Review: The Veritas Jack Rabbet Plane

[GazPal]

I've never tried a BU bench plane, or an infill, so I'm in no position to make worthwhile comment, but it does make me wonder a bit whether the advocates of BU bench-planes really got the best out of their standard BD planes before abandoning them for fashionable (and rather pricey) BU planes. That said, it's probably best to use whatever method works best for you, and if that's BU planes, stick with 'em!

I'm not saying you or anyone else should buy one, but ye olde worlde infill planes are definitely a pleasure to work with when well set up. Just as you'd hope for with any other plane type. Just for the record I own and occasionally use an old Spiers smoother and Mathieson panel plane and - although both are in need of a good overhaul - they're gems in their own right. Heft of the plane certainly helps when dealing with contrary timbers.

Much the reason why #05.1/2's prove very capable as jack, panel and smoothing plane when well set up and kitted out with well sharpened and suitably prepared irons. Their heft helps maintain momentum during each plane stroke, whilst fine settings and a spare back bevelled iron on standby help them handle most timber types.

In terms of bevel down planes, the only ones I have and use are an old Stanley #62 (My son owns and uses Stanley's newer version of the #62) and a typical selection of block planes ranging through numbers 101 - 130. Working pitch and iron orientation definitely make a difference, but the greatest difference can be had by applying correct honing angles to suit the work in hand. In spite of owning bevel up planes I still prefer bevel down planes, as I find they can handle anything you throw at them, whereas bevel up planes tend to be limited to smoothing operations rather than see use hogging off material in the same manner you'd use a standard #05, #05.1/2, or #06 with heavily cambered iron.

I think personal preference is heavily influenced by technique, but agree the quality of a cutting edge can make or break a plane's performance regardless of whether it's bevel up or down. Much the reason for my maintaining the stance that sharpening is among the most important aspects when handling cutting tools. Sharpening - when kept simple - needn't be an overworked chore, whilst edge retention and alloys become immaterial as you routinely stop work to re-whet/strop an iron during use.

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Edited to add that Vann very rightly pointed out my typo which I've highlighted and should read bevel up.

 

[Vann]

In terms of bevel down planes, the only ones I have and use are an old Stanley #62 ... and a typical selection of block planes ranging through numbers 101 - 130.

Ahem, bevel up....?

Cheers, Vann.

 

[GazPal]

In terms of bevel down planes, the only ones I have and use are an old Stanley #62 ... and a typical selection of block planes ranging through numbers 101 - 130.

Ahem, bevel up....?

Cheers, Vann.

My typo and mistake, but I blame my typing. Not all are bevel up, as a couple - such as the 101 - are set bevel down.

 

[anaminal]

Hi All, just thought I'd check-in and restate my thanks for the advice the other week on my first plane.

I went to the Axminster shop in Warrington and tried out both the Veritas and LN LA Jack; I struggled to choose between them as they both felt great but ended up going with the LN as it just seemed a bit more solid and felt like there was less play in the adjustments (mouth opening and the blade depth adjustment in particular).

I've had a lot of fun with it so far, leaves a beautiful finish on oak - miles better than ultra fine sandpaper I was using before! I was a bit gutted when I found I'd scratched up the sole on a piece of walnut I'd not brushed off before planing but am taking the attitude that "a tool's for using" etc so will continue with it. Great intro to the world of planes

anyway, Thanks!
Chris

 

[GazPal]

Nice result Chris :wink: Unless deep, those scratches will soon blend in once you've a bit of mileage on your plane.

 

[Wood whisperer]

For me I don't think this plane is a versatile as many think. It's well made and for the right price I wouldn't say no but to be honest it would be an indulgence. I don't recall seeing any vintage jack rabbet planes with a fence, from experience I would say that's because to cut a wide rabbet of 2 inches say for a window frame accurately is too much hard work,try doing it in oak or iroko,may be that's why this plane has no depth stop. The blade is square one of the reasons I bought a skew rabbet plane was so the blade angle pulled the plane into the rabbet and I got a clean internal corner, and its ability to deal with end grain. Nice idea to turn this in a shooting planes with a length of timber but wood moves and shrinks. I have a record jack rabbet plane for cleaning up machined rabbets, I hardly use it but it's nice to have. If I didn't have access to a spindle moulder I would use a hand power planer to cut a wide rabbet. I have the low angle Veritas jack plane and I wouldn't swap it for the veritas jack rabbet.

 

[D_W]

This type of plane fits in a category of not being a big sales success when first made (and the market was professional) and thus probably not very useful to us. I bought one (the lie nielsen version, though), too, and was hesitant to sell it just in case I ever had a need for it. Never did. They are not a great panel raiser because they're not skew, they are poor for narrow rabbets and sinking a wide rebate is a pain because who can take a really thick full width shaving accurately over and over?

Planes I put into this category
* skew block plane (looks nice, have all kinds of ideas for it, but most of them are better done with a chisel - never used it much)
* jack rabbet type plane (never successfully used it anywhere - moving fillister is far superior)
* shoulder planes (personal thing - always trying to use one where I should be using a rabbet, and I work tenon shoulders to the mark with a chisel as most do. finally getting a decent rabbet plane relegated it to gone)
* bevel up jack plane - not a very good jack plane as far as jacks go, but a good shooter, I guess. Still found no need for it (and not surprised that stanley didn't sell tons of them). A 4 is usually lighter on its feet for end grain work to a mark (in the vise).
* stanley 55 - screaming slow pain to use due to shaving thickness limitation and no support for shaving
* stanley 45 - same as 55, except fewer cutters. Decent plow plane, but not as good as vintage wooden plow

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Swiss Army Knives are fun to own and actually work. Not as effective as a bunch of separates ... but that is what I wrote three years ago.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[rkboston]

I actually sometimes use it for narrowish (<3/4") rabbets, seems ok, especially if grain runs in a direction that does not work with my veritas right hand filister. I did not want a left hand filister and jack rabbet is more versatile. Also when doing workbench size projects it is handy. Plus it is very pretty piece of tool art.

 

[knockknock]

I use my Veritas Jack Rabbet all the time, as a small jointer. The under slung fence works well, it lets me balance the plane on the edge of a board (a tick heavy on the non-fence side). I also added a board to the fence to make it larger and got shorter fence rods.