FWW not fond of New Stanley Planes

[sawduster]

Just got home from the book store where I perused the latest issue of Fine Woodworking Magazine which has an article about the New Stanley Planes.

As much as they look like the Veritas planes, they don't seem to measure up. The soles of both the #4 size Smoother and the Low Angle Jack that they tested were not as flat as they should be and the Norris type adjusters had 2 complete turns of slop. The machining on the sole of the Jack was particularly bad.

With a bit of fine honing of the blades on my Veritas planes, they have been ready to go right out of the box. I just checked my low angle smoother and I may have 1/8 of a turn of slop in the adjuster. Looks to me like the $30 to $35 more for the comparable Veritas planes is a bargain.

[TDHofstetter]

Two turns...! That's a lot of play. It wouldn't have taken SQUAT to take that play out at the factory...

[dcarter636]

Isn't it stunning how such a large outfit can't seem to get the simple details correct? For a lot of folks a flat sole makes the difference twixt a valued user plane and a garage sale item. If I have to flatten the sole, why would I pay ~$180 when I could pay $5-$20 at a garage sale for a plane with a flatter bottom?

Jerry, your comment about the backlash is one of the things that most everyone mentions as an quality indicator on the LV and LN lines. I don't put a lot of practical value in the amount of depth adjuster backlash, but it is a symptom of the quality of the market research and manufacturing tolerance sensitivity analysis applied to these planes. It can be expensive to get rid of that lash as it requires several very tight manufacturing tolerances or individual fitment that involve more costly methods of manufacture, but users look for that detail and the Stanley folks missed that.

[TDHofstetter]

These're 16-pitch threads, though, aren't they? At about a 2:1 leverage, that makes for 0.0625" slop. That's AWFUL. That's hacksaw tolerances.

[Leo Voisine]

Not really suprising. But it is sad.

Stanley is a huge company from a worldwide base that is in business to make money as a primary focus of attention, not great tools.

I believe LV and LN is in the business of making great tools, for a profit.

[sawduster]

Mar 6, 2010 14:00:55 GMT -6 Leo Voisine said:

Not really suprising. But it is sad.

Stanley is a huge company from a worldwide base that is in business to make money as a primary focus of attention, not great tools.

I believe LV and LN is in the business of making great tools, for a profit.

Yeah, I think someone in marketing at Stanley said something like, "Well, the main difference between Veritas planes and ours is that they used pretty wood and modern materials to make theirs, so if we do the same and charge a little less, we can take that piece of the market." Folks buying LV and LN tools are serious about the job they need to do, and pretty is just an added attraction. Methinks Stanley has forgotten the important part.

[Ruffnek]

Could it be that Stanley is going after the tool collectors more than the users? After all, there are lots of them out there.

I read that review in FWW and like Leo, found it a bit sad that such an iconic company and name as Stanley couldn't make a decent, modern plane.

Personally, I think that Veritas has done very well bridging the gap between Lie-Nielsen and the low end hand tools. While Veritas tools are not cheap, they are very good quality and the prices at least don't take one's breath away like Lie-Nielsen's do.

[sawduster]

Can't imagine what a collector might want with a brand new mediocre plane. Course I guess there are collectors of brand new power tools so maybe . . . ;D

Lately, I'm feeling like a collector for all of the work my tools are doing.

[dcarter636]

It's too bad that these new sweetheart planes may sour a class of potential new hand tool woodworkers. They look okay at Woodcraft but if they all need lapping, filing, and other fettling many newbs aren't going to know what's wrong with the new tool, or what to do about it.
My first bad experiences with mediocre hand planes caused me to shun hand tools for a long time.

[Ruffnek]

Mar 7, 2010 9:37:37 GMT -6 sawduster said:

Course I guess there are collectors of brand new power tools so maybe . . . ;D

Yep, those are the "collectors" I was referring to, the ones who have a shop full of tools but never actually use them to make anything. I guess that's okay too, if it gives them enjoyment.

BTW, in your case, you have an excuse. You were once ( and I expect will be again) the most prolific woodworker on the forum.

Dave makes a good point, too. I know if I was struggling to get a poorly fettled plane to cut, I'd say "to heck with this" and get out the belt sander.

[sawduster]

BTW, in your case, you have an excuse. You were once ( and I expect will be again) the most prolific woodworker on the forum.

Thanks, Cody. I appreciate the sentiment, but it is real hard to go out into the shop and see all that stuff sitting idle.