Groz Planes

[David G. Sizemore]

OK. I know it ain't no Bailey, LN, etc., but probably not a Buck Bros, either.

So does anyone have/know anything about these planes? Construction, tunability, materials, ease of use?

If the iron is bad, can you just slap a Hock in there and have it be a decent tool?

I am not a production shop, just want to do a few projects a year. I am aware that this $50.00 plane will not act like a $600.00 one, but why not?

Attempting to break in to a newbie neander mode, and don't want to put down $1500 for 3 planes if I'm gonna put them on Ebay in a year.

So, is this a good tool? If not, can it be made functional? Will it always be a fifty dollar paperweight, or can i make a few curlies and still feed the kids?

[Andy Dingley]

No, but I've used their measuring tools. They're OK. Somewhere between good European and typical Chinese. So long as you don't pay too much, they're alright. They've got to be better than Kunz !

Maybe. You can't just "slap a Hock in" for anything, because Hock ship them unhoned. Get a decent iron instead and it comes ready to use.

Try and find a Fine Woodworking multi-plane review from a few years ago. They reviewed a bunch of planes, right down to an Anant barrel-bottom-scraping plane. If you tuned it and put an iron in, even the Anant behaved. They also found that a cap iron that fitted well (they recomended the Clifton two piece) was a worthwhile tweak.

So buy your planes from eBay in the first place.

$500 planes are ridiculous anyway. No-one needs to spend this for typical bench planes. There are some specialist purposes where sheer rarity and low manufacturing volume puts the price up, and if you really need a grockle-shaver, I guess you need a grockle-shaver. For general bench planes though, anything costing much more than Lee Valley's is an indulgence.

[patriarch]

"David G. Sizemore" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

You can be the first one on the metaphorical block, if you want, or you can go to an expert, as I did.

is run by one Patrick Leach, a wRecker of some antiquity. In addition to his 'more than anyone _really_needed_ to know Stanley site, he sells old tools. Tools with a soul.

One need not purchase collectable quality planes. By informing Patrick that you are interested in a user-quality plane, you can get affordably- priced, common planes, from your grandfather's era, and be assured that you will get what you are promised. I've purchased more than a complete set (there's a danger in this...) from him, over the last 2 1/2 years, and been pleased with every one. The most I've ever spent was on the most recent, a minty Stanley #8, at 24" long. The plane is at least 80 years old. I spent less than 4 minutes getting it ready to joint an edge on an 8/4 oak plank.

There are other good dealers out there. You MAY pay a little more than eBay, but you buy some expertise as well. I find that combination to be valuable.

Andy's correct. You don't need one or two of each. And I need to regularly remind myself of that.

Welcome to the slippery slope.

Patriarch

[David G. Sizemore]

Good to know, thanks

Ummm....as we said in grade school, "duuh"! I knew full well that I would have to hone the iron. I was asking (incorrectly, perhaps) if anyone knew of the quality of the "stock" iron, and would replacing the iron with a decent one would help in changing the sow's ear closer to a silk purse; or if it was just trying to polish a turd {don't try that-you end up with sh*t on your hands and a pissed off turd}

Will do, Thanks

Again, good to know, thanks

rather pay $100 dollars for a known-limited piece, than $300 for something that used to be good, and is not salvageable. I will buy many things off Ebay, but I'll let the tool gloats pass by.

But I sure would love to have a shop full

See above

[Alan W]

I have the 60 1/2 on order from Highland Hardware. I happen to have a English Stanley 60 1/2 with a hock iron in it with only the sole slightly flattened. Since I have a bit of experience with planing purpleheart, I figure I can see how it is pretty quickly stock out of the box.

Alan

[Lowell Holmes]

[David G. Sizemore]

If you could post the results, that'd be great. Like I said, just looking to see if there is something "inexpensive" but not "cheap".

[Larry Jaques]

On 25 Nov 2004 00:47:26 GMT, "David G. Sizemore" calmly ranted:

I haven't seen the Groz planes in person but the pics are very nice. I think they're probably closer to new (unuseable) Bucks than they are to LNs.

Sure, nearly doubling the original price.

I got my cheapo Indian plane to cut really well for a couple feet once. I use that plane for door trimming, where the paint can have its way with the really cheaparse iron.

So start on Ebay, whydoncha?

I'd opt for an old Stanley #5. You can find one on Ebay for $15 on up, most of which have been tuned by their previous owners. Add a Hock iron to one of those instead. Then you KNOW you have a good chunk of properly made, well-seasoned cast iron.

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[bridger]

those look a whole lot like the ones grizzly is currently selling. I'd bet they are the same. the griz package would save you a few bucks...

to

and

[Andy Dingley]

That's what the measuring tools are like. Nice shiny surface finish, looks great, but there's a honking great burr on the adjusting screw.

Gloat: Bought an "apprentice made" spirit level on eBay - a little adjustable toolmaker's level about 4" long and with a shielded tube vial. Turned up today, and it's actually a tiny Starrett. Because it was described as "apprentice made", no-one else bothered to bid on it and I got it for only 99p !

[patriarch]

[e-mail] wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Rockler has some new planes on the way, too. Want to bet that these are pretty similar as well?

The local store manager is going to set aside the first ones for me to evaluate. He has the possibly mistaken impression that I'm suited to evaluate them for him. ;-)

Patriarch