Luban No 4 Handplane Initial Unboxing and Review

[@brucecomerford]

Thanks mate. I’ve been thinking of getting a Luban, so this is great for me.

[@AussieWoodshed]

Glad you found it useful. I find them to be quite a good hand plane for the cost.

[@golfer_by_weekend7195]

Got the No 5 a few years ago and everything was square and flat and only needed a touch up the chip braker and blade. Very happy with it.

[@AussieWoodshed]

Excellent, thanks for adding your opinion for everyone.

[@מעייןהמלבלבתחייםםםם]

I own a Luban no 6 for about 3 years. It's a very good hand plane!!! Since the only hand planes before was a cheap no4 and 5 Irwin made in china i learned all about hand planes from this two by turning them into good planes...so the Luban for me was few steps up. It took me no more than 30 minutes to set it for been almost perfect, after adding Rob Cosman Adjustar it's near perfection. Using also for shooting board. Because it is still expensive i am buying from eBay and used old Stanley that i can repair and make it operational.

[@AussieWoodshed]

Thanks for adding your experience on the luban hand planes. Much appreciated.

[@neelamharia4225]

Which Rob Cosman star adjuster did you order for your luban?

[@FixitFingers]

I'd not call that quick, I'd call it the most comprehensive unboxing I've seen 😂

[@AussieWoodshed]

I think you're correct, it was meant to be quick and turned out comprehensive.

[@viracocha03]

I cannot wait until I can afford to buy a "new" plane. Don't get me wrong, I love my refurbished Stanley's but I just want one that's brand new so I can see and compare them. I have never even held and brand new plane before. I live in Canada, so I think when I do make the purchase this spring, it will be from Rob Cosman, the WoodRiver or what ever his brand is. The nice thing about Robs hand planes is they check every plane they send out for flat and square.

[@AussieWoodshed]

That is one of the reasons i wanted to get one. I just want a good quality new plane as a benchmark to compare others against. Also was trying to find an affordable new plane for those that can't find or don't want to restore a vintage plane. It's good they are checked first so no surprises.

[@brucecomerford]

Rob Cosman sells Woodriver planes which are made by the same company that makes Luban planes.

[@psyave]

I got one for Christmas, a n04. I'm yet to set it up. I've previously used a luban low angle and a 5 1/2 and have been impressed (but I am not a woodworker)

[@AussieWoodshed]

Thanks for adding your opinion, much appreciated

[@budm9982]

Well done review video of what seems to be a real nice plane. It will be interesting to see the results of when you hit the initial set-up.

[@AussieWoodshed]

Thanks, that video will be the next one released.

[@PeteLewisWoodwork]

To be fair, I've paid the equivalent in £ Sterling for a new British plane* that is not as good as your Luban - so yours seems to be very acceptable quality at the price and it looks like a good plane to me. I've never handled a Bedrock, so I can't say with any experience but I am sure it will perform great with just some basic fettling. Pinheads of missing paint and the odd tiny chip or scrape in castings is to be expected for the vast majority of new planes, so it wouldn't bother me one bit - as long as they don't interfere with performance. Being honest, I wouldn't even bother spending time to rectify them (though I appreciate that due to the necessities of making review and tuition videos, you will probably have to). Nice straight, square castings and well machined fittings are not common at this price, so you've got a bonus there. In all, a very good plane and instructive video - I look forward to seeing you set it up and how it finally works. I may get one myself, based on this series of videos alone (just to finally own and try out a bedrock!). * The lever cap on the plane I mentioned at the start (a Bailey pattern #5) is bronze, which looks similar to the Luban brass version you have. The whole plane needed several hours of work to get it operating perfectly - a lot more work than any of the vintage planes I have bought in the past 5 or 6 years (that have arrived in various states of condition).

[@AussieWoodshed]

Yes, i was surprised for the price how well it was machined too. The brand new stanley i made videos on definitely required more work than this one will. Your correct a few little chips and a bit of paint missing definitely isn't a deal breaker, but it would be nice if it didn't happen nothing more. It's just a result of shipping over long distances i think.

[@williamang9649]

They are cool to watch but it cost twice the amount from my Stanley bailey I brought. Luban did better job on their plane but mine works. I'm spending time polishing it, sparkle ✨ hey maybe I'll put glitter on it

[@AussieWoodshed]

Not sure where you live, but here a new stanley bailey is about $150 - 180 aud (they have gone up a lot), i got this luban for $190aud on special. So not too different here for new vs new, and this is a lot better. Certainly if you buy 1 to restore, a stanley here is cheaper. Really i just wanted to give everyone more options by giving an overview of this plane. Good luck with polishing your plane. I'm sure it will be sparkling in no time.

[@soul146]

I was looking at a Luban Quangsheng 5.5 (Woodriver i believe branded as in US) but i was put off by it being mass produced in China, so paid extra and went for a Clifton instead (can't beat Clifton quality but you do pay for that quality). Though good to see quality of these planes for future if i want another smoother or jointer without the high price.

[@alankirbywoodworking]

I've got several Woodriver planes, very impressed for the cost. I've given away or sold nearly all my old Stanley's and Record planes now because they don't get used. Don't be put off the being made in China, 5 mins fettling and sharpening and they take off a shaving as good as any Clifton or Lie-Nielsen I've used.

[@AussieWoodshed]

I was definitely presently surprised to see how decent this plane was especially for the price. You're correct that the wood river is another name for these planes with a few minor changes in the US. Clifton planes are definitely known for their quality, i noticed that thomas finn & Co Ltd. purchased clifton back in 2014 keeping the production in the UK, which is great.

[@acrazydurian]

Luban is the name of a legendary architect or master carpenter 2000+ years ago and considered almost as a deity of woodworker and masonry in china. So good chance the brand Luban is a chinese company. That doesnt say very much these days in terms of quality. I had many good experiences with chinese tools for the past few years, if you pay the right price that is. dont pay $10 for something thats normally $100 and expect greatness. they work cheap not miracle.

[@AussieWoodshed]

@@acrazydurian I had no idea who Lu Ban was, now i do. Thanks to you i looked Lu Ban up and i see he is revered as the Chinese Deity (Patron) of builders and contractors. Luban brand is indeed made in China, and is also know under the name Quangsheng, and Wood River. You are also correct there is a price point for a reason, and i believe the Luban Hand Plane are good value for money but still require a bit of setup about 30mins total.

[@andersenzheng]

@@AussieWoodshed its not perfect. but i reckon to get a plane that needs zero tune up out of the box, you gotta pay a lot more. i bought a lie-nielsen 5 1/2 that was ready to go out of the box, paid AU$750. Luban's 5 1/2 costs less than half of that. my hourly rate is not high enough to justify that sort of indulgence just to shave off half an hour. But god dam you get what you pay for. that lie nielsen is a pleasure to use.

[@1deerndingo]

Luban is a good brand. There are better and worse. I have a Luban #6 and numerous Stanleys. The Luban does better due to weight, blade thickness and better tolerances. But then, I can pick up a Stanley for very little. You get what you pay for.

[@AussieWoodshed]

Very true, it's good to see this plane is a decent option without breaking the bank. However i still like my vintage planes, can't beat the price and the experience of restoring one.