be a big problem?

I just flattened both sides of the chip breaker today. It isn't a mirror finish but I think this made some improvements. It is cutting easier (when it isn't choking)

That is a really informative video! Thanks for the link! I'm astonished how drastic the differences were at such a microscopic scale

It is a cheap plane, they're made in the UK. Though unless I'm mistaken, it is at least one step above the planes you'd find at a big box store.. Perhaps I should buy a replacement iron?

Here is a photo of the shavings I'm getting now. They're better but still not good enough.

Also it is still choking after 10 strokes or so.. Maybe I didn't flatten the chip breaker well enough?

I can offer some guidance here. I just purchased a Medium Veritas shoulder plane and it is as great as you'd expect. Everything is flat and square as I have come to expect from LV. It also has a good feeling of heft to it as well.

If you don't want to dump $200 on one from LV, you should put serious consideration on this one from Stanley. It's listed as $63, but Amazon has a $10 off Stanley tools until the end of the year. Unlike their other planes on the market, it's actually pretty good. It even comes with a recommendation from /u/joelav which is very hard to come by. The back of the iron needs some flattening, but I've not heard a single bad thing come out of Joe's mouth about it.

IIRC, the plane comes decently sharp to work well for a good amount of time. The blade doesn't seem to hold an edge for long though, although that might be normal and I just hate sharpening.

Having had this plane a few years now, it does the job fairly well, although I would probably buy the comparable grizzly as I have the 14" grizzly jack, and it is much nicer than the buck bro's plane.

If you're looking to expand your collection, this plane actually gets great reviews across the woodworking forums, and you can't beat the price. I may go pick up a couple more this weekend, the one I currently have I ground a radius into the blade and it works amazing as a scrub plane.

Every unfettled plane is ass.

If you sharpen the iron well, and prepare the plane, a $28 hand plane will get wood flat, and if you want to actually joint wood, you can get a jointer plane for well under $100.

The best guides I've found to setting up and sharpening a hand plane are from Paul Sellers on Youtube.
Restoring a hand plane
Sharpening a plane

If you get that iron fully sharp, as in you can just pass it through a sheet of paper and it'll slice right through it, and you have you plane correctly set up, it's a completely different tool to a cheap plane out of the box.

Generally, when you buy a plane, the blade isn't sharp enough to work with. You have to do most of the work when you get a plane.

I just bought this Stanley Sweetheart low angle jack plane. It took an afternoon of tuning, but overall, I am impressed. It was about $100 less than the Lie-Nielsen. What's your opinion of the newer, better Stanleys? I think I read your review of that plane from about 4 years ago, but I think Stanley has been making improvements since then.

Alright I'll bite. Hand tool shop

Narex Chisels 48.99

stanley Jack plane 59.99

stanley Smoother 45.00

Stanley low angle Block plane 31.25

HF combo square 6.99

HF Mallet 5.99

Stanley jointer 150

Sharpening stone (water) 33

Panel saw 1 (cross) 19.50

Panel saw 2 (rip) 16.99

Marking gage 20

Dovetail saw 26.82

Vise 26.46

marking knife 9
Total cost so far: 500.97
shipping from ebay depends on where you are but shouldn't be more than $60 so we factor that in:
560.97

build your own bench (not going to take the time to go into details but it shouldn't cost more than $500 for materials
so now you have

999.03 left to get whever else you want (more marking gages? switch some of the above for better stuff? spoke shave? cabinet scraper? router plane? brace and bit?)

You could get better prices for the ebay stuff above if you were patient that's just what's out there right now. the above is more than enough to do 90% of handtool projects though. Just watch those compound curves ;)

For dados there are relatively cheap router planes. example.

There are quite a lot of hand tool enthusiasts.

Personally I'm most impressed with woodworkers that use mostly the band saw. Its incredibly versatile. It does milling, ripping, cross-cutting, shaping, re-sawing, etc. The band saw goes back to at least 1809 so it is a traditional tool in some sense. There doesn't seem to be that many band saw enthusiast though.

