Okay, so the last plane I featured was the Stanley #97 chisel plane. I’m not so sure that was a fan favorite here. The #97 is definitely a specialty tool that provides a little more versatility out in the shop, but probably not enough to put high on one’s “must have” list, nor worth the expense to buy one for occasional use when another more affordable tool will get the job done. If you didn’t know the #97 existed, now you know. So maybe we should get back to the bare bones basics.
Stanley #220:
Now even if you’re not much into woodworking but are engaged in a project that needs a little adjustment to make things go together, this block plane will probably fit the bill perfectly. The Stanley #220 is a general-purpose block plane designed for what I would call construction type work. It’s not really made for fine finish work like the Stanley #65 block plane for instance. (See page 16, reply 238.) Unlike the #65’s adjustable throat and iron bedded at a low twelve degrees, the #220 has a fixed throat and features a cutting iron that’s bedded at about twenty three degrees, or a few degrees higher than the standard twenty degrees found on many other block planes. (For a detailed discussion on the bedded angles of Stanley block planes, refer back to Bill Houghton’s insightful comments on page 22, reply 325. The #220 is essentially a larger version of the Stanley #203. See page 22, reply 319. Also see the two side-by-side comparison photos below.) Although Stanley did not design the #220 to be a high end plane, it still incorporates the same iron advancement and retraction mechanism found on many other Stanley block plane patterns to include a couple that were higher end tools, like the #62 for example. That is a nice feature to have to achieve those fine advancement and retraction adjustments. However, notice that it does not have a lateral adjustment lever. Another nice feature but not available on the #220. Based on the simple design of the #220 and its lack of some desirable mechanical adjustments and features found on other block planes, the #220 is easy to use and screams out to a DIYer who needs a block plane to simply take a few long shavings off the edge of a deck board to make it fit perfectly between two others, or to a gardener who needs to round the edges of a support stake to keep it from cutting into a plant’s leaves, stems, vegetables, etc. It’s a plane that can be used in the garage, backyard, jobsite, and anywhere one needs the utility of a tool that can do a respectable job of removing a thin to medium shaving of wood.
Although you may not have noticed it, if you’ve ever been to a garage sale, or a flea market, or a tool swap meet, there’s bound to have been a Stanley #220 for sale. I see them everywhere. This is one of Stanley’s most common, easy to find block planes. It was produced from 1898 well into the 1980s. There are probably millions of them out there in the wild. That being said, don’t buy one that’s damaged or incomplete. With just a little looking around, I promise you’ll come across another one at the next flea market in good user quality condition. Typically, the little rosewood knob on those examples I’ve seen at garage sales, etc., is often missing. The knobs are pretty easy to find, but depending on their condition, they can cost right around ten dollars give or take. A complete #220 in user condition probably isn’t worth much more than ten dollars, so why double the cost of the plane by paying for parts? Even though this is a common inexpensive plane be mindful of its condition. Buy a good one to use and don’t compromise on one that’s been beaten badly and/or neglected. Finally, don’t expect fine finish work results from a tool that was designed for general-purpose/construction use. Frustration only results from using a plane on a job it was not intended to do. Like a lot of planes, a super sharp iron is half the battle. With the #220, a sharp iron is pretty much the whole battle. This plane performs like a champ when one’s expectations are realistic, and the plane is put to the right task.
Jim C.
