Lie Nielsen Plane advice

[noddy67]

Hello all. I am fortunate enough to be in the States in a couple of weeks and plan on treating myself to some of Maine's finest hand plane offerings.

I currently already have a 4 1/2 and a low angle block plane. I plan on buying a number 7 and hopefully one other.

My first question is what would your recommendations be for the fourth member of the stable. Please bear in mind that this is a total self indulgence and not 'needed' at all. I already have the large LV shoulder plane so the LN version of that is out.

Second question is whether the corregated sole is worth having on the number 7?

Many thanks for any thoughts.

 

[Adam]

I find my spokeshaves pretty handy. Ohh, and my side rabbet planes have got me out a hole before.

Adam

 

[MikeW]

I find my spokeshaves pretty handy. Ohh, and my side rabbet planes have got me out a hole before.

Adam

Now that was funny :lol:

I agree that the side rabbet planes--get both--are handy planes. Other options may include one of the LN handsaws if you don't have one in good shape and *if* you use them.

A LN 5 1/2 is another option. I think it would fit in perfect between the 4 1/2 and 7.

The new LN small router plane.

If you do or want to do beads and other details one would use a scratchstock for, there's the LN remake of the Stanley #66--theirs is called the Bronze Beading Tool.

The LN Rabbet block plane has always been welcome in my shop.

Those are options. My main one being the # 5 1/2.

Take care, Mike

 

[Alf]

Hmm... sorta depends what your tool-using habits are, what woods you habitually use and so forth. The #7 and the existing #4 1/2 suggest you're not a DC type plane user, otherwise I might go with Mike and the #5 1/2. The existing shoulder plane suggests you like to tweak your joints (if you'll pardon the expression :wink so the side rebates etc make some sense. Except I recently discovered the humble Stanley #79 can get into a narrower groove to tweak than the LNs, which has to a certain extent reduced my affection for them. The skew block is a rather nice luxury item that will actually see use - in my case a lot more use than I ever expected, giving me a warm glow of self-satisfaction at "treating myself". D'you ever use woods with "challenging grain"? How about a scraper or high angle frogged something? Have you discovered the delights of shooting boards yet? Lots of folks like their #9 mitre plane. Or you could really annoy Jacob and get some chisels instead of a plane...

Cheers, Alf

 

[dchenard]

I have two LN block planes (60 1/2 and 140), and both fail to get my excitement needle to "wow!". They're good, mind you, but it's little details here and there that lessen the pleasure.

Now a friend of mine bought the 4 1/2 (with the high angle frog) and the #7, and loves them both. I have to pay him a visit...

As for the corrugations, I would say don't bother. Unless you work with high resin species you will not gain anything. Corrugations are nice when fettling an old plane because there's less metal to flatten, but the LN will be flat to start with.

DC

10 miles or so from the Veritas factory

 

[JesseM]

I only have one corrugated plane (5C) and it feels a lot slicker on wood with not as much static build up, especially this time of year. I think I decided after wielding that LN #8 a while that its all corrugated soles from here on out for me.

If you have the chance to try one with and one without, I would do that and see which you like better.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Second question is whether the corregated sole is worth having on the number 7?

I've never used a plane with a corrugated sole so I can't speak from experience. However, I've often thought that if you were using it on a shooting board to plane very thin wood or veneers, sod's law would probably come into play and one of the corrugations would line up with the piece being planed and cause problems.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[engineer one]

you could always use the 9 mitre plane, and of course the screwdrivers for adjusting things are really neat, and a proper indulgence :lol:

if you go there, then drool and think and then splurge :twisted:

paul :wink:

 

[RogerS]

A skew block plane. Gets you out of so many problems. So versatile. Creates rabbets. Lets you tidy up tenons in a jiffy. This gets my vote

 

[Modernist]

Again the 140, in iron and Left hand -assuming you trim most tenons with your right.

 

[Hokie]

Are you going to Maine or just need to find a place where you are visiting to find the purchases?