Definitely feel free to come back and ask any follow-up questions, but don't be intimidated by all of the tools they show in that link. The hardest part is to get those mitered edges to line up, but if you have a miter saw, with a little practice, it shouldn't be a problem.

They show a router table there to cut the rabbets but you can do the same with a table saw. Just be careful and take all of the appropriate safety precautions. If you'd prefer not to get a new piece of equipment, you could buy a hand plane and manually do the rabbets as well.

Don't get discouraged if your practice pieces aren't going well. The cheapest boards at a hardware store are typically softwoods (pines, firs, etc.) which counter-intuitively are harder to do accurate work with.

Yup! If you're willing to spend the time sharpening the cutting iron, grizzly planes are pretty awesome. The sharpening equipment you use for your chisels can be used for a plane.

Anatomy of hand plane

Grizzly 10 inch plane Smoothing plane

1 of a 1000 youtube videos on sharpening the cutting iron

​

​

I couldn't find a model number on the plane itself, but I'm pretty sure it's this one as my wife bought it for me on Amazon and it's not the low angle version.

Stanley spoke shave works great and under $20. You've got enough meat on that handle that you can practice and get the blade right.

Stanley 12-951 SpokeShave... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00002X1ZG?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Then use your rasp there to clean it up and get things rounded off better. Finally moving to some sandpaper.

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0026FBGT6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_40aHybZV557GG

I have one and it's actually pretty nice for the price. The learning curve to make your own is kinda steep, you're better off spending that time practicing sharpening and setting up planes to start.

That's a much nicer model, with the usual adjustments.

The 12-404 adjusts more like a spokeshave, with two knurls on threaded posts. Available on-line from several big box home improvement and department stores and "bookstores": https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FK3WI2/

Depending on one's needs and budget, it's not an unreasonable way to get started; unlike some cheap things, it's not so bad as to be unusable, unlike the cheap block plane I bought years ago in-store at a big box home improvement store. (Still need a little setup, of course.)

What kind of finished look you are going for is the first consideration when choosing material. If you are going to paint it, then MDF/plywood (the sanded stuff, not the rough construction grade)/poplar/pine (must be dried, not green lumber) are all fine choices and cheap. If you want a natural finish, then you likely want to use some species of hardwood instead.

In furniture making, we do not really use the construction grade lumber sizing like 2x4 etc. Hardwood lumber generally comes in either rough cut or s4s (surfaced 4 sides) of a given thickness indicated in quarters of an inch, f.x. 4/4 lumber is 1 inch thick, 8/4 is 2 inches thick, etc. Width is generally random unless you specify otherwise and you are expected to cut it down or glue it up to the size needed. You can of course make things out of construction grade lumber but there are issues with doing so, see my other comment in this thread.

Pocket holes could work for the joinery but you would probably want to modify the design of the top a bit to hide the pocket holes. If you want to use pocket holes I would make an apron like this. 30"x30" is a fairly large table surface so you will likely need an apron to prevent sagging if you are using sheet material for the top anyway.

Making the legs will be the hardest part with the tools you have. If you use construction lumber you could use a hand plane to dress them, but it will be a bit of a learning experience. Otherwise, I would recommend you use 8/4 lumber and have the lumber yard or a local cabinet maker square it for you since you do not own a table saw, jointer or planer.

Hand saw . $31.66

Dovetail saw / fine saw $26.97

Japanese hand plane $55.35

Chisels $39.99


Combo Square $9.98

stropping compound $12.95

Sharpening Sandpaper $8.99

$185.89 total (excluding taxes). And you still have some left over for some coffee -- you're going to need some b/c learning to sharpen blades/chisels and turning/using a japanese plane is fairly uphill battle for a beginner. But this list is unquestionably your best bang for your buck.

