Anant No. 78 Duplex Rabbet Plane

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.

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.

This practical, heavy duty rabbet plane features a rigid fence for accurate control of cutting width, and a choice of standard or bullnose locations for the iron. No. 78 is 8-1/2" long, and weighs 3-1/4 lbs. Width of cut is 1-1/2".

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