any feedback on the HF tools?

[J T]

Wed, Oct 25, 2006, 6:13pm (EDT-1) [e-mail] (Patriarch) doth sayeth: JOAT's plan of buying what you can afford, when you can afford it, and painting it yellow, makes an awful lot of sense to me. It's just really hard to do with a Lie Nielsen plane, ;-)

Gotta say, a Lie Nielsen plane would pretty much be wasted on me. However, with the boys grown I'm now in a position where I can buy some higher quality tools. Most of them will still get painted yellow, definitely including anything the boys are apt to use, or "borrow".

JOAT It's not hard, if you get your mind right.

- Granny Weatherwax

[Henry St.Pierre]

B A R R Y wrote in news:YNN%g.21601$e66.20037 @newssvr13.news.prodigy.com:

What? And let everyone know I have a clunker (still).

[Henry St.Pierre]

"Michael Faurot" wrote in news:jda514- [e-mail]:

Darn, by hand. The cutters are only a half an inch wide. They look to be three inches long. I didn't see the planes other than the picture, but they looked pretty solid for 5 inch planes. Grinding new cutters shouldn't be much of a chore. I don't know what I would use planes this small for. Hank

[Henry St.Pierre]

"Andy Dingley " wrote in news: [e-mail]:

These planes look to be 4-5 inches long with a half inch cutter. They appear to be brass with a rosewood infill. On the website they looked kind of cute. Regards, Hank

[ivytheplant]

Then how the hell was a couple HF planes and a dollar store plane able to make a houseworth's of extensive cabinetry and shelving? If they're so terrible, then they shouldn't be usable at all. Unless there's a rip in the space-time continuum.

I still maintain that woodworkers from days of yore are rofling at us. In fact, I'd bet my table saw on that :P

[Teamcasa]

"ivytheplant"

I frankly could care less that you buy their Chinese, slave labor, costing US jobs, cheap junk. As for the old time furniture builders, they used the best tools and technologies available to them at the time. If they had access to a Unisaws, 20" bandsaws, vacuum bagging, hi-tech adhesives, shapers and 3hp variable speed routers, carbide cutting tools, A2 and stainless steel, diamonds, compressed air and the tools they operate, polyurethane and many other advances, they would and do use them now.

I too have tools from the 1800's, passed to me by my father, grand and great grand father. They are the tools they used, they were the best ones they could afford or build themselves, and subsiquently, still good today. I doubt, serioulsy doubt any tool sold by HF will still be around in 200 years, much less working.

Dave

[Michael Faurot]

They might be a bit more narrow than that, maybe only 3/8"--but I'm not certain.

The bodies aren't that long. Maybe 3".

I've seen planes this small and smaller used for making musical instruments. I'm not a luthier, but I can see using these for trimming and tweaking a variety of things.

[Lobby Dosser]

There are a number of reasons why I buy tools. Subsidising an e-bay gloat

200 years from now is not one of them.

[J T]

Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 9:18am (EDT-3) [e-mail] (Teamcasa) doth orateeth: I frankly could care less that you buy their Chinese, slave labor, costing US jobs, cheap junk.

From that remark I take it then you own nothingat all made in China, eh? Betcha do.

Just out of curiosity, in what country was your vehicle(s) made? My present vehicle is a '78 El Camino - made in the USA. My previous vehicle was a '79 GMC, made in the USA. The vehicle before that was a '73 Nova, made in the USA. And so on. I don't much like the new cars, but if I did, I'd go for one made in the USA - by an American company - and it'd probably still have something on it made in China - or Mexico, or wherever.

In the meantime, I'll continue to buy tools I can actually afford (if I can't make what I need instead), that'll do the job for me, rather than doing without. The way I look at it, if the tools were pure crap (like a lot of people claim) the Chinese couldn't keep selling them, they aren't stupid you know.

JOAT If it can't kill you, it ain't a sport.

[bf]

I disagree. It will probably turn off the OP on handplanes forever if this is his first experience.