Rather than trying to find one to restore, I took my chances with an off-the-shelf cheap-o plane from Amazon (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002YUKBS). I just got tired of visiting Craigslist every day and fretting over which vintage plane would be better to restore on eBay. There's dozens that seem in pretty good shape and in need of a little TLC, but too many for a novice to choose from. After a couple of weeks of indecision, I just went with the one from Amazon. I flattened the sole and sharpened the blade, and it produces shavings! Since I have no idea what I'm doing (and haven't built my shop yet), it's good enough for me. I just chock up some scrap wood in a small vice and keep taking shavings off every night or two.

Also, hello from E. Brainerd!

The "live" backing helps a lot with that, its also just nice aesthetically. I will try to post a pic of one of the ones I did.

What tools are you working it with? If your not going for the 100% authentic survival tools I recommend a tool called a spoke shave.

Very useful for slowly removing material, you can generally find them very cheap at antique shops or used tool stores, they can be a little tricky to adjust and sharpen but they are simple enough mechanically.

Otherwise thick broken glass (wine bottles work well) makes a great scraper.

I bought THIS one for not much more (currently $19) and it's really a great little tool.

It has an additional chip breaker/wedge which, I think, makes tuning and setting up easier.

Like this one? It's a little fiddly to adjust but works great once set up. If the cap's threads are stripped you could drill & tap for a larger screw. But seeing as how you have a Veritas set there's not much point in futzing with the old one... I'd give it away.

Im trying to decide if I should buy a new Japanese wooden style plane from amazon or take my chances with a used stanley plane (either 4 or 5). This would be my first plane (besides a cheapo wood block plane for 9bucks on amazon to mess with). So this plane would be my woodhorse for a bit while I experiment and see if I am interested in woodworking as a hobby.

I would prefer to buy new as I am inexperienced with spotting what can be restored and what can not. Garage sale season is over so my only option left is ebay or maybe craigslist for a old stanley plane. All the advice so far has made a point that new tools are a no-no...but is that for new stanley tools? would a new japanese one around the same price be good instead of risking a used purchase?

Japanese planes I saw on amazon:

Mini Plane (Block?)

Bigger Plane (no4/5?)

I'm assuming the bigger one would be doing the same job as a no4 or no5 stanley (correct me if i am wrong). But my thinking is that since the Japanese planes are a wood block for the body they can afford to put more into the blade giving you a lower price for the same quality of blade.

So with the prologue out of the way...onwards to chapter one!

My question is that I am wondering if it would be better for me to buy a Japanese style plane on amazon rather than risking buying a used stanley from ebay for the same price. With no experience restoring tools I fear I would end up wasting my money on something that is destined for the dust bin. Other alternatives are welcome but no 300 dollar tools... as a novice(wanting to see if woodworking is something they like) spending even 100 dollars on a rusty old tool makes me shiver. So what would be my best options?

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-12-137-No-62-Angle-Plane/dp/B002B56CUY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466791378&sr=8-1&keywords=Low+angle+jack+plane

I know I would love something like this.

This is oddly specific, you can gift him a planer even if he isn't proficient with it. It is very nostalgic and as a woodworker he could understand/appreciate its use.

Or

Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living by Nick Offerman

Thanks for the advice, any particular reason why you recommend that plane instead of this [this?] (https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-12-905-14-Inch-Contractor-Smooth/dp/B00004UDKW/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1479926517&sr=1-1&keywords=stanley+%235) My goal is to bring something from coarse (circular saw) to fine (ready for my sander).

This is the problem with the antique Stanley cult: it convinces newbies that their only realistic options for planes are rusty garbage or million-dollar Lie-Nielsens. It's complete bullshit, especially for things with as few moving parts as block planes. There is very nearly no such thing as a block plane that's complete crap.

My main block plane, and the block plane we've used to teach well over a hundred new cabinetmakers, is $19 new on Amazon, and the only work it needs out of the box is a quick sharpen. You can spend five times that on a new Veritas or ten times that on a Lie-Nielsen, or even just twice that on an ancient piece of junk you'll need a three days to get functional (and that probably won't even have a lateral adjustment lever), but there's absolutely no reason to.

