# mini planes



## gj13us (Apr 19, 2016)

Is this set of three mini planes from HF worth $12.99? http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/planers/3-piece-micro-brass-plane-set-97545.html

Or will I try them out and toss them aside with the HF bearing pullers and the HF bolt extractor set that never worked even once? 

From looking at it, my suspicion is that the soft brass screws won't hold fast and will rather quickly strip out. 

Sometimes I can use a very small plane and was looking around to see what's available aside from the $95 Violin Maker's Plane on Lie-Nielsen. https://www.lie-nielsen.com/product/block-planes/violin-makers-plane?node=4072


----------



## m.n.j.chell (May 12, 2016)

They are definitely NOT for rough work. You won't be able to smooth out a rough board or anything.

If you do work like Kenbo ... then they might be perfect for fenders and other parts of a fire truck, etc.


----------



## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

You're looking for luthier's tools. Have a violin luthier friend who uses Ibex

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Planes/Ibex_Archtop_Carving_Planes.html


----------



## Larry42 (Jan 10, 2014)

If you decide to get the HF tools, assume you will need to tune them, not just sharpening! Not all that hard if you understand the process. 

I've got a similar bull nose plane. Because they don't have any chip breaking ability they will tear any wood that has grain run-out against the feed direction. Since they are normally used into a dead end corner, 50% of the time you will have significant tear-out, shift to a very sharp chisel.

I've never had any luck with scraper "planes." I prefer a cabinet scraper. Or for fine edge work a scratch stock made by myself. There is a bit of "art" to making a scraper work well. The edge needs to have the burr just slightly raised. Many people put too much of a burr on.

The most useful of the three is the little plane. The blade needs to be kept extremely sharp and adjusted for a very fine cut. Check the bottom to side and adjust it by grinding or scraping them square. If there is any radius/bevel on the bottom leading into the throat opening you need to surface the bottom true flat until the throat opening is sharp. The throat opening is probably way to large and will not allow the chips to be properly broken. The fix can be gluing shim stock to the bedding surface of the blade. Be sure the blade is supported as close to the throat opening as possible to control chatter. 

A pc. of glass and some wet & dry paper works fine as a surfacing plate. Wet the paper first and spread it on the glass, it will stick good enough. The bottom of planes do not need to be polished, just flat. Too much polishing will make them harder to push as they will want to stick. 

Good luck, fine hand tools are a pleasure to use.


----------



## gj13us (Apr 19, 2016)

Larry Schweitzer said:


> If there is any radius/bevel on the bottom leading into the throat opening you need to surface the bottom true flat until the throat opening is sharp. The throat opening is probably way to large and will not allow the chips to be properly broken. The fix can be gluing shim stock to the bedding surface of the blade. Be sure the blade is supported as close to the throat opening as possible to control chatter.
> 
> A pc. of glass and some wet & dry paper works fine as a surfacing plate. Wet the paper first and spread it on the glass, it will stick good enough. The bottom of planes do not need to be polished, just flat. Too much polishing will make them harder to push as they will want to stick.
> 
> Good luck, fine hand tools are a pleasure to use.


Thanks. I've been thinking that the small block plane is the one I'm more likely to use. There's also a $7 plane at Walmart.


----------



## gj13us (Apr 19, 2016)

Robson Valley said:


> You're looking for luthier's tools. Have a violin luthier friend who uses Ibex
> 
> http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Planes/Ibex_Archtop_Carving_Planes.html


Thanks. Those are beautiful tools. Too beautiful for my needs. :wink2:


----------



## sirex (Apr 6, 2017)

i have a kundz plane https://www.woodgears.ca/handplane/using_palm_plane.jpg and i use it all the time for chamfers on edges.


----------

