Thread: Straightening Out My Wood...?

My current handyman tools stop at a Black and Decker Matrix drill, with interchangeable "chucks": got the drill, mouse sander, and reciprocating saw attachments. Other cutting tools include a scroll saw two years younger than I, a saw w/mitter box I picked up from the hardware store, and a small hand jigsaw. We don't deal in stone here, so the few chisels don't count.

Anyway. I can cut wood up for various projects, but the resulting item lacks a certain straight line/edge that SR shaving helps to satisfy.

Directly to the point: Any suggestions on a planer? Where should I look for what? This is probably the least expensive route for me to achieve this. No, I don't have experience with traditional hand woodworking tools. But a planer should be a cakewalk compared to SR shaving .

My sweet spot is "as cheap as possible for usable quality". My budget is $30, for the simple fact the I can get either the circular saw attachment for my drill, or a cheap but brand new actual circular saw for $40, build a track for said circular saw, thus solving many of my wavy wood issues.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Stop at a few yard sales and pick up a hand plane. The #5 Jack plane is probably the most versatile tool in my shop. I have even used it to thickness a few horn scales.

Originally Posted by Wirm

Stop at a few yard sales and pick up a hand plane. The #5 Jack plane is probable the most versatile tool in my shop. I have even used it to thickness a few horn scales.

Noted, thank you. Now what brands would you suggest? And where to get them? I've been watching the garage sales, but the season is drying up, and most of the ones I've seen in the wild have been fairly roached & rusted (including the wooden block planes lol).

I looked at Harbor Freight's offerings via their site, but those seem to be hit & miss for quality (for the ones worth paying even that much for). Haven't had the chance to look over The Lowe's Depot 'n such yet.

Stanley, Stanley Bailey,Stanley Bedrock,Craftsman,Record,Millers Falls,Clifton,Preston,Lie Nielsen,Sargent to name a few. The well known auction site has several stanleys in your price range at this moment.
Buyer's Guide to Hand Planes for Woodworkers (3/13) | Wood and Shop

Good old sanding block with several types of paper to put on it would be a simple way to plane scales and even some boards.

Umm, watch it with the kinky titles ok? Your wood is your wood.

Another good place to look is the antique shops. I tend find at least a couple spots with hand tools in every one I go in.

Hand planes are like razors, don't get a cheap one from China or Pakistan. The important part is the blade and you preferably want one made in the US, Germany, or Sweden. A lower end, but decent, new #5 plane will cost around $150.
A lot of times you can find good used ones on at yard sales, craig's list, ebay, antique shops for $30 to $50.
New or used, just like straights, the blade will need a bevel set and honing.

Last night, myself, the wife, her friend, the friend's husband, and a new acquaintance (friend of the wife's friend) went on a road trip to White Castle. About 45 minutes away via the interstate, one way.

Enough of that narrative style summary. Just made myself feel like a tween girl...

* Second time meeting him.
* He is a fledgling DE user; on some sort of wet shaving reddit.
* He had done some light, hobbyist woodworking (turned out some fountain pens).
* After talking SRs a bit, I recalled his dabbling in wood.
* Asked him, basically, what I asked in my original post on this thread.
* His father (or grandfather?) was the woodworker; said he'd see about digging up one or two of their old planes.

I'm kinda stoked that I might get a plane free, or next to nothing. And we here, at SRP, like our vintage utilitarian items, don't we?

Originally Posted by Wirm

Stop at a few yard sales and pick up a hand plane. The #5 Jack plane is probably the most versatile tool in my shop. I have even used it to thickness a few horn scales.

Out of curiosity, were these pictures part of a larger, more detailed thread? Got a link (or search term) handy? Thank you.

Actually it was.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/custo...w-b-7-8-a.html