Yes, the Silverline won't get your dick hard and isn't the kind of plane you can conspicuously leave in the frame of your Youtube videos to let viewers know you're better than them, but if you're about using planes instead of jerking off to them, it's a perfectly good choice.

It looks like this guy, $120 before shipping:

Stanley 12-136 No. 4 Smoothing Bench Plane https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002B56CUO/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_HS.xub020YHD7

A vintage Stanley no 4 from the 50s or 60s (sometimes earlier) will run you $40-60, will need more tuning than a new plane, but is really fantastic. Couldn't say how it compares to this new Stanley.

What is your budget? I would personally avoid both of those planes that you listed. The only modern day Stanley's that are worth while are the sweetheart versions, specifically the low angle sweetheart. There are a few other budget options if you are looking for cheaper (less than veritas or LN) options including vintage or luban/woodriver. Vintage options would likely mean that you would need to do some minor restoration to get it to prime working condition, but not out of the realm of doable. You could easily get a No. 4 or 5 for around $30-50. Luban/Woodriver may also need some minor adjustments and a sharpening of the iron out of the box. Be sure that you still have plenty of room in your budget for sharpening materials even if that just means sand paper and float glass or marble starting out.

As for the size of your first plane it really just depends on what you will be using it for, but you can't go wrong with either of those sizes. The 9 3/4" is equivalent to a Stanley No 4 and the 14" a No 5. Both are recommended as starter planes. The No 5 would be a little better at getting a truly flat surface, while the No. 4 may be a bit better at getting a smooth surface. I went for the No. 5 first personally. Block plane next, and then a jointer (No 7 or 8) and got a No 4 last.

Way pricey but the videos of people using them are impressive

The extant high-end brands for planes are Lie-Nielsen (US), Veritas (Canada), and Clifton (UK). Of those, Veritas is the least absurdly overpriced, but also the ugliest. Don't buy any of these brands for your first planes, though.

It's traditional to buy second-hand Stanleys, spend days or weeks trying to restore them, and then give up and buy something else. These days there are plenty of Ebayers restoring them for you, though, and they're worth the extra money. Most of them are based in the UK, even.

Don't overspend on a block plane or a spokeshave; they have relatively few moving parts and the difference between the worst on the market and the best is much smaller than it is for most other tools. This is the block plane we give to our students, and the one I use most often myself; it's literally less than a tenth of the cost of the Lie-Nielsen equivalent, but not meaningfully a worse plane.

Also, you may have more luck on /r/handtools.

Can I get some quick advice on getting a wood plane dialed in?

I bought a cheap wood plane just to start down the road of woodworking, and thought I'd try making a cutting board.

My first cutting board went really well, but the pieces I bought were all pretty flat so the plane didn't have to do much work.

My second cutting board isn't going as well, as the pieces are really far off in terms of thickness. Lots of planing to do, and I'm getting really awful runs from my plane.

Here's a quick list of the problems I'm seeing:

• The plane will "skip" along the wood
  
• I'll get jammed up a lot when the plane tries to "bite off too much"
  
• The shavings the plane is taking off are super thin, and short. Which is taking forever and I might as well be sanding the board to flatness.
  
  I tried sharpening it, but sharpened to an angle of 25 degrees, I'm thinking of doing it again and going with 30 degrees. Will that alone solve the problems above? Thanks for any advice you can give me!

I have this and am quite happy with it http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-12-136-Smoothing-Bench-Plane/dp/B002B56CUO .

Ok you seem like the right person to ask...

What's the difference between this $120 Stanley number 4, and this $32 Stanley number 4, and this $15 Stanley number 4

Obviously the first one has wooden handles, where the other two are plastic. But is that the only difference? They appear to have different mechanisms securing the iron. Does that really matter, or is it all cosmetic?

Sorry this is probably a stupid question for most people here.

I looked at the Grizzly smoothing plane and it seems to have good reviews. I think I might take a chance on it. Here is a link to it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000E326ZK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_sLEMybWBX5YAT

Is there a specific type of hand planer i should be using? Without knowing too much, I was looking to get this Stanley no. 4 bench plane.

