A handplane with a heavy or light sole ?

There are two ranges of RALI handplanes:

  • the professional version with it sole in steel plates, known as "heavy"
  • the version for occasional use with it sole in "light" or "one-piece" folded sheet"
 

What are the differences between the two ranges?

 

Heavy sole Light sole
Semelle lourde   Semelle légère
     

Good inertia for planing hard timber or knots

 

Handy and light tool, easy to handle due to it low weight

Back plate adjustment (on surfacing planes) for roughing and perfect finishing

 

Locked back plate in universal position, what allows any type of planing (always adjusted)

Throat opening adjustment for planing live timber (reduces stuffings)

 

No possibility to adjust the throat opening

Delivered with 3 additional double-edged blades as they are frequently used

 

Delivered with a double-edged blade, inserted  in the blade holder

Every piece is replaceable because the tool can be dismantled

 

No piece can be replaced.

 
See also : throat opening adjustment, Back plane adjustment