Which Plane?

[Mike Cahill]

Hi All,

I was fortunate enough to get a gift certificate from Lie-Nielson for Christmas. I am primarily a power tools woodworker but have recently discovered the joy of using hand planes and cabinet scrapers. Right now I own a LN adjustable mouth block plane which I use for trimming assembled dovetails, removing planer/joiner marks etc. I think I am ready for something else. I think I will use this primarily for smoothing and finishing. I don't know whether to get a low angle jack plane, a smoothing plane or a scraping plane.

Any suggestions? Can I provide any further information to help spend my money ;-)

Thanks in advance

Mike

[George]

The low-angle jack is a pleasure to use, and produces splendid surfaces even on tough-to satisfy grain.

If the certificate is modest, the rabbet block trims tenon cheeks beautifully, and rabbets against a fence after scoring with a knife across the grain. In that case, get the Lee Valley smoother - high or low angle. Don't get a LN smoother if you have big hands. The LV is soooo much easier on you.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Think about a shoulder plane. Nice for fitting tennons, rabbets, etc.

[David]

I've got the low angle smoother and I also have their high angle blade. Either blade works its charm for a specific purpose.

David

George wrote:

[Never Enough Money]

Get them in this order: block plane #4.5 LN (I like the Steve-Knight coffin smoother, too) LN chisel plane #7

Note: After you spend your gift certificate at LN, also look at Lee Valley planes. I have a mix of LN, LV, and Steve Knight planes. I love each one like a child.

[Never Enough Money]

Mike should use his gift certificate at LN for something other than a shoulder plane. Buy the shoulder plane from Lee Valley/Veritas -- IMO, it's better than Lie-Nielsen's.

A sharp chisel is about as good as a shoudler plane for cleaning shoulders, anyway.

[AAvK]

George, he has a Lie-Nielson gift certificate... not a Lee Valley one.

[Nate Perkins]

"Mike Cahill" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

If you do a lot with heavily figured woods, then a scraper plane is very useful.

[Big Rob]

If you're mostly interested in smoothing and finishing then get a #4 smoother. It will do a better job than your block plane at taking out planer marks. I would get a smoother or even a jack before moving on to the more specialized planes like low angle block planes or shoulder planes.

If you do a lot of work on figured woods you should think about getting the 50 degree smoother.

[Mike in Mystic]

I have their 4.5 smoother, low-angle jack, butt mortise plane, scrub plane, bench socket chisels and mortise socket chisels. As you probably know from the block plane, using these tools is immensely satisfying. As others have said, LN has planes that are also delightful to use (I have their low-angle block, medium shoulder, and scraper planes).

For smoothing as you said you were interested in most, the low-angle jack with a couple of extra blades with different grinds offers wonderful results and excellent versatility. I've heard exceedingly good things about the LN low-angle jack (which wasn't around when I bought mine), so you might want to consider that.

Of all the LN tools I have, the bench socket chisels are what I consider the best. I actually look for reasons to use a chisel because they are so nice to hold and put to wood.

Mike

[Silvan]

I suggest you should get a low angle jack, if for no other reason than I'm looking to buy a low angle jack myself eventuallyish. They look really useful. (Mine probably won't be L-N though. You suck. I got a gift certificate to Bed Bath and Beyond. WTF were they thinking???)

[George]

NOTE: if his certificate is modest - rabbet block, and buy the smoother (high or low at LV). See how that goes? Choices.

Read for understanding, not critique.

[Patriarch]

"Never Enough Money" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

A good list. I'd add a #3 in there, but that's a rather idiosyncratic, personal choice, based on what I do, and the size of my hands. (I use it like a large block plane.)

I have the LN chisel plane. It's beautiful, and when you need it, you really need it. But so far for me, that's been about three times. IT paid for itself with the first time, but an oft-used tool it's not.

There are always new, good ones coming out from Rob and the engineering elves.

Depending on the size of the certificate, and the state of your toolbox, consider the LN tools I use most frequently, since you have the 9 1/2 block already: Dovetail and crosscut saws, and/or the set of bench chisels. These are really nice tools, and I find myself using these almost every shop session.

An interesting thought, that. Do you wake up in the middle of the night, worrying about them? Do they cost money, constantly? Are you concerned that, due to them, you may never be able to build that retirement fund to where it 'ought to be'? Do you brag on them to friends and acquaintances? Show their latest successes?

Yes, quite like children...

Patriarch

[Silvan]

Nah, I've never had a plane come into my room at 4:00 AM and throw up all over me. :)

[Never Enough Money]

Ok, bad metaphor.

Patriarch wrote:

idiosyncratic,

engineering

toolbox,