Which Veritas plane do I buy?

[Bodgers]

The issue you face Bodgers is how much do you want to spend on woodworking? It's not a cheap hobby, if the objective is general furniture making then it's pretty easy to spend £2,000 on hand tools and workshop basics. And that £2,000 budget doesn't include any premium Veritas, Lie Nielsen, or Clifton kit. If your tastes run to expensive brands you could easily sink £4,000 or £5,000 into hand tools, and that's before even thinking about power tools and machinery.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/how- ... 06958.html

If you've got deep pockets or you're committed to woodworking as a lifetime hobby then fair enough. But the truth is that most people tinker around for a couple of years, end up disappointed when they discover that woodworking to a decent standard is harder than it first appears, and then move onto something new.

Best advice is to think hard about what you really need for current or immediate projects, and beyond that leave the money in your pocket.

I started this hobby about 3 years or so ago, and spent most of my money on power tools (tablesaw, drill press, bandsaw etc.) I recently sold my table saw to get back some room in the workshop and use more hand tools. Intially, I thought this was going to be not as expensive as a power tool focused setup, but you are right, it gets expensive very fast when you are buying the good stuff.

I think I am in this for the long haul regardless.

Over the past year or so I have got over my initial disappointments in the amount of time I have to spend, money, and the limits of my abilities. I am trying to be balanced about this, and just keep adding stuff as I need and can afford. As I say, this is a good opportunity to get a deal on a plane (or maybe two) so I might not be making the exact right purchase for what I need right now, and this is a bit of an extravagance anyway.

My aim is just to spend in the right way on the right thing. If there is advantage in splashing out on something premium from Veritas on a shoulder plane or a shooting board plane, I'll do that. For other stuff I can buy used or maybe some other cheaper route.

I actually have been offered my Grandad's old tool box he made as an apprentice, and apparently it has a an old Stanley bench plane, a Record shoulder plane and several other bits and bobs, so there are options in many places I suppose...

 

[Chip shop]

The issue you face Bodgers is how much do you want to spend on woodworking? It's not a cheap hobby, if the objective is general furniture making then it's pretty easy to spend £2,000 on hand tools and workshop basics. And that £2,000 budget doesn't include any premium Veritas, Lie Nielsen, or Clifton kit. If your tastes run to expensive brands you could easily sink £4,000 or £5,000 into hand tools, and that's before even thinking about power tools and machinery.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/how- ... 06958.html

If you've got deep pockets or you're committed to woodworking as a lifetime hobby then fair enough. But the truth is that most people tinker around for a couple of years, end up disappointed when they discover that woodworking to a decent standard is harder than it first appears, and then move onto something new.

Best advice is to think hard about what you really need for current or immediate projects, and beyond that leave the money in your pocket.

Sorry to wander OT, but this has got me thinking:

After many years of woodworking(purpose made joinery mainly, with odd spurts of furniture making mingled in) I own the following:

• LA block - which I hardly ever use
  Record No. 5 - which is my fave, but weirdly I don't use very often
  2 X Record No. 4 - one for the bench and one for site - the bench variety is my go to, even though I'm not very fond of it
  QS LA Jack - which comes out when the No. 4 starts making a mess

Add to this a couple of 'specialist' planes

• Shoulder plane - No idea who made it, but they always seem more suited to tuning tenon cheeks
  Record No. 044 - which lives on top of the cupboard, and will remain there until they carry me out in a box.
  Veritas skew rebate - which is cool, but I wouldn't be able to justify it to the bank manager.
  Lie Neilsen router plane - Which I may be able to justify to the bank manager

Now, before anyone thinks I'm pulling the old "I'm an artisan, and I can make fantastic things out of wood using knapped flint as my cutting edge" I am not and I can't. I'd love nothing more than to have a wall behind my bench that was filled with Clifton , Lie Neilsen, Lee Valley, Holtey and all the rest, just like on You Tube. But I haven't. I have a wall of screws and nails, dust and cobwebs.

If it's your hobby, and you have the disposable cash, and it'll make you happy - get the LV No. 7...I bet it's a brilliant plane and it'll make you smile every time you use it. The one I'd buy is probably the No. 5

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

I think I might look at something the new Stanley SW No. 4 to use as a smoother. .....

....Your advice on the plough planes contradicts the others I think I might get a Stanley 45 or one of the more modern 13-050s at some point...

Bodgers, I would not recommend a new Stanley SW #4 over a vintage Stanley #4. I am sure that others here would support this.

Regarding a plough plane, my advice is to get one that is dedicated to ploughing. This is why the Small Plow would be a good purchase. Does my advice contradict others? What do they know?

Regards from Perth

Derek

Why is that? I have the new SW Low angle and in my (inexperienced) it is a super plane, dead flat sole, nicely made and a heavy lump of iron. Is the no 4 not as good?

Hi Bodgers

The answer is not about how good or bad the Stanley SW is. It is about maximising the bang for your buck. You asked opinions here, and I am giving you mine: in a nutshell, Veritas (Lee Valley) make high quality planes, and you can afford one or two via your relatives bringing them past customs as gifts. What do you get? I suggested planes that are needed to build with all the time (plough, rebate, router plane), rather than planes used some of the time (shooting plane).

When it comes to the smoother, you are thinking about the Stanley SW. I have nothing against the plane - never used one - except (assuming the purchase is at the same time as the Lee Valley purchase), I would spend as little as I could get away with, and put the money towards the Canadian collection. A vintage Stanley #4, when used with the chipbreaker, is a wonderful tool ... and at a fraction of the price of a new SW.

