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
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.
Ok, bad metaphor.
Patriarch wrote:
> "Never Enough Money" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
> > Get them in this order:
> > block plane
> > #4.5 LN (I like the Steve-Knight coffin smoother, too)
> > LN chisel plane
> > #7
>
> 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.
>
> >
> > Note: After you spend your gift certificate at LN, also look at Lee
> > Valley planes.
>
> 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.
>
> > I have a mix of LN, LV, and Steve Knight planes. I love each one
like
> > a child.
>
> 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
Mike Cahill wrote:
> Any suggestions? Can I provide any further information to help spend my
> money ;-)
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???)
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
http://rosegarden.sourceforge.net/tutorial/
Patriarch wrote:
>> I have a mix of LN, LV, and Steve Knight planes. I love each one like
> ...
> 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...
Nah, I've never had a plane come into my room at 4:00 AM and throw up all
over me. :)
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
http://rosegarden.sourceforge.net/tutorial/
"Mike Cahill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> 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.
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.
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.
"AAvK" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:H6ZDd.52954$Cl3.43843@fed1read03...
>
> > 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.
> >
> >
> George, he has a Lie-Nielson gift certificate... not a Lee Valley one.
>
>
> 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.
>
>
George, he has a Lie-Nielson gift certificate... not a Lee Valley one.
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:
> "Mike Cahill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>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.
>
>
> 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.
>
>
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
"Mike Cahill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> 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
>
"Mike Cahill" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> Any suggestions? Can I provide any further information to help spend my
> money ;-)
If you do a lot with heavily figured woods, then a scraper plane is very
useful.
> "Mike Cahill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> 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 about a shoulder plane. Nice for fitting tennons, rabbets, etc.
"Never Enough Money" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> Get them in this order:
> block plane
> #4.5 LN (I like the Steve-Knight coffin smoother, too)
> LN chisel plane
> #7
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.
>
> Note: After you spend your gift certificate at LN, also look at Lee
> Valley planes.
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.
> I have a mix of LN, LV, and Steve Knight planes. I love each one like
> a child.
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