# Veritas Bevel-Up Jointer mini review



## Anonymous (6 Nov 2005)

Hi all

As will no doubt be clear by now, I received a pre-production veritas BU jointer a couple of months ago and have been using it at every opportunity. *A big thank you to Rob * 









Considering it was a pre-production model, I was astonished at the quality. For instance, I ran a CMM machine over the base and got the readings shown here

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... hlight=cmm

*How is it to use?*
Well, I sold my Stanley #7 after a couple of weeks of using the Veritas :wink: 
Unlike Alf, I find the rear tote to be fine and experienced no discomfort at all which may be because I have larger hands, and the front knob is just that, a knob that one very occasionally holds.

I found the balance and weight to present no problems to me either. The plane is not too heavy and feels considerably lighter than my 4.5 or 5.5 when in use which is probably down to the way one uses it when compared to a smoother.

Like all jointers, it takes a while to get used to the stroke and pressure transference between your hands, but once used to this technique, the plane is a dream to use.

My plane came with 3 A2 blades. I found all of them have remained sharp for absolutely ages and they hone up very quickly on the diamond stone followed by the 6000 grit waterstones. Since purchasing :shock: my very own Veritas mk 2 honing guide, a suitable edge is put on the blades in about 1 minute (including fitting blade into guide).

The blades are ground at 50 degrees, 38 degrees and 25 degrees. 
50 degree - not used it much. Hard to push through wood and no improvement in the finish on any of the woods I use when compared to 38 or 25
38 degree - fantastic. This one has stayed in there the most. Beautiful finish on all woods including very twisted Oak that tears out with almost every other plane I have!!
25- degree - Loved it but it did tear out on the oak mentioned above. however, on other woods, it required noticeably less effort in use and is a good choice if only buying one blade.

For info, the woods I tried it on are: Oak (new pieces and a couple of very old planks with very twisted grain) Ash, Sycamore, Pine, Mahogany(s), poplar, Cedar, Beech

The only thing I don't like about it are the sides. They should be ground flat to allow shooting. A cabinet maker of 50 years experience tried it and the first thing he said was 'how do you shoot with it?' 

Should have the fence soon and I will give my thoughts on that as an addition to this mini review


*Bottom line*
I love this plane. I reach for it to do jobs other than jointing. I would most definitely buy one if I did not have the tester. The quality of manufacture and materials (not withstanding that incredibly flat sole) is just short of LN in my opinion (REMEMBER that the review plane is pre-production though), but the innovation and design are above LN (although I do, subjectively, prefer the styling of LN planes)

Given the choice of this plane or the LN jointer which would I buy?

THIS ONE.

9.8/10


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## Waka (6 Nov 2005)

Tony

Good review thanks for sharing.


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## Rob Lee (6 Nov 2005)

Waka":3kbijr96 said:


> Tony
> 
> Good review thanks for sharing.



Waka - 

You still didn't send me your address, so I can send you a "doo-dah"...

Cheers - 

Rob ( [email protected] )

(Headed across the pond in a few hours....)


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## Scott (6 Nov 2005)

Nice one Tony! Thanks for the review


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## Alf (6 Nov 2005)

Gosh it's fun to have other reviews to read. Thanks for taking the time, Tony. Plus I get to say a few words about the BUT without doing a proper review. 



Tony":1ixhb2qn said:


> 38 degree - fantastic. This one has stayed in there the most.


Ditto. It looks increasingly like I'll end up with three 38° irons, one 25° for shooting in the BUPP and a 50° for really stinky stuff - that's using mainly hardwoods fwiw.



Tony":1ixhb2qn said:


> The only thing I don't like about it are the sides. They should be ground flat to allow shooting. A cabinet maker of 50 years experience tried it and the first thing he said was 'how do you shoot with it?'


You just _squeeze_ the trigger very slowly and... Or didn't you get the catapult add-on?  Seriously though, I'd agree with him. With the BUS it wasn't such an issue, but many people like a longer plane for shooting. I can understand why, but in a perfect world machined sides would have been nice. And a different rear tote... :-$ 

All the planing on my dvd storage doodah was done with the BUT, and it didn't miss a beat. Wish I could say the same for myself; I was a wreck by the finish. :roll: 

Cheers, Alf


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## Philly (6 Nov 2005)

Nice review Tony!
So you converted to the "Bevel Up" way, yet? :wink: 
Cheers
Philly


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## MikeW (6 Nov 2005)

Good one, Tony!

Thanks for the review. Nice to have another perspective, and another person writing a review, even when they agree...well, except the handle thing :lol: 

Take care, Mike


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## Anonymous (6 Nov 2005)

Philly":csnapq47 said:


> Nice review Tony!
> So you converted to the "Bevel Up" way, yet? :wink:
> Cheers
> Philly



The dark side? :shock: Never  :wink:


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## Philly (6 Nov 2005)

Tony":30xvkmvw said:


> The dark side? :shock: Never  :wink:



Hmm....the Farce is strong in this one...... :lol: 
Philly :wink:


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## Anonymous (7 Nov 2005)

You buying one Philly? Surely this needs to join your LV BU collection mate?

I can't tell you just how impressed I am with it


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## Philly (7 Nov 2005)

Funnily enough, it is on my "Thursday List"...........  :lol: 
Philly  
(Who has just come in from the workshop from flattening panels using the BUJ and BUS)


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## Anonymous (7 Nov 2005)

hi Tony,

Just curious to know if the toe plate on the BUT is flush with the sole on your demo plane???

What is the purpose of the big brass dial on top??? Is that the mouth adjuster?

Very nice review

Cheers
Dan Clermont


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## Alf (8 Nov 2005)

Dan Clermont in Burnaby":7mznaqop said:


> What is the purpose of the big brass dial on top??? Is that the mouth adjuster?


It's the clamping knob, the front knob being too far forward to do the job as is the case on the others. View from below, disassembled:





Assembled:





I can't speak for Tony's - although given the test he put the sole flatness to, I imagine he might have mentioned it if it wasn't - but mine was, and is, spot-on.

Cheers, Alf


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## Anonymous (8 Nov 2005)

Thanks Alf

Yes, mine was spot on too


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## Anonymous (8 Nov 2005)

Interesting

Thanks for the info

Dan Clermont


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## Anonymous (15 Nov 2005)

Hi all

Well, I finally got the fence and fitted it to the plane. Very impressed. Once I adjusted it square to the plane's sole with the single adjuster screw, it was square along the full length.
Dropped a piece of waney edged Ash into the vice and planed it dead square and flat in a couple of minutes. Adjusted for a fine cut and had the wood gleaming. I prefer this to my electric jointer any day of the week :lol: 

Well worth the extra few quid.

Next job is to hand plane a bevel on some Oak for a picture frame I've been asked to make. I think the fence will earn its keep on that


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## bugbear (15 Nov 2005)

> The only thing I don't like about it are the sides. They should be ground flat to allow shooting. A cabinet maker of 50 years experience tried it and the first thing he said was 'how do you shoot with it?'



At least for shooting end grain, I prefer a shorter plane than a full jointer (which would require a cumbersomely big shooting board).

I normally use a #6, and given the reports of the performance, I imagine a LV or LN BU Jack would shoot end grain perfectly.

Therefore I conclude that the non-shooting sides of the LV jointer are not a big issue.

BugBear


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## anto_pappa (7 May 2008)

and here http://www.il-truciolo.it/showthread.php?t=837
there is the secon translation. thank you very much Tony and everybody that create this article.

See you soon


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