Hey folks! I've got a cozy garage workshop where I love to tinker, and I recently found a good stash of rough sawn walnut lumber. The boards are in pretty good shape—no serious warping if I sift through them—but the surfaces are quite rough and have saw marks. I want to get a hand plane to smooth these out and to embrace the craftsmanship of working with hand tools. As someone who's just diving into hand planing, what type of plane would you recommend for this type of work? Also, what kind of sharpening set should I buy? I'm not going fully unplugged, though, as I do have a random orbital sander and a belt sander for finishing. Initially, I thought about getting a DeWalt thickness planer, but I'm really intrigued by the hands-on craft part of it all. I don't own any planes or sharpening gear yet, so I'm willing to invest a bit for a starter setup. I'd prefer to keep it under $500 if possible. Also, garage sales aren't fruitful in my area, so I'd love to hear your thoughts, tips, or any lessons learned from your experiences!
6 Answers
You shouldn't have to spend more than $100 for a decent hand plane, but I don’t know how easy it is to find quality used ones in your area. I'm based in the UK, where good ones are pretty available. If you're looking for good resources, check out Paul Sellers on YouTube—his videos on setting up a sharpening station and restoring a bench plane are super helpful. You don’t need to shell out tons of cash on fancy tools and sharpening stones; just get to know the tool you choose to maximize its potential!
For a sharpening setup, you can keep it under $100. Grab 240, 600, and 1,000 grit diamond stones—they’re usually around $10 each. You can stick them to a plywood board with double-sided tape. Also, you’ll want a strop and honing guide, which will set you back about $20 each. Expect to spend around $150 for a good working plane. Look for "user" condition when you shop, and don’t stress about a little discoloration, it's normal. A #5 or #4 plane would be a great choice!
Totally agree! Having an extra blade makes everything smoother when you're in the groove of a project.
I’d recommend starting with a No. 5 or No. 6 plane, depending on the length of your boards. Once you get that, dive into YouTube—Paul Sellers, Wood by Wright, and Rex Krueger have tons of content that can help you. It’s really satisfying to restore an old plane and see it get back to working order. Enjoy the journey!
Going the hand plane route is definitely achievable, but it can be a bit of a workout and has a learning curve. I started out with cheaper planes and sharpening tools, which led to plenty of frustration since I wasn’t experienced enough to set them up properly. Eventually, I invested in higher-quality planes and stones, which made all the difference. Just a heads-up that you might spend more than a Dewalt planer in the long run if you opt for premium tools, but for me, the satisfaction of creating beautiful surfaces makes it worth it!
Check out r/handtools for tons of good advice! Hand planes are a common topic with loads of insights shared.
Great advice! One more tip: consider getting an extra blade if your budget allows. It’ll save you time when you notice your blade dulling mid-project. Swapping it out is much quicker than sharpening, especially in smaller shops.