# hand plane bottom???



## preacherman (Nov 29, 2011)

I have just begun to get involved in the world of hand planes. Wifey bought me a block plane for christmas (new stanley bailey standard) and I am hooked on making shavings. I have been searching ebay and other sources for used planes to purchase. I have already picked up a farily nice bailey #5 that I have apart to clean up. I am watching some others #3,#4, #7, just trying to catch a deal.
My question concerns the bottoms of the planes. Is there a noticeable using difference between the smooth bottom planes and corrugated bottom? Is one better than the other? personal preference or what? Any help would be appreciated.


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## TylerJones (Dec 4, 2011)

No huge difference in performance, though a corrugated sole is faster and easier to flatten because of less material. So it can be an advantage when purchasing used planes. But I wouldn't pass up a nice plane because of a solid sole.


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

Preference thing. I have both and use both and have to look at the bottom to remember if it's corrugated or smooth.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

+1 on preference.

I have a No 7C, the only one with a corrugated bottom, but it did not feel to work different than the others with a solid sole.

A pit of paste wax on the bottom helps to reduce friction.


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## timetestedtools (Aug 23, 2012)

I've never seen a difference in performance, and a lot of craftsman agree it was a marketing stunt, but I do like a smooth bottom in jointers. I tend to pinch my fingers in the groove when referencing along narrow stock. I find it harder to keep straight without a fence. Just a slight annoyance for me, and I do have a few I still use, but all other things even, I'll take the smooth bottom in jointers.

I know Paul Sellers once wrote he didn't like corrugated smoothers because they fill up. I've never seen this issue, but its another thought on the subject.


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## preacherman (Nov 29, 2011)

Thanks guys for the input! I was skeptical at first to look at the corrugated sole planes. Don't know why, guess they just look funny to me for some reason. But I have noticed they are selling for about the price as smooth soles. 
Also the snipers on ebay are killing me. I thought I had a beautiful #4 bailey locked up cheap then suddenly the price jumped like 14 bucks before I could even blink. By the time I clicked to bid it was over:sad: Oh well, I got more on my watch list.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

preacherman said:


> Also the snipers on ebay are killing me. I thought I had a beautiful #4 bailey locked up cheap then suddenly the price jumped like 14 bucks before I could even blink. By the time I clicked to bid it was over:sad: Oh well, I got more on my watch list.


I know the frustration. I am trying just to buy parts and the snipers have their automated bids increasing as soon as I hit confirm.

I got ticked off and kept bidding just so the sniper would have to pay more. :furious:


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## Gilgaron (Mar 16, 2012)

I was reading how to win ebay auctions, although the specialty planes I was interested in still got higher than I was willing to pay since these were more _wants_ than _needs_. Here's what I read:

Set your maximum bid to as much as you're willing to pay, plus some small change to make it higher than someone else's autobid (e.g. $0.57). This should be somewhere above what you'd like to pay, but below what you feel only an idiot would pay.

Your actual bid/price out of pocket will just be the next lowest bid plus the minimum increment (often $1). You will only go up to your maximum bid if the other bidders go up to it. If they go beyond then, oh well, they went higher than you were willing to pay (set as your max bid) anyhow, so no real loss.

'Sniping', waiting until the last few minutes or seconds of the auction, helps because then it is less likely that other bidders will see what you bid, get emotionally invested, and try to outbid you, and it prevents the same from you since you'll either win or lose with your maximum you were willing to pay. Then you can't get caught up and end up paying more than retail on a new plane would run, and you'll be free to bid on something else instead if it comes up in the mean time.

I've also learned that I am too cheap to win a plow plane, rabbet plane, or router plane so far. The ones with all the parts keep going for enough that I'd rather buy a new Veritas or LN...


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Gilgaron said:


> I was reading how to win ebay auctions, although the specialty planes I was interested in still got higher than I was willing to pay since these were more _wants_ than _needs_. Here's what I read:
> 
> Set your maximum bid to as much as you're willing to pay, plus some small change to make it higher than someone else's autobid (e.g. $0.57). This should be somewhere above what you'd like to pay, but below what you feel only an idiot would pay.
> 
> Your actual bid/price out of pocket will just be the next lowest bid plus the minimum increment (often $1). You will only go up to your maximum bid if the other bidders go up to it. If they go beyond then, oh well, they went higher than you were willing to pay (set as your max bid) anyhow, so no real loss.


Thanks, I tried this approach. Had a couple of autoincrements by another bidder but was able to get a couple of No 4's , one a Stanley a bit of a rust bucket and one a New York Tool company. Never heard of them.

These are either parts planes, or perhaps the Stanley No 4 get's restored.


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## Woodwart (Dec 11, 2012)

Stanley started producing the corrugated soles on the theory that they would have less friction with the material being planed, and therefore be easier to push. Everything I've heard indicates that it never made a big difference.


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