Replies

1. 
   GregB126 | Oct 23, 2003 09:51pm | #1

   Sarge,

   You already have a #4.  You can probably get all the smoothing capability you need with a York pitch frog installed in it.  That leaves you free to play with a low angle jack if you want.  If you already have a block, won't it take care of end grain in situations a low angle jack is too long to handle?

   Cheers,

   Greg

1. 
   RANGERP75R | Oct 24, 2003 12:07am | #3

   Greg

      Your line of thinking is running pretty much parallel to what I'm thinking. The l-a smoother would almost duplicate the #4 and low-angle block. And yep, the block planes do a magnificent job of the end grain. Even with well tuned cheap ones I have no problem in that area.

      The price is right at this time on the L-N's. FTJ has it at $210, no sales tax as out of state payment and free shipping. I normally get by with cheaper, but this is hard to resist. I wish I hadn't started reading you plane guys post. ha..ha..

   Thanks form the insight...

   sarge..jt

2. 
   Midnight | Oct 23, 2003 11:33pm | #2

   man...... this feels really weird.. me giving hand plane advise to THE guy I look to for hand plane info...

   ;)

   I used the project (almost finished it...... honest) on the bench to justify buying the L-N #'s 9 and 62... and can honestly say that without them I couldn't have done the job.

   I'd struggled trying to keep my knuckles intact while working with the shoting boards. That ended the day the #9 arrived by mistake. Call me weak but looking at it.... HOLDING it.... in my bruised and skinned hands... I just couldn't box it back up and send it back.... I won;t deny it raised some fearsome calouses, but by god can it shoot an edge....

   As for the #62.... I could talk about it for hours... suffice to say that it's my "go to" handplane. It handled straight grained sycamore and oak with ease, was the only plane that managed to plane the tiger oak against the grain without causing tear out. Didn't do so well with the highly figured areas in the sycamore though....I only hope that the newly aquired 41/2 works just as well....

   I've no regrets with either of them.... well worth the price.

   Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

1. 
   RANGERP75R | Oct 24, 2003 12:21am | #4

   Mike

      You should look elsewhere for advice on the planes. I have used them for years, but did not understand the why and why nots. I got by with the exception of proficiency with blocks and that's it. These guys have opened a new door of opportunity as far as hand plane understanding and what I can do with it.

      I tell you what, these things are much more addictive than illegal drugs. At least there you have friends and institutions that can provide help. With these planes, they just keep sending sales flyers and toll-free numbers. That's just not the way to curb addition. ha..ha..

   Regards...

   sarge..jt

1. 
   EdHarrison | Oct 24, 2003 02:39am | #5

   Sarge,

   You're hooked. It's funny you should start this thread today - I spent about two hours this morning tuning up a No. 3 smoother this morning - it was a free plane that an E-8 in the Navy gave me, came out of his barn - I just have the investment of the Hock iron in it, and a lot of time doing rust removal. I lapped the sole about as flat as it will go, got the blade scary sharp, spent about twenty minutes trying to get that magic combination of width of the throat (by adjusting the frog), depth of the iron, set back of the chipbreaker, and pressure of the cap iron - getting all those variables exactly right. The goal was to produce shavings that you could see through and would stick to your clothes, and were centered, just about full width of the iron. I was getting thick shavings in maple the first two or three times, but not exactly right. Too thick and more on one side than the other. When I finally got it exactly right, what a great feeling! I put some canning wax on the sole and boy does it go! What a surface it leaves!

   From then on, you treat the tool differently. It gets CAREFULLY set on its side. It gets its own spot in the toolbox - no other tools are allowed to touch it. I used it on a simple project I'm making out of pine (a cupboard similar to the one in the OCT FWW), then set aside as I know I'm going to need it again on this project.

   You're right, these planes are addictive. Highly addictive. Good luck,

   Ed

1. 
   RANGERP75R | Oct 24, 2003 03:43am | #6

   Ed

      The good news for you is the first step to recovery is too admit you have the problem. I don't have a clue what the other 11 are and don't care as I just got a sales flyer from FTJ on LN's. An then that Veritas low-angle smoother looks good in price compared to the LN. And what about the "coffin smoother" from C&W. Larry Williams post right here on the Forum, gotta support him. They re-created some of the planes for Willaimsburg.

      And I bet there are Stanley Bed-Rocks hiding in old tool chest and barns right here locally waiting to get a second chance. Those fabulous blocks owned by Mr. Maughon (retired butcher locally) who doesn't have any children that have an interest in them. I visit often, you never know.