[Bill]

I don't much like the new cars,

IIRC, for the highest percentage of "made in the USA" content, you would be driving a Toyota. Unless, of course, we are talking about that town in China named "USA".

Bill

[Teamcasa]

"ivytheplant"

"Teamcasa"

"Lobby Dosser"

You missed the point. Again. HF tools are cheap and designed to be short lived. If the OP, or anyone else wants to buy and struggle through using them, only to toss them after limited use, it OK with me. There will always be people that tout the cheap route thinking they outsmarted everyone else by getting such a good deal. They are happy in this knowledge - until they actually use a high quality tool.

Dave

[Teamcasa]

Teamcasa

"J T"

Just to clear a few things up. Yes, I do own some Chinese stuff. Its very hard to avoid. However, I do make an effort to avoid it when possible.

My current vehicles, 2003 Chevy crewcab 4x4 dually (Duramax), 2005 Trailblazer.

The Chinese are definitely not stupid. However, US consumers, lets say this, make poor choices from time to time. I too buy tools I want, need or just enjoy using. I simply decide to save and wait to buy the tool I think balances quality vs cost vs overall value.

Dave

[Andy Dingley]

I own one. They're crap.

[Lobby Dosser]

I OWN some HF tools. I buy HF tools carefully. One of the very big advantages to HF tools is that they ARE inexpensive. If I drop my 4" angle grinder from the roof to concrete, I'm out $9.00. If I drop the DeWalt, I'm out a Bunch more. I don't need an angle grinder that will last 200 years. I need one that is inexpensive and will do the job.

If I'm doing pro work I'll buy the best saw that I can afford that will do what I need it to do. I'll Still buy the HF angle grinder.

I OWN some high quality tools. None of the power tools will last 200 years - Period. Most of the hand planes that I own belonged to someone else 50 or a 100 years ago. Two of them date back to the 1750s. I tune them to work for me. I've even 'modified' some by sawing and grinding off bits that get in the way of what *I* want it to do. If I had paid $400.00 for that plane I would be Very reluctant to do that. As it is, the most expensive planes I own are the 250 year old planes - I paid $25.00 each for them and bought them just because liked the idea of owning them. I could use them, but I just like them sitting there and neither does anything I want done right now. If the need arises, I Will use them.

If you really want to buy tools that will last 200 years, that's fine. Everybody has his own excuse for buying another tool, but don't knock it if you haven't tried it.

[Lobby Dosser]

And unless you get it into a landfill or recycling, the damn thing will still be around 200 years from now for someone to display! :o)

[Mike Marlow]

Preciesely. I too buy some HF tools, depending on the tool. The notion of struggling through using them is a foolish notion - they work just like their counterparts that cost many times more. Limited use? Bull. The tools that I have purchased from HF have performed every bit as well as the name brand stuff - but I don't buy every tool that HF sells, either. I'm with you on the use of the tool - I really don't care where my HF angle grinder is in 200 years. Likely it will be in the same place as the Snap On grinder it replaced - in the landfill.

Many of us have indeed used "high quality tools" as well as the cheap counterparts. The argument is that the difference you suggest is often, simply not there.

I agree. There is a romantic notion that suggest something "wonderful" about a tool that is 200 years old. The thing is, the tool was just a tool when it was manufactured. It's age is more of its attraction today than its superior qualities. If that tool had continued to be used daily it surely would not be laying around to be purchased, 200 years later. Its age is no reflection of anything - except its age.

I have no problem with anyone's personal preference in tools, but these threads come up and the same tool-snob cliches and attempted put downs come up as predictably as big boogers after a day of sanding. Oh well...

[Lobby Dosser]

LOL!! You just have to be from the south. Only folks I know can come up with 'colorful' expressions like that are from the south. :o)

Uh Huh ...

[Mike Marlow]

Nope - but I did eat at a Shoney's a couple of times...

[Lobby Dosser]

That'd do it!