Replies

1. 
   Mainemarc | Aug 15, 2003 06:22pm | #1

   Hi Sailalex:

   First, congratulations on your new Clifton plane.  I don't own one but I'm sure it is a beautiful tool.  And any manufacturer that produces a hand plane with a fully honed blade and works well out of the box should be commended.  It's the modern offerings by Stanley that have somehow tricked us into accepting tools that don't work well without considerable tuning, which is practically a fraud.

   Regarding your experience with the L-N 4 1/2 with the high angle frog.  Understand that plane with that particular frog (aka a York Pitch) is for a somewhat specialized application -- it's set up to perform best on highly figured, tight-grained hardwoods.  It is designed to take very thin shavings and thus the throat clearance is very tight. 

   First, white oak is not a particularly tight-grained hardwood species and I'm not sure that a high angle smoother is absolutely the best tool for that application.  So that may explain your experience when you first used it.  A better point of comparison between your LN and the Clifton would be on a piece of tiger maple, or perhaps walnut burl.  That would have better highlighted a high angle smoother's strengths while perhaps exposing the limitations of a standard pitch plane like the Clifton.

   Second, my impression is that L-N included those instructions for widening the throat for users who attempt, or expect, to use their York pitch-equipped planes for more general smoothing applications.  On one level, widening the throat with a file is undoing one of the design features that allows the plane to work so well.  I'd sooner buy a standard frog from L-N than take a file to it.

   The problem (if you want to call it that) with all of these high-end planes is that they are so darn expensive that we try to make them be all things for all situations, all the while expecting superior results.  We forget that in days of old, it was understood that one needed a full suite of planes to handle all applications.  And the prospect of buying an entire line of LN's (or even Clifton's) is a daunting, to say the least.

   Marc

2. 
   EdHarrison | Aug 15, 2003 08:27pm | #2

   I've had the #3, #4, and #7 Clifton bench planes for a couple years. All required a little bit of fettling and a moderate effort to hone the irons. Good tools. I particularly like the #7 with its heavy weight and short knob in the front. Suits my style of work for a jointer plane. Very pleasing aesthetic finish just adds to the package. One of my best tools. Ed

   "Tractors are for work, not play." Mississippi State University Extensions Service
1. 
   Ole | Aug 17, 2003 09:11pm | #3

   I  got the Clifton 420 rabbit plane. Very nice, good finish, excellent machining and the blade only needed light honing out the box.

   I am planning to get a #5 as my next Clifton plane.

   .... I Love the smell of sawdust in the morning....

3. 
   vacabby | Aug 18, 2003 03:27am | #4

   As marcmaine stated the L-N plane you have with that high frog is for highly figured and difficult woods.    As a plane junkie I can tell you that I have over 50 working planes of all makes.    I own 8 L-Ns.    A standard Jack plane would serve you better on the white oak you are testing on.    My L-Ns all came virtually ready to go right out of the box with the exception of some subtle finishing touches.     They ain't cheap by any means but I consider them some of the finest tools I own.    I appreciate L-Ns attention to detail and close tolerances.   Customer service is as good as it gets.   I own a Clifton as well and it took me some time to set up prior to putting to use.

   jb

1. 
   sailalex | Aug 18, 2003 02:51pm | #5

   Thanks so much for your comments. I probably have an expectation of L-N tools that they will "do anything" and as Marc and JB point out, that may be a bit much. The oak is hard and difficult to smooth; I find that my plainer gets it about a smooth as it is going to get. Of course, I am using it on frames for a boat, so it doesn't have to be furniture smooth.

    Since I have only the one Clifton, maybe I am reacting too quickly but I did find the one I have to be very nice. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and experience.

4. 
   AdamK | Aug 19, 2003 12:02am | #6

   I have one LN, the large shoulder plane that I exchanged a Clifton 3110 for.  The quality of the LN was far better that the 3110.  I also own a Clifton #6.  The quality may not be as high as the LN;  one side is noticeably thinner than the other, but the Clifton does perform magnificently.  For the price range they are a nice plane.

   Adam

   My site: http://home.cogeco.ca/~akropinski

5. 
   dlwheel | Aug 20, 2003 10:31pm | #7

   i have the clifton #3, #6, #7, and #420.

   i have had good success with them... far superior to the Records i had... however, on the #3 i got an extra Hock iron and prepared it with a 10 deg. back bevel; this gives me an effective 55 degree pitch (i believe it is called a "middle pitch").

   i've got a Shepherd Smoother coming that i plan to use for really nasty stuff.