      What do you mean I'm hooked? I'm just doing a research study on a book I intend to write. "How To Not Get Hooked On Hand-Planes". I'll send a auto-graphed copy along with a 8" x 12" glossy when it goes in print.

      I would be very cautious of your public enthusiam. Conduct totally un-becoming of a retired Naval Officer. Normally that conduct is only seen with non-coms an en-listed. I saw that on a Clint Eastwood movie. Clint knows all that stuff.

      So please calm down before someone gets the idea we would cut off a finger for a hand-plane. BTW, what brand was the plane you got, or was it so rusted you can't tell? Hey, I'll trade you a pinky finger up to the first joint for a Sargent or Miller Falls..

      This new interest we've aquired is just PLANE FUN. ha..ha..

   A good evening to the gentleman from Mississippi, my friend, fellow vet and neighbor...

   sarge..jt

1. 
   EdHarrison | Oct 24, 2003 04:01am | #7

   This one's a Miller's Falls, from the period in the 1950's when they used the heavy red lacquer on the totes and knobs. In their numbering system, it's a No. 8, but it's the same as a Stanley No. 3. It has been completely brought back from the dead from a rusted hunk of iron used to throw at wasps nests in a barn. Evening, Sarge.

2. 
   RANGERP75R | Oct 24, 2003 06:08am | #8

   Ed

      Where do I send the finger joint? :>)

   sarge..jt

3. 
   jvs | Oct 24, 2003 01:08pm | #9

   To help cope and manage your condition, you might want to look at Joe Palazzolo's Survival Tips for Galoots.  Sounds like you are well on the way, having gotten past #8, "This is a lifelong obsessio.. er, hobby. Your life will change in ways you can only dimly perceive. "  Happy sliding....

   /jvs

4. 
   drinct | Oct 24, 2003 05:42pm | #10

   Hey,

   Any good references on the proper use/care of hand planes for the novice?

5. 
   jvs | Oct 24, 2003 06:42pm | #12

   Yup--from personal experiance, the Garrett Hack book, and from many others' recommendations, Plane Basics.  There is a ton of usage information on the web as well, Jeff Gorman's Points About Planing is a good one.  Care is easy, just ask Sarge; they will become your second-favorite children, and mother nature has provided all of the right instincts (you just have to come up with a steady stream of cash)....

   /jvs

6. 
   GregB126 | Oct 25, 2003 05:05am | #14

   Steve,

   Have a look at Furniture Making Techniques by David Charlesworth.  Volume one covers tuning and iron sharpening.  You'll see a series of good illustrations of the slight rounding Rob mentions and how to achieve it in a reliable, repetitive way by using a very inexpensive honing guide.  Volume 2 covers construction and use of shooting boards, as well as edge jointing.  Both volumes cover a good deal more, including one of the best descriptions of drawer construction and fitting I've ever seen (in volume 2).  These can be found via his own website (he'll be happy to sign copies for you), at the Lie-Nielsen website, or at Amazon.  Amazon may just have a couple of pages available to view. 

   http://www.davidcharlesworth.co.uk/

   I noticed Rob's post didn't contain a link to his site.  He's pretty modest, but really knows what he's talking about.  This is without permission.  Forgive me, Rob.

   http://www.americanfederalperiod.com/

   Cheers,

   Greg

   Whoops, just realized Rob's comment was in the thread called "Handplaning-How Smooth?".  How about combining these two for good info.  I'll be more careful next time.

   Edited 10/24/2003 10:09:32 PM ET by GregB

7. 
   RANGERP75R | Oct 24, 2003 06:16pm | #11

   jvs

      Thanks for the site. It was a good laugh. I wrote the site down so I can return at will.

      I'm not sure why you guys think I'm hooked. I've tried to emphasize that I am just doing research for a new book. That's all, just research.

      Well gotta run. On vacation this week. Gotta keep my eyes out for the little "brown truck" delivering the Veritas medium shoulder plane. Should be here any moment. Wonder if the driver will bring it down the chimney? ha..ha..

      My old tried and true Stanley 93 is gonna be jealous. Have to keep them separated till they adjust.

   Did I mention this is strickly research for a book? :>)

   sarge..jt

2. 
   Midnight | Oct 24, 2003 10:05pm | #13

   Amen to that Sarge...

   lolMike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun