Left Tilt or Right Tilt?

Re: Left Tilt or Right Tilt?

Jack Guzman from Maine

>Hoa I know you've heard this before,but it's true.It all depends on what you will use it for.I'm right handed and have the original version.Left tilt I believe(the phrasing gets confusing).It works for me.For some operations it is awkward,I have to pull it to use it but mostly it feels just right.I've heard that for lefties the right tilt is better.

Imagine the operations you'll use it for and picture the motions needed.I think that will give you your answer.---Jack

Re: Left Tilt or Right Tilt?

Dave Thompson

>I don't think it matters which hand you prefer to use, but rather the grain direction that you're planing.

Imagine making a rabbet, and removing the removable side. If your wood flows upwards in a particular direction, that will dictate which direction you plane. If the removable side is on the wrong side for you, you'll be planing against the grain.

So, your choices are:

1. Get both
   
   
2. Use some other rabbet plane (that has both sides open) when you need to plane wood that flows in the wrong direction for your #140.
   
   
3. Choose your wood carefully so you won't run into this issue.
   
   
4. Don't do rabbets with this plane. It's specialness really more comes into play when doing end grain rabbets (fillesters), in which case grain direction is not an issue.
   
   

enjoy,

Dave

Re: Left Tilt or Right Tilt?

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>The L-N #140s are very flexible, mult-purpose tools. Not everyone who has one (or two), makes full use of all it's capabilities. Thus some of the confusing, contradictory recommendations. The use that makes handedness important is fitting tenon cheeks. (It is better to use a shoulder plane for fitting tenon shoulders.) For this function, if you are left handed, you need the original #140 with the removable plate on the right side. Even a Stanley without a fence or nicker will work. Using a pair of bench hooks, push the board back and down against them with the right hand, with the tenon pointing to your left, and push the plane with the left hand. if you are right handed, you need the special L-N #140 (a Stanley or MF will NOT work) with the removable plate on the left side. Hold the board against the bench hooks with the left hand, with the tenon pointing to the right, and push the plane with the right hand. Obviously, pulling a #140 that is wrong-handed is inappropriate in this application. Note that when you are doing this, your shoulder plane, which is holding the stile to which you are fitting the rail, is well out of your way at the other end of the bench, but still convenient.

I plane with both my left and right hands...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>and I find myself grabing the left handed 140 more when planning with my right hand. Both make a real nice combo.

For operations where grain doesn't matter..

Paul Kierstead

>I find left tilt much much much better for a right hander. The right one is a PITA for righties.

Thanks But ...

Hoa Dinh in Alameda

>Thanks all for your advice.

OK, I put the left-handed L-N #140 on the wish list.

But something happened today: I bought a Veritas Medium Shoulder Plane from an ad on the Classifieds Messageboard. At #125 shipped, the temptation is just to great to bear ;-)

That pushes the L-N #140 way down the list, at least until I find out more about what the shoulder plane cannot do (and the #140 may be able to).

Best regards to all.

-- Hoa