Shoulder plane rocks

[Mark & Juanita]

Got a new LN shoulder plane a couple of weeks ago, spent some time last weekend sharpening the blade but didn't have anything to use it on at the time.

This week, I had the opportunity to fine-tune some mortise & tenon joints for the headboard I'm building. I cut the tenons a bit larger than the mortises to allow me the ability to fine tune the fit. In the past, I have used a block plane, wood file, and wood rasp to tune the joint. the block plane can't reach to the shoulder of the joint, so the file and rasp are needed for that. The purpose for getting the shoulder plane was to preclude having to go through these steps (filing never seemed to give the flat profile one would like). What a difference! Just a few well-placed strokes, some fine whispy shavings, and voila! a nice, tight fitting joint with a flat-profiled cheek.

Please note, I'm not saying that a Lie-Nielsen shoulder plane is required

-- any well-tuned shoulder plane will serve the same purpose. But, if you haven't got a shoulder plane and do a lot of M&T joinery, it is certainly worth getting a good shoulder plane. I'm sold.

A lot of you already know all this, some of us are just slow getting on board.

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

[Patriarch]

Mark & Juanita wrote in news: [e-mail]:

When I started, I couldn't see spending that kind of cash. Six or seven years later, I have 6 or 8 LN planes, a wallet full of their scrapers, a roll full of their chisels, a couple of their saws, and a couple of other things in the toolchest.

There are other ways to get things done, but the folks from LN make mighty fine products. So do some other folks, too, btw.

When Lee Valley first brought out their Medium shoulder plane, I got one, and I had somewhat the same experience as you described. Good work got easier and more accurate than before.

Patriarch

[Lowell Holmes]

I suspect if you find a shop with LN planes, you may very well find Veritas planes also. :-)

[charlie b]

The first problem I have with the LN (and Stanley as well as Clifton) shoulder planes is the gripping positions - great for pushing, sucks for pulling. Get a little aggressive and you can split out the far side of the work and, despite probability, it will ALWAYS be where it will show in the finished piece.

The second problem is setting the iron. It's several thousandths wider than the width of the plane and easy to set cocked just a little - but enough to skew the shoulders a little - again, despite probability, in the direction that it'll show (joint won't quite close tight).

The Veritas shoulder plane design deals with both these problems - multiple, comfortable gripping positions and set screws to avoid cocking the iron once you've got it set right. When the edge starts to go one is more likely to take it out and sharpen it knowing there's no hassle when reinstalling it.

LN specializes in taking older traditional plane designs and making them with superior materials and to better tolerances.

Veritas on the other hand seems to start with a clean piece of paper and designs for function, with ease of maintenance and use high on their criteria list. If shiny brass or bronze doesn't do anything to make the tool easier to use or work better then it ain't gonna be in the plane they make. Pretty is nice but sort of like burl dashboards - doesn't make the car drive any better.

If you need to protect your tools in a special "sock" you're getting into the fine silver and fine china territory - the stuff that's only used "when there's company over". A woodworking tool shouldn't come with a polishing cloth -IMHO.

Having said all that, the LN rabbet/block plane and their bronze beading tool sure are pretty to look at - and hold. They work pretty well too.

charlie b

[Leuf]

If you're going to use it to plane rocks I'm afraid you're not allowed to keep it. You'll need to send it to me immediately.

-Leuf

[Patriarch]

"Lowell Holmes" wrote in news:%wkxh.1011$6P4.691@trnddc06:

Hey! Don't go snooping around in that tool shrine! Those aren't for loaning out to anybody!

;-)

Patriarch

[John Flatley]

If your shoulder plane rocks, I would suggest taking it to a machine shop and have them flatten the sole. Just make sure they flatten the sole perpendicular to the side.

:-)

John (Rocks? I remember when I used to speak English.)