Veritas Plane Purchase Advice

Re: Veritas Plane Purchase Advice *LINK*

HC Sakman

>Hi Again Garrett,

Click the link and you'll see a tool, identical in function but many times better in quality, feel & performance.

Do I need to say more?

Chico...

PS: See you tomorrow perhaps?


Veritas Bullnose

Re: Veritas Plane Purchase Advice

ThomD

>The block plane I find I use the most is that small bronze LN. It is very well made and the size is extremely useful. I hardly use my LV one at all, a real disapointment, too large (which would make it good for something), and the blade wasn't good, but I think they have the A2 nailed by now, I have one of their replacement blades and it seems real nice.. I should put an O1 blade in it and see if that helps. It's well executed.

I have the LN one with the big knobs and so forth. I just don't seem to reach for that size at all. With the small one you can sorta swamp the worpiece with your hand get powerful support holds and use hand squeezing motions to get very powerfull accurate cuts.

Actually, an LV product I am really getitng a lot of use out of are those little Chinese planes with the wings. I bought the two small ones for a lark, but I find myself picking them up all the time. I also use the smoother. There are some interesting ways to hurt yourslef with these things, until you get the hang of them.

Re: Veritas Plane Purchase Advice

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>DITTO! what Chico says about the LV bullnose shoulder plane. It converts instantaneously, without tools, to chisel plane mode and back again, with no mouth readjustment needed when putting the nose block back on. Further, unlike the Stanley shoulder planes, it is still comfortable to hold in chisel plane mode. The Stanleys are pure torture in chisel mode, and it is not easy to remove and restore and readjust the nose piece. Further, one fall to the floor and a Stanley is toast, while the LV planes are cast from almost indestructible ductile iron. For bullnose planes, on a scale of 0 to 10, I'd give my Kunz #75 a 0.5, a Stanley #75 might rate a 1, the Stanley #90 would get about a 4 and the LV a 10. Even considering only the chisel plane function, I think it is better than the L-N dedicated small chisel plane.

I find the LV adjustable mouth block plane to be very competent, but it is large and heavy. After acquiring it, I no longer use my Stanley adjustable mouth block planes. They're just too much hassle. I find that the large wooden knob (optional) is a very useful addition to this plane, but have not found a need for the squirrel tail. Note that Rob Lee has very recently announced an alternative "tail" for this plane, which you might find more useful. It is shaped like the tote of a bench plane, converting it into a #2 (or maybe #2-1/2) sized low angle adjustable mouth smoother. I haven't tried that yet. Another advantage of the LV block plane is the chamfering attachment, which is about two orders of magnitude more economical than the vintage Stanley alternative, the #72. I haven't tried it either, because with lots of practice, I've gotten pretty good at freehanding chamfers, as long as I don't lose count of strokes, and don't need to resharpen the blade before I'm finished with all the chamfering on a project. Note that, even though the body is bullet proof, you can damage the Norris style adjuster on the LV block plane if you drop it on the concrete. DAMHIKT.

Re: Veritas Plane Purchase Advice

Joe Rogers, Northern Virginia

>Bummer about that adjuster Bill :-( JR

Second Chico on this

Denis Ch�nard, Orl�ans, Ont.

>I once received the #90 as a gift and promptly returned it. The fit and finish was quite poor IMHO.

The bullnose is a much better buy.

DC

Re: Veritas Plane Purchase Advice

Nick Tuzzolino

>RE: Block Plane. I have several Stanley block planes and bought a LN 60 1/2 low angle. I couldn't belive the difference. Compare a Chevy GEO to a luxury Caddilac. That simple.

Re: Veritas Plane Purchase Advice

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>It's OK. It's just a tool, and it works perfectly. The threaded shaft bent above the threaded part. I straightened it out, mostly, and polished out the ding I put in the brass knob. If it ever breaks (if I drop it again on the same spot, for example), I'll just order another adjuster. I don't think there is any concern that Lee-Valley would stop stocking parts, at least not in my lifetime. After that, I figure my descendants could follow Todd's strategy and break it up and sell it for parts, or even remove the adjuster and adjust it with my Chester Tool Works plane hammer. It'd still work better than the Stanleys it replaced.

Re: Veritas Plane Purchase Advice

Tony Zaffuto

>The modern Stanley #90's are "kit" planes. I received one for a gift four or five years ago. First, the nose piece was not co-planar to the main sole. Second, the blade bed was not square to the sole (one side of the bblade sat higher than the other). Third, the cap iron was so poorly machined, that I had to get another from Stanley.

Fortunately, I employ several machinists and was able to have the plane corrected. It now performs flawlessly. However, I would estimate that I have one and one half again the original cost of the plane spent in correcting the problems. I do now have a very sweet #90, but really question the usefulness of this size plane. I've found that those times I've used it, I could have done the same job with a chisel.

I do not understand why Stanley does not offer a better model of all of their current offerings. Simply put, the set-up cost of correcting my #90 could be divided by six if I were Stanley and would have prepared and sold six #90's upgraded versions.

In short, stay away from the current #90. I've handle the Lee Valley bull nose equivalent and it doesn't have the short comings of my #90.

Re: Veritas Plane Purchase Advice

Joe Rogers, Northern Virginia

>That's a reasonable attitude to an unfortunate situation. Better (not always easier) to get past the dissapointment and keep working.

Remarkable how strong some of these tool are tho.

Did you say you were comming down to PATINA this year? Hope so. JR

Sole of #90

HC Sakman

>I hade to ground the sole and the sides to make it useful.

It was badly manufactured.

Chico...

Re: PATINA

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>I'll be there. It's on my calendar for some time before dawn on March 11.

I'll bring you a burnisher.

If anyone is in need of a ride down from South Jersey or North Delaware or from the Reston, VA area, let me know. I should be able to arrange for a pasenger from one direction or the other.

Re: PATINA

Joe Rogers, Northern Virginia

>Good news! I have an item you may be iterested in too! See you there.JR

Re: Veritas Plane Purchase Advice

John Hoffman

>I second that! I had a record LA block and went to the LN 60 1/2. I am to old to mess around with sub par planes. Only go top of the line LN for me.

Thanks to all. Related ? posted separately

Garrett in Victoria

>

Block plane thoughts

Jim in Burlington On

>I have the LV, LN and a stanley block planes. Aside from the great adjusters on new planes the LV is a little too large for my hands. Dropped mine also and there's only a tiny dent in the edge. I'd seriously consider the smaller LV block plane.

Re: Block plane thoughts

Patrick Gibbons, Houston, Tx

>I have the LV adjustable block and the chamfer guide accessory. The guide is so easy and mindless to use. By that I mean you just adjust the size of chamfer you want and then start planing. The guide attaches and unattaches in seconds. I find I use my LN 102 (or is it the 103?) low angle block a lot. It is light and well-made and does not seem to be too shabby for lack of a blade adjuster. The LV has one and is a bit less taxing on the pocket but I've never used it to comment on its merits.

Re: Block plane thoughts

I'm Dave Too

>Do you mean the LV apron plane? It doesn't have an adjustable mouth; otherwise I'd have sprung for one as I agree the block planes are a bit too large. I finally got the handle kit but it fits only the LA block plane; there are no mtg screw holes in the std block plane (bummer).

I have used both...

Hoa Dinh in Alameda

>the LV LA block and the LV Apron plane. I prefered the Apron plane for trimming tasks. I don't miss the feature of adjustable mouth at all.

-- Hoa