buck brothers planes

[lucky4fingers]

Any opinions on Buck Brothers hand planes? I know they're not in the same league as Lee Valley or others but the price is nice. TIA

[kkfitzge]

100 years ago, Buck Bros was one of the great names in tools. Current production... uhhhhhh.... let's put it this way: my Buck Bros block plane, bought when I started wwing about 10 years ago, almost drove me screaming away from hand tools forever. I like a bargain, I'm not a tool snob, and I generally try to find some good in every tool, but this plane proved to be almost completely useless, except maybe as a paperweight, doorstop, or bad example.

OTOH, I have some Buck Bros chisels of about the same age that are pretty decent, if a bit soft.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

You already know the answer. Save up and buy the LV that you really want.

[LDR]

I had bought two Buck planes--jack and a block--knowing they were not the "real planes" I would someday own. The idea was that I would learn to fettle them and not be overly depressed when I destroyed them in the process, and I was at least half right, because I was somewhat upset when I ruined the frog on the jack plane. Well, I did eventually learn to tune the planes and both really work well. The lessons I can pass on to you, with the usual my 2 cents disclaimer:

Except for a Lee-Nielsen, planes require a lot of fettling--not a good idea to practice on an expensive one unless you have confidence and above average talent on first efforts.

A plane is, after all, just a holder for a chisel. Like all neat phrases, this is an exaggeration, but it is true that if you spend the time conditioning them they will produce picture-book shavings. There are people in third=world countries who do remarkable work with very crude tools.

I did wind up throwing away the block plane because it would no longer tighten the blade, despite trying hard to rescue it. I don't think this problem is unheard of.

In case, anyone is wondering why I didn't buy a used Stanley, it must be I live in an upscale neighborhood. My Thrifts and backyard sales don't do them. Hope this helps.

[Jeff Kingsley]

I bought a smoothing Buck Brothers Plane because of its price. It was next to useless until I took it apart and re-ground the chip breaker to sit on the blade properly. After that it worked quite well. I think my next purchase of a plane will be a L-N.

[Lobby Dosser]

Why? The LN will cost you at least 4-6x the BB plane and you already know how to make one of the BB planes work quite well.

[Lowell Holmes]

If you ask the question, you couldn't possibly understand.

[Pig]

[ukalumni]

I would like some help understanding. I bought a BB plane at HD because I had never used one, and I didn't want to drop > $200 on one without some idea of whether I would use it regularly.

After having used it some, I would consider a nicer plane if I had some inkling about the difference.

I'm currently using it it plane some cherry boards that I glued together. I am experiencing tearout if I'm going against the grain. I think that happens with any plane, doesn't it? What would a LV plane give me that a BB doesn't?

Thanks,

--Michael

[George]

Better wearing iron, undoubtedly, plus the ability to adjust the throat to take the type of shaving which would minimize tearout even up grain.

Plus, if you've got big hands, a _lot_ more room for your knuckles. Keeps you from getting an impression of the plane body in the first joint of your little finger during longer sessions.

[ukalumni]

When you say "ability to adjust the throat", are you talking about adjusting the opening where the blade comes through the sole?

I have looked over that plane trying to find a way to do that, and couldn't. But the nicer planes will let you do that?

Thanks,

--Michael

[ukalumni]

Nevermind. I just looked them up and saw that they do offer that adjustment.

Thanks,

--Michael

[Lobby Dosser]

Sure I could. There have been times when I've had more money than sense. The LV planes I can understand. They've made some interesting changes. LN are probably good planes, but IMO not worth the money.

[CW]

LN

[Lowell Holmes]

I shouldn't have responded in such a smart ass way.

I only have one Lie Nielson plane, a nice 140 skewed iron patterned after an old Stanley. There are alternatives to the $200 planes. I have old Stanley Baileys and Bedrocks purchased on EBay. A nice #4 Bailey can be had for well under $40. When you pick it up, you will know the difference. I wouldn't bother with the new Stanleys, but I know a school that uses them and they are tuned planes that do quite well. I have two Veritas planes and two Veritas spokeshaves. They came out of the box working. Moderate price and great quality.

When you pick up a Lie Nielson plane or a Veritas plane after holding a modern Buck Brothers you will know the difference.

[Andrew Barss]

: Sure I could. There have been times when I've had more money than sense. : The LV planes I can understand. They've made some interesting changes. LN : are probably good planes, but IMO not worth the money.

What makes them not worth the money? They're better machined than the Stanley Bedrock's they're derived from, have better and thicker blades, etc.

-- Andy Barss

[Lobby Dosser]

'Sallright, I smart assed right back. :o)

Soon as I get the Cash together I'm looking at 3 or so Knight planes. Everyone here raves about the quality and the price is sure right. I'v got a number of older SBs I picked up on e-bay and garage sales. Also and old wooden jointer of about 26" length. The mouth is kind of wide and I can't decide whether to patch the mouth or use it as a scrub. Until then it just sits there as one reminder of all the stuff I need to tune. When I started along the Neander Way I was very ignorant and bought a new Record smoother. Probably put 20 hours into that sucker and I'm still not satisfied with it. Tuning the SBs went a lot quicker, so the Record was worth something. The same lesson could be learned on the Buck, for less than half the price of a new Record.

Got a chance to fondle some of the LV planes and LN planes at last years Woodworking Show. I prefer the LVs. When they noticed that the drool was starting to pit the sides, I was asked to leave. :o)

[Lobby Dosser]

I can do the same job with cheaper planes. If I was starting from scratch, I'd buy the Buck for practice. If I tuned it to usefulness, fine. If not, then I've learned things at little cost and have a fairly decent doorstop. Then I can go on to picking up old SBs a Lot cheaper than LN. Better machined and thicker blades are not worth the difference in price. The LV shoulder planes, however, are on my list. I can't even come close to what they've done for shoulder planes by buying an old Stanley.

[Andy Dingley]

I'd rather drive a Ford.

[Layne]

The Yugo of handplanes....seriously I don't think Anant planes are any better than Buck Bros.

Layne