My story is similar to Bill’s. I had a Stanley that was frustrating to use due
to the same blade slop/wandering issues. No amount of fettling cured it’s
ailments. Always kept my eyes peeled for a Preston or Tyzack, but the few that
became available were way out of my price range. Then I attended a LN hand tool
event, tried their router planes and bought the large and small on the spot.
Couldn’t sell the Stanley fast enough. (I did inform the buyer of the issues,
but for $25…) I might have bought the Veritas because of the extensive blade
options had I taken the time to research it, but the LNs were hot in my hands
and are a pleasure to use.

For a while Walke Moore was producing a large router plane based on the Preston,
but had innumerable manufacturing issues which caused them to cease production
of it for three years or so. I just looked at their website and see where they
are now offering an updated version again, albeit sold out with more “coming
soon”.

Stephen