Stanley 12-903 Contractor Grade Smooth Bottom Bench Plane (1-3/4-Inch Cutter)

by Stanley

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The 12-903 Stanley plane is ideal for general purpose or finishing work to smooth rough surfaces and bring wood down to the correct size. For over 125 years Stanley has built a worldwide reputation for making the finest quality planes, engineered to the highest international standards. Stanley's original contribution to planes was due to an emloyee named Leonard Bailey. Bailey transformed the beautiful (but not often innaccurate and hard to adjust) wooden planes of old into dependable, durable, fully adjustable, machined tools that now last for generations. Many manufcturers today pattern their planes after the original "Bailey" design. But most of them have not mastered the kidney-shaped hole that makes the cap iron easier to adjust, or the single piece Y-lever that won't spread when you advance the cutting iron, or the fully adjustable frog with a machined seat. The Stanley line of Bailey bench planes also offer fully adjustable depth of cut, mouth opening and lateral position of the cutting iron. These features are essential to preventing blade chatter and chip clogging while you change from taking thick to tissue-thin shavings in hard or soft wood.

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00004UDKU
• Item model number: 12-903
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #804,024 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stanley's #3 a good choice, August 24, 2001

By 

Patrick Gibbons (Houston, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stanley 12-903 Contractor Grade Smooth Bottom Bench Plane (1-3/4-Inch Cutter) (Tools & Home Improvement)

Every serious woodworker should have a block plane and a smooth plane. While the usual choice for a smooth plane is the #4, there are many good reasons to pick the smaller #3 instead. A smooth plane is used to remove the marks left by a planer, to quickly size a drawer side, to leave a clean smooth surface on a board and to bring various pieces down to size. The #3 works better in tighter spots and for work on a smaller scale such as jewelry boxes. The smaller size is also easier to carry around the shop in a pocket and not as tiring to use. Stanley is the only company making a #3 in this price and quality category. The only other choices I am aware of are the Lie-Nielsen and the Clifton, planes that sell for much higher prices. Stanley's #3 can't be used out of the box but most woodworkers are aware that new planes need to be tuned up. Besides flattening the sole and the blade, my #3 also needed to have the frog filed a bit to clean up the surface and allow the blade to be fully supported. I also had to file the lip of the cap iron to make full contact with the blade and the lever cap was a little tight (which a quick turn of the screw remedied). Of course the pricing of this item by Amazon is phenomenal. By replacing the blade and cap iron with Hock or Clifton blades the plane can be souped up tremendously and still not break the bank. So far I have been pleased with the blade supplied though I haven't used the plane on any highly-figured wood. All-in-all an excellent tool that should be in more woodworkers tool boxes.