Woodwork planes, anybody in the profession?

[BennyC]

Hi there,

I'm currently studying for a degree in furniture and a plane is an essential in any furniture makers tool box. I've just finished my first year and managed to make do with a No.5 Stanley, i had flattened the base and honned and sharpened the blade as best i could, but as you expect for a £50 plane it was sufficient but not really good enough.

My lecturer from America has numerous planes but the two he uses the most are Lie Nielson a No.5 and No.7 his students bought them for him over there so he has never had to pay for them. Lie Nielson are the most expensive planes one can buy but are they the best? A few lads on my course have brought Clifton No.5's and No.5 1/2s, beautifully made and seem to work very well. At about £100 less than a LN. Obviousley they will need tuning, but no where near as much as a budget plane.

My questions are is it worth the extra cos of LN over Clifton? And also what size should I go for? I doubt i will be doing any overly large work and definatley not making anything as spectacular as large wardrobes or huge tables in my second or third year of uni. However a No.7 or 8 can do all the work of a smaller plane and more, so if i was spending almost £200 on a No.5 the leap to a No.7 surely wouldnt hurt?

Further down the line im sure i will end up aquiring a No.5 and block plane, but for now would I be best off with a No.7? or should i stick to a 5 1/2?

Also if anybody has an experience with a Clifton shoulder plane could you give some quick feedback please, or recommend other brands.

Thanks

Benny C

 

[Scuzi]

For the love of god, the word is "bought".

I didn't know it was possible to do a degree in "furniture". Does this focus on designing and making furniture solely or does it entail more?

 

[BennyC]

For the love of god, the word is "bought".

I didn't know it was possible to do a degree in "furniture". Does this focus on designing and making furniture solely or does it entail more?

Fixed. Good thing im not doing a degree in English!

Yeah, there are very few courses. I'm currently at Lincoln. There are courses at BCUC in High Wycombe too, also in restoration and upholstery, some at Cornwall College and also Leeds College of Art and Design, but I liked the setting at Lincoln best and the surroundings.

Its mostley design and make, with enough focus on design to pick out any flaws in designs or complications. It's not like A level design where you spend half the year finding and imaginery client and producing a PDS and all that bull. We also cover drawing techniques and modern process's such as steam bending, laminating and veneering. We went to Milan for design shows this year. It's a good course and something I enjoy! Only 6 of us in my year!

http://www.prelude08.com/furniture.php

Theres a link to some of the Final peices produced by this years third years

I'm particulary fond of this peice:

http://www.prelude08.com/furniture.php?sam_thompson