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View Full Version : Shoulder Plane - Which One?



Jim Eller
03-29-2009, 7:37 PM
In the process of building my bench I had some mortise and tenon joints in the base. There was a time when I could have used a plane to shave down the tendons to make them fit better. Sanding and filing just doesn't get it.

Not being a hand tool guy, I read about shoulder planes and though it would be a good tool for my arsenal.

I think a 3/4" width would be the choice because it could be used in a rabbet that size.

So, ............are there any planer people out there that can make recommendations on what size, brand and where to find the best price?

Thanks,

Jim

Peter Quinn
03-29-2009, 7:52 PM
I have a stanley 92, not the easiest thing to set up but it works great once you get it set. You have to sharpen it, flatten the base (while jointing it to the sides), set the opening which is finicky, really tune the thing to get a decent performance. Its a bit hard to hold compared to almost every other shoulder plane made too. If I had to do it over again I would have bought the Lie Nielson or Veritas and skipped all the set up time. I am a wood worker after all, not a machinist. So if you are real broke or real cheap AND enjoy fixing brand new tools that are poorly machined, get a Stanley 92. Otherwise, get a Lie Nielson or a Veritas from Lee Valley and finish your bench post haste.

In any even the rabbit plane has proven to be one of my handiest and most used tools beyond a basic block plane for a guy that does mostly machine and power tool wood working, so by all means get one and enjoy it.

Barry Vabeach
03-29-2009, 8:03 PM
Jim, the Lee Valley medium shoulder plane is the way to go. You can get it from Lee Valley - it has screws that keep the blade centered and that puts it head and shoulder above the competition. Barry

Casey Gooding
03-29-2009, 8:25 PM
I like the Lie-Nielsen large shoulder plane.
Might want to move this to Neander world. Would probably get more responses than from those of us who randomly wander over hear.

Frank Drew
03-29-2009, 8:47 PM
Jim

English style infill planes are sort of the gold standard in shoulder planes, but both older and modern versions are pretty expensive. If you can find one, the now out-of-production Record 778 rabbet plane makes a fine shoulder plane, and you might find one on ebay. It's really a fine tool.

The Stanley 93 shoulder plane works pretty well and is still available; try Highland Hardware, among others.

Mike Henderson
03-29-2009, 9:13 PM
Lee Valley medium shoulder plane. Significantly better than the Stanley 92 or 93. The LV fits my hand better than the LN but you may not have the same experience.

Mike

glenn bradley
03-29-2009, 9:18 PM
+1 LV medium shoulder plane. Love it.

Jacob Mac
03-29-2009, 9:37 PM
I would avoid trying to rehab a plane. Or maybe I should say I have had zero luck with old planes, and it is frustrating me to the point that I do not even mess with them.

If I were you, I would buy the LV and not worry about messing around with planes that need rehabbing. My guess is you want to get your bench finished, and the LV will be ready to go out of the box (you will need to hone it). And if you don't like it for whatever reason, send it back. I am pretty sure LV has a grace period for sending back purchases. I don't know because I have never had a reason to send anything back that I bought rom them.

Joel Goodman
03-29-2009, 9:40 PM
In general I'm an old Stanley or Lie Nielsen fan but I have the Lee Valley medium shoulder plane and it's excellent. I would get that.

Kevin Looker
03-29-2009, 10:39 PM
I have a Stanley 92 that has never worked very well probably because the blade is not aligned to the sole - pretty poor quality control.

I just got a Clifton 410. It's a smaller plane (and a little pricey) but it's very comfortable in the hand and works great.

RickT Harding
03-30-2009, 8:25 AM
Good review here:
http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib/cSchwarz/z_art/sPlanes/sPlanes1.asp

I'm actually hoping my HNT Gordon order, which includes a shoulder plane, arrives today/tomorrow.

I know several club members that have the LV Medium and think it's just perfect, use it a ton.

Chris Kennedy
03-30-2009, 8:51 AM
+1 on the the Lee Valley