If you are keen on a high quality smoother, then do read my review of the Veritas Custom planes: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReview ... anes1.html

I should point out, partly for disclosure, that I have tested many of the Veritas planes mentioned in this thread for Lee Valley at a pre-production stage. I own many of them (as well as a number of LN and Stanley planes and tools). The Veritas Custom #4 and #7 are among my favourite planes. They are excellent users - but my qualifying comment is 'as long as you are comfortable using the chipbreaker'. If not, I recommend getting a BU plane, and the Veritas BU Smoother must rank as one of the best available. It is utterly dependable at smoothing and controlling tearout (used at a high cutting angle).

I have also tested and own the Veritas Shooting Plane. My review is here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReview ... Plane.html

That is a great plane. Still, you have a LA Jack, which makes an excellent shooter and, if it was my choice, I'd get the Small Plough and the Large Router Plane.

Whatever you get, you will really enjoy it/them. Veritas make wonderful tools.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[MusicMan]

I have the Veritas shooting plane, bought from a member who was changing to LN, partly as indulgence and partly because my arthritic fingers do not hold a regular plane well on its side. I have also long been fascinated by the design of shooter planes, and think that the Veritas is about the ultimate (do read Derek's review, linked in the previous post). There is no doubt that the skew cut is a major improvement on a square cut for end grain. Unlike those who say that such a plane would be rarely used, I find myself using it each time I prepare a board, so it is indeed used a lot. On the other hand, I use my rebate and plough planes relatively rarely. If I did a lot of rail-stile-panel work the needs would be different. So it entirely depends what you commonly make. You might also consider that this is your one chance to get a really top-end plane, which you probably won't ever do at British prices! If your friends can be persuaded to heft this 8 lb hunk of iron over.

 

[Bodgers]

I have also tested and own the Veritas Shooting Plane. My review is here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReview ... Plane.html

Great write up, thanks for the info

I have the Veritas shooting plane, bought from a member who was changing to LN, partly as indulgence and partly because my arthritic fingers do not hold a regular plane well on its side. I have also long been fascinated by the design of shooter planes, and think that the Veritas is about the ultimate (do read Derek's review, linked in the previous post). There is no doubt that the skew cut is a major improvement on a square cut for end grain. Unlike those who say that such a plane would be rarely used, I find myself using it each time I prepare a board, so it is indeed used a lot. On the other hand, I use my rebate and plough planes relatively rarely. If I did a lot of rail-stile-panel work the needs would be different. So it entirely depends what you commonly make. You might also consider that this is your one chance to get a really top-end plane, which you probably won't ever do at British prices! If your friends can be persuaded to heft this 8 lb hunk of iron over.

Your post wins if I need to justify the shooting plane.

 

[El Barto]

You should have a bunch of these brought over and sell them on. I know I'd buy one...

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.a ... 37&p=74622

 

[Bodgers]

You should have a bunch of these brought over and sell them on. I know I'd buy one...

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.a ... 37&p=74622

I remember your thread on this. I take it you didn't get any in the end?

 

[El Barto]

You should have a bunch of these brought over and sell them on. I know I'd buy one...

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.a ... 37&p=74622

I remember your thread on this. I take it you didn't get any in the end?

Couldn’t find them anywhere!

 

[Bodgers]

So bad news. My PmV11 blade and breaker arrived at my relative's house, but Lee Valley are now saying the shooting plane is on back order until the end of March, so I am having to cancel it as it won't arrive in time for them coming here in March.

So...now that I can't adjust to the idea of not having this, the cheapest place I've found that sells it here is canadiantools.co.uk. Is this place dodgy or is it ok?





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[Sawdust=manglitter]

i've bought a few things from them and found them great! What you could ask your relatives very nicely to do is to ask around the various retailers over there that stock veritas to see if they have any physically in stock? I've got around the veritas shortage by doing that myself, there were no LA jack's left in UK from Brimarc (the uk supplier) before christmas, so ended up ordering from Dieter Schmid Fine Tools in Germany as they had physical stock.

 

[Bodgers]

Thanks, will give that a go.

 

[Bodgers]

Lee Valley got back to me about this after I asked to cancel.

They asked me to reconsider if I could get it within the next couple of weeks, which was pretty good of them. They are going to try and source it from one of their stores I think. See what happens.

 

[Bodgers]

Lee Valley got back to me about this after I asked to cancel.

They asked me to reconsider if I could get it within the next couple of weeks, which was pretty good of them. They are going to try and source it from one of their stores I think. See what happens.

Lee Valley emailed again. Despite it being officially out if stock they have got hold of one and are sending it out.

Good customer service from Lee Valley...

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[MusicMan]

Enjoy! It's a great plane.

 

[iNewbie]

LV have excellent Customer Service - I know its of no use but theres one of those planes now for sale on ebay uk!!! Not mine I might add.

 

[Bodgers]

LV have excellent Customer Service - I know its of no use but theres one of those planes now for sale on ebay uk!!! Not mine I might add.

Interesting. Current price is almost what I paid for mine new

It doesn't say what the blade type is, let's hope it's PMV11 otherwise the winner may as well just bought a new one from Axminster or CanadianTools

 

[Bodgers]

LV have excellent Customer Service - I know its of no use but theres one of those planes now for sale on ebay uk!!! Not mine I might add.

Interesting. Current price is almost what I paid for mine new

It doesn't say what the blade type is, let's hope it's PMV11 otherwise the winner may as well just bought a new one from Axminster or CanadianTools

It went for £285+postage! More than I paid new from Canada and only a £5 saving on a brand new from Canadiantools.co.uk

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[iNewbie]

Lots of people who buy from ebay don't do their home work or just don't care. Its surprising how much they will pay.