Wood River V3 bench planes?

[bandit571]

One way to find out for yourself....but it will cost you about $140 or so....

[HomerLee]

Bandit wrote:

One way to find out for yourself....but it will cost you about $140 or so....

Not interested in a war of words. Trying to learn something. Doesn't seem to be a matter of slop in the yoke/adjuster else we would have trouble with the old Stanleys. I have some WR V3 bench planes and haven't had any problem. I do not doubt that you have. 

Out of curiosity I just checked the iron adjustment backlash in a few planes and found the following:

Bedrock #604 = 1 1/4 turns
Bedrock #605 = 1 1/4 turns
Bedrock #608 = 3/4 turn
Bailey #5 = 1 1/4 turns.
WoodRiver #4 1/2 = 1/2 turn
WoodRiver #5 1/2 = 1/4 turn

[Ray Newman]

Colleagues: thanks for and appreciate all the comments. The other day, I handled a Wood River #4. It felt too heavy and just did not seem to fit my hands. "Gonna" ask around about who has a LN or VERITAS and see if it can do a hands-on. Again, thanks.

[rwe2156]

Homer & Derek,

IMO its just bias against non-vintage Stanley planes which seems to border on snobbery based on some of the comments I've seen in this and other threads. I've seen so many threads flame up with ridiculous claims that simply are not true.

The weight may be a factor for some people but a lot of the other issues are simply unfounded. The heavier casting gives stability to the plane. I would say the backlash issue has pretty much been disproven by Homer.

I've used them all: Stanley, Millers, Union, Lie Nielsen, Veritas.  I've been using several of the WR planes for several years now and and perfectly satisfied with them. In fact, they stack up quite well against LN and LV.

My experience it totally the opposite: the blades & cap iron are thin, tons of backlash in the adjuster.  I had several planes that simply would not hold their settings. Almost every vintage Stanley I've owned the sides were not square to the sole, the soles were not flat, and in several jointing planes, the warp was so bad it couldn't be fixed. I've even seen the soles flex when the iron was clamped in.

So unlike some others, I sold all my Stanleys and went the other route.

In the end, its to each his own, but I don't see how anyone can so biased as to trash the planes like I've seen .

[Tony Z]

Way back when in this thread, I mentioned excessive backlash in the WR low angle block plane. I didn't take the time to sort it out, but rather how to work with it: adjusting the blade and the adjuster to the depth of the cut, and it held. As I mentioned, the WR is very close to being a premium plane and much cheaper than other makes.

[Barry Johnson]

I have never used a WR plane, but wanted to put my 2c in.  I looked at them online, and they are much cheaper than anything from LN/LV, but price is usually my lowest concern when it comes to tools.  Not because I have it like that, far from it.  But if I'm going to spend my hard earned money on something I like to know where my money is going.

I've met Rob, and Tom at various ww shows, which means absolutely nothing, they have no idea who I am.  But I've seen the same people working their booths for many years.  Employee loyalty says allot about a company.  So when I save for a longer period of time to get something from LN/LV, it isn't just to buy american/canadian, it is more about supporting the american/canadian workers.  They work with their hands just like I do.  Merica'

And to keep it on topic, yeah, backlash.

[hbmcc]

Regarding bias, I'm a big boy. I try to admit personal bias, and have on this thread. It isn't the same as repeating garbage, or blowing snot. I can sort BS from truth, and have been doing it multiple times a day, lately. 

The point in these comparisons of tools is to provide personal experience, not hearsay. I think the OPs want and need those intimate bits of experience. If they don't do what I think they should, and it upsets me, I have the problem; and really, really hope I don't blurt out that bit of ego.