Veritas bevel-up jointer plane and multiple blades?

[TobyB]

I had been looking at a #7 (I have a jack plane) as I want to do some long-ish edges accurately - but then have been drawn towards the Veritas bevel-up jointer plane as an alternative. It comes with a whole lot of additional blade options 38 and 50 degree and toothed as well as the standard 25 degree.

Does anyone use one of these regularly? In practice, do the spare blades (if you have them) gather dust on a top shelf, or are they regularly used and interchanged?

Or does the whole thing gather dust, and would a Clifton (or other) #7 be a better purchase?

 

[Paul Chapman]

Hi Toby,

You can use toothed blades in a bevel-down plane as well - I use one in my Record #7. The only thing to watch is that you need to set the cap iron back a fair way to stop the shavings getting trapped under it - I ended up grinding a bit off the end of an old cap iron so that I could set it back far enough

Works really well.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Harbo]

I have one with one optional blade which I do not use very much.
I tend to use my P/T and use the 7 as a final smoother and sometimes to create a slight central hollow for jointing.

You can alter the the "Effective " angles by grinding a secondary bevel on to one of them so you do not need all three blades - 1 spare one is useful for this operation though?

Rod

 

[woodbloke]

I have the LV jointer (and the jack...and the BU smoother ) and I only have one blade for each which is honed at 38deg, giving an effective pitch of 50deg (12deg bed angle) There isn't really any need IMO for multiple blades with different honed angles. If you want to sort out difficult grained timbers I reckon you're better off with scraper plane. Having said that, the BU smoother with a very tight mouth (which is how I always have mine set up) will finish all but the most awkward timber - Rob

 

[Escudo]

Hello Toby,

I have also got the BU jointer. It is an excellent plane. I use mine with the optional side fence which is very handy. Bevel angles can also be achieved by attaching a bevelled piece of wood to the fence which makes for neat and consistent edges.

I only have one blade at a standard 25 degrees and have found this to be effective.

Regards, Tony.

 

[jonbikebod]

Hi Toby,
I have the Jack and smoother with a set of blades (plus some extras for cambered, some straight for shooting and some ‘custom’ angles). I use them a lot. If you get tear-out, keep changing blades for next higher EP until tear-out stops – then use this EP (or blade) in all three.
(Jointer still on my wish list)
Jon.

 

[Calpol]

I have the Jack jobby with a single blade but I think more than one would be much better, still plan to get the smoother though so I don't really want to buy another one just yet as the blades are the same for the 3 low anglers...

Anyway as the angle is increased it becomes harder to push but with a better finish, so ideally one for getting the edge straight and at least another one for a nice finish. I tend to hone the same blade when it needs changed but that's far from ideal :|

 

[jonbikebod]

I have the LV jointer (and the jack...and the BU smoother ) and I only have one blade for each which is honed at 38deg, giving an effective pitch of 50deg (12deg bed angle) There isn't really any need IMO for multiple blades with different honed angles. If you want to sort out difficult grained timbers I reckon you're better off with scraper plane. Having said that, the BU smoother with a very tight mouth (which is how I always have mine set up) will finish all but the most awkward timber - Rob

The thing is Rob 50º isn’t a very high effective pitch. DC warned Tom L-N this wasn’t enough for his high angle frog and now they also make a 55º (half pitch) frog. Two extra blades giving an EP of 55º and one of 60º will get you out of almost any difficult grain situation. The advantages over a scarper plane are the ease and speed of re-sharpening and the ability to remove wood quicker - which is welcome if the original tear-out went deep.
Nothing to touch a scraper plane on veneers but I haven’t recently (since using low angle/high effective pitch) had to resort to one on solid wood.
Jon.

 

[woodbloke]

I have the LV jointer (and the jack...and the BU smoother ) and I only have one blade for each which is honed at 38deg, giving an effective pitch of 50deg (12deg bed angle) There isn't really any need IMO for multiple blades with different honed angles. If you want to sort out difficult grained timbers I reckon you're better off with scraper plane. Having said that, the BU smoother with a very tight mouth (which is how I always have mine set up) will finish all but the most awkward timber - Rob

The thing is Rob 50º isn’t a very high effective pitch. DC warned Tom L-N this wasn’t enough for his high angle frog and now they also make a 55º (half pitch) frog. Two extra blades giving an EP of 55º and one of 60º will get you out of almost any difficult grain situation. The advantages over a scarper plane are the ease and speed of re-sharpening and the ability to remove wood quicker - which is welcome if the original tear-out went deep.
Nothing to touch a scraper plane on veneers but I haven’t recently (since using low angle/high effective pitch) had to resort to one on solid wood.
Jon.

You might be right Jon...I may have to invest in a couple of extra blades - Rob

 

[afreegreek]

the more you grind and the more you hone, the more you true up your stone and dress you grinding wheel and the less time you spend cutting wood. I think it's well worth the money to get more blades to handle different grain rather than changing grind on your blade back and forth.

I have extra blades for all my BU planes (a range of angles, and two of each) and for my regular planes too (all the same angle). I find it better to just put in a sharp one than break my momentum by having to sharpen..

it doesn't take too many 15 min sharpening sessions to eat up the $20.00 -$40.00 cost of a blade in shop time plus it's a distraction to have to stop in the middle of something..

personally I think premium planes should come with two irons. they're a professional tool are they not?? when was the last time you saw a cordless drill with only one battery?? so yeah, two blades please..

 

[bugbear]

personally I think premium planes should come with two irons. they're a professional tool are they not?? when was the last time you saw a cordless drill with only one battery?? so yeah, two blades please..

They do come with two blades; of course the double blade models are a little more expensive. From LV, they're $38 more.



BugBear

 

[Philly]

Toby
I find I use the higher angle blade all the time - once you start using planes with higher pitch you'll wonder why folks bother with common and low angle pitch.
Hope this helps,
Philly

 

[Mr Ed]

Toby
I find I use the higher angle blade all the time - once you start using planes with higher pitch you'll wonder why folks bother with common and low angle pitch.
Hope this helps,
Philly

Me too, I have a suspicion that the edge deteriorates more quickly when used at the higher angle, but not to an extent that makes it worth changing back to a lower angle.

Ed

 

[Philly]

Ed
Yes, the edge does wear a little quicker, but well worth it for tear-out free planing.
Cheers
Philly

 

[bugbear]

Toby
I find I use the higher angle blade all the time - once you start using planes with higher pitch you'll wonder why folks bother with common and low angle pitch.
Hope this helps,
Philly

Depends on what you're doing - high EP "only" helps with tearout.

Wether you like high EP therefore depends on how high tearout figures in your priorities.

For sizeing/stock prep, I would suggest "not much", and then the issues with harder to push and higher blade wear may take precedence.

A wide range of planes is clearly the correct solution

BugBear

 

[woodbloke]

A wide range of planes is clearly the correct solution

BugBear

...and I thought I was the only 'Slope' pusher in these parts :lol: - Rob