Our Woodcraft store on March 3 is offering 15% off on stuff before 10am.

I'm getting a LN bevel up jack and maybe a medium shoulder.

If you go to Maine, make sure you go to Freeport and get a lobster from Jamesons (next to the original LL Bean).

-Gary

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Noddy

i have quite a few LNs and find the 5.5 to be the most useful - before I got it, the 4.5 was my favourite

I say get the 5.5


Having been to philly's a few times and played with his planes, I would (will) also go for a #9 for the shooting board

 

[bugbear]

I only have one corrugated plane (5C) and it feels a lot slicker on wood with not as much static build up

Static build up on a metal item? Are you sure?

BugBear

 

[Mike-W]

Hi Noddy

I have just come back from New Mexico with a couple of LN hand saws, I ordered them on line from the UK and had them posted to my hotel, using UPS (LN standard delivery service). It was a bit touch and go as to if they would be delivered before I left to come home. UPS quoted 5 working days (try there web site for delivery time); it took my order 6 working days from Maine.
I have shopped in the States in the past for LN tools, and have sometimes been disappointed with the toolshops not having what I wanted.
On choice yes I have a #9- pure indulgence when I brought it - but I love it!

Mike
P.S. I forgot to mention, one advantage of buying mail order from a different State is that you do not pay local sales tax- should save about 10% on the total bill. My purchases cost me about 72% of Axminster prices

 

[noddy67]

Guys,

Many thanks for all the replies. I will be digesting it all this afternoon. Quite interesting that of the 10 or so posts I've made over the last few months this one has prompted the most immediate replies. I guess there is a genuine fondness for LN planes.

As a follow up the 5 1/2 seems particularly well received and well used. Is it used as a general all round bench plane or is it more specific than that.

Also is the purpose of a corregated sole simply to reduce the friction?

Finally I would just like to echo some of the posts I've read about the excellent after sales service I've received from LN. Michele particularly has gone out of her way to sort out a couple of small problems that arose. Many thanks.

 

[bugbear]

Also is the purpose of a corregated sole simply to reduce the friction?

AFAIK it's the oft-quoted and claimed purpose, but I've never heard of evidence, anecdotal or otherwise.

edit; I just spent a few minutes in the OLDTOOLS archive, repository of knowledge, experience and analysis (in varying proportions...)

Plenty of questions and speculation on the topic, no evidence - not even side by side comparisons, let along any attempt at measurement.

BugBear

 

[Paul Chapman]

In "Planecraft", written by C W Hampton of Record and E Clifford, it says that when planing thin wide boards, as the surface becomes true, a suction can be created between the face of the board and the sole of the plane. The corrugations allow just enough air between the surfaces to break the vacuum and prevent the suction, which can be enough to lift the board with the plane under favourable circumstances.

If this has been a problem for you, then maybe a corrugated sole would be a good buy. Personally I've never found the suction to be a problem. A candle rubbed on the sole seems to cure most problems of this nature in my experience.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

PS It's also claimed that when lubricating the sole with a candle or other lubricant, the corrugations hold the lubricant but I've never seen how that would have much beneficial effect once the wax had worn off the un-corrugated parts of the sole.

 

[JesseM]

I only have one corrugated plane (5C) and it feels a lot slicker on wood with not as much static build up

Static build up on a metal item? Are you sure?
BugBear

Well its not on the plane. The static charge is on the wood, but the plane did it I'm sure. I can hear the discharges when I flip the board and the shavings stick to the wood.

 

[bugbear]

I only have one corrugated plane (5C) and it feels a lot slicker on wood with not as much static build up

Static build up on a metal item? Are you sure?
BugBear

Well its not on the plane. The static charge is on the wood, but the plane did it I'm sure. I can hear the discharges when I flip the board and the shavings stick to the wood.

Wowza. Interesting. Since the plane is the only thing that's moving, it does appear to be our "prime suspect".

BugBear

 

[Nick W]

Jesse,

Are yo sure it's not your nylon underwear?