Anant Bench Plane No. 4 1/2 Smoothing
by Highland Woodworking
Our Price: $49.99
Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days
Category: Tools
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Product Details
Manufacturer: Highland WoodworkingProduct features:
- Excellent value for the money!
- Lever caps are fitted with levers
- Both handle & front knob are hardwood
- 10-1/2" x 2-3/8", 5-1/2 lbs.
Description of Anant Bench Plane No. 4 1/2 Smoothing
Anant planes offer excellent value for the money. Made in India since 1949, these planes are a bargain for beginning woodworkers & hand tool enthusiasts looking for affordable quality. Of course right out of the box, as with most Stanley/Bailey style planes (exceptions being the Lie-Nielsen and Clifton brands), you'll need to tune and tweak your new plane and hone the iron so it will perform satisfactorily. The handle and front knob of the bench style models are hardwood and provide a nice touch in lieu of plastic. Frog surfaces are milled well. Lever caps are fitted with levers, another welcome improvement over the late Record screw design. More importantly, Anants throat openings are discreet and properly milled. They average just under .200 wide; with the frog set correctly, the opening forward of the blade is only about 3/64. The rear edge of the throat opening has been milled, exactly as it should be, at a 45? slope. With the frog set flush with this beveled surface, you'll note that the irons ultimate point of support is actually the sole casting, stabilizing the iron right up to the heel of the bevel, a good 3/32 closer to the action than the lowest point on the frog. Overall, we're pleased with the quality of Anant planes, and recommend them as an economical way to get the benefit of having a hand plane in your shop without a heavy price tab.Tools and Hardware Reviews of Anant Bench Plane No. 4 1/2 Smoothing
Customer Review: Four stars for quality, Five stars for value!
Summary: 4 Stars
I own 2 older Stanley planes (a #4 and #5) but despite searching forever I have never found a Stanley #4-1/2 that was in decent shape that didn't break the bank. Having read some good things about Anant planes, I asked for and received this plane for my birthday. I am pleased to say that after a bit of work I am very happy with this purchase.
This plane comes out of the box looking good. Although looking good and performing well aren't the same thing, with a little sweat equity I was able to correct about 99% of the minor flaws that came with this plane. First of all, I was able to lap the sole of the plane flat in short order. The bad news was that the back of the plane iron had a serious hollow in it near the cutting edge. It took me nearly an hour to lap that flat! Once the sole and the iron were in shape I inspected the mouth and the frog and found both to be in great shape. I was impressed with how well the frog was machined - it made full perfect contact with the base across its width. I was also impressed that the back of the mouth opening was ground to the same angle as the frog, providing excellent support all the way to the cutting edge. The cap iron was also machined perfectly and made full contact with the iron.
In use I found the plane to be a great performer (once properly tuned). The finish on the tote and knob were a bit coarse, but a light buffing with some 0000 steel wool took care of that. Like a previous reviewer, I was surprised at how much backlash there was in the adjusting knob, but I too found that once I got the iron set just right it stayed put. Overall this is a good plane that can be made great with a couple of hours of tune-up work.
At this price its hard to fault the minor production flaws. If you are in the market for a wide smoother and don't want to spend too much I highly recommend this plane.
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