I’ve been meaning to write a review of some miniature planes for a while just to help anyone out who’s thinking about buying one. I personally use planes quite a lot now instead of sanding down. I find that they give a much nicer finish and create a lot less mess as its easier to hoover up shavings rather than dust. Here’s a review of three planes of varying prices and capabilities.
Vertias Miniature Block Plane
This really is a tiny little plane that fits in your finger tips. Its beautifully made and has a cutting angle of 37 degrees so its capable of cutting end grain too. It has a Norris style blade adjuster which makes blade adjustment easy and weighs 48 grams.
So is it a toy? No! This is a very good piece of kit for model making that can take off the finest shavings. It can also take quite a deep cut too and is very sharp straight out of the box. Because you hold it with your finger tips it really has a nice feel to it.
The down sides are that it has a very small foot print so it does take practice to learn how to use. Its easy to create a wavy cut if you don’t either hold it or the work place tightly. You must also be very careful not to over tighten the Norris adjuster as it will damage the shoe. I did this after owning it for a couple of years so I had to contact Veritas for a replacement. They sent me one free of charge from Canada now that’s great service!
The current price of this plane is £47.88 and if looked after will last a lifetime.
Lie Nielson Violin Makers Plane
Wow this is a nice tool; its one of those tools that you own that’s even nice to just look at. The first thing you notice is the weight of it. Boy this is a heavy little tool for its size as its made of bronze. It just says quality and and the blade adjuster is extremely precise. This plane will fill the palm of your hand and it fits perfectly and weighs 227 grams.
This is a professional tool that will take anything from the finest cuts to some really deep ones. This plane can really remove a lot of material if you need it too without any blade chatter. Its surgically sharp straight out of the box and would you believe the cardboard boxes that they come in are collected by some people. I sold my box on Ebay for just over £10!
The down sides are it is a heavy little tool which can sometimes be a pain when trying to remove tiny passes. The weight removes some of the feel of what you are doing. The cost….this is a very expensive tool which is out of range of many model makers.
The current price of this plane is £112.28 but you could pass this down to your kids in your will its that well made.
Veritas Miniature Bench Plane
Another lovely plane from Veritas which has the same adjuster as the block plane. Its really beautifully made and has a cutting angle of 38 degrees. This plane weighs 64 grams and is used by clamping the workpiece and using it with both hands.
Once again this is not a toy its really is a good plane but it does a different job. The foot print is much longer and is fantastic for finishing off and smoothing flat surfaces. Its sharp straight out go the box and it feels nice to use; once again it held in your finger tips. Its easy to keep a nice straight cut with due to its length and gives a very nice clean finish.
The down sides are its not as versatile as the other two planes. Its better at giving a finished surface over a bigger area but with practice a guess its could probably do well.
The current price of this plane is £52.88 and again if looked after will last a life time.
Conclusion
So if given a choice to only have one which one would it be. I would choose the Veritas miniature block plane. I have found it to be a fantastic little plane that has loads of quality for the price. It's so easy to use and has a very short learning curve to master.
I know that there are some very versatile cheaper planes available but I’ve never used one so I can’t review them. I hope this review helps someone
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