I have several modern Vertias planes, joiner, jack smoother, etc. I also have a 6" (or so) Stanley block plane that was my go to plane when I did cornice work during the summer months as an undergrad and building multiple small wooden boats over the past 40 years since. If you were going for a joiner, jack, etc. I would recommend spending the money on a Veritas bevel up plane, but for a general purpose small block plane the the Stanley is a good option. Something like this one.

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-12-920-4-Inch-Contractor-Grade/dp/B0000223QY/ref=wl_mb_wl_huc_mrai_1_dp?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0000223QY&pd_rd_r=N6MABBVFT17NY6TH1YC4&pd_rd_w=zmgoV&pd_rd_wg=t3iKf

They have 4 variants on the same plane. I just went out and looked. I and mine does not even have a model number on it but it is a bevel up plane.

Spend a little bit of money (Around $20-$30) to buy a Bench Plane, such as this. I found that this tool works really well for forming boards. However, you need to be really careful that you don't take off too much wood.

Another option is a block plane. You shave away the corner until it looks good.

What would be the difference between a vintage #5 and [something new like this] (https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-12-905-14-Inch-Contractor-Smooth/dp/B00004UDKW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479410261&sr=8-1&keywords=stanley+5), which is ~60 bucks?

A #4 or #4.5 bench plane would be good, not necessarily that particular one. A generic block plane would do in a pinch, again not necessarily that particular one, just one like that. They can be had for relatively cheap.

I was in the same boat and purchased this:
Stanley 12-137 No.62 Low Angle Jack Plane https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002B56CUY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_dliKzbV82V8RY

Loving it thus far

As for tools: I was thinking a cheap chisel set off amazon (poor-isn college student, so recommendations on this would be nice). I was also looking into a router plane in order to make a flat, recessed surface for the tiles.

What is your opinion of this?

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B002B56CUO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1BEI1HAXXJGD1&coliid=I1D9M5TYC79WE9

This one?

For anyone else going out and getting that plane now, it's at http://www.amazon.com/Great-Neck-C4-Bench-Jack-Planes/dp/B0002YUKBS/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1404175118&sr=8-8&keywords=wood+plane

Not to mention a turboplane

I think this is the plane you're looking for: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FK3WI2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_g-QZzbFV29TNF

There's also this one if you're willing to pay a bit more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002B56CUO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_9.QZzb1P8J296

I just started as well using only hand tools. Hopefully this helps in some way. Don't hate me if it doesn't.

So far here is what I've collected:

• A few cheap hand saws from Lowe's
  
• Chisels
  
• Stanley No. 5 plane
  
• Sharpener
  
• Steel ruler
  
• Swanson speed square
  
• 4 x Jorgensen 50 Pony 3/4-Inch Pipe Clamp Fixture (with 6 ft pipe bought separately)
  
• 12" bar clamp
  
• 24" bar clamp
  
• Titebond II wood glue
  
  Note - I have no idea if that knife sharpener is correct to use with the chisels and plane. I'm only using the fine stone and it seems to work, but I have no idea what I'm doing in that department.
  
  This seems to cover the basics for me. I'm about halfway through a desk project and struggling, but I think that's user error more than the tools. More clamps and a better workspace would work wonders.

Low angle jack plane.

Stanley 12-137 No.62 Low Angle Jack Plane

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002B56CUY

The bi-folds I just did we’re from Lowe’s. Had the same problem as you.

Unless you have solid core, I don’t think you’ll be able to cut it. My doors are made out of literal cardboard. I used a plainer.

Stanley 12-404 No. 4 Adjustable Bench Plane with 2-Inch Cutter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FK3WI2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Q3H1Ab5G1P1Z4

I'm also a beginner, but after I got burned on this piece of crap, I bought this Japanese style plane and it's actually functional.
It's not a ton of money and mine only needed about 30 minutes of setup, compared to the hours I put into the shitty Stanely.

That being said, it requires a different technique, and I haven't found as much beginner information for the Japanese style planes as there is for the standard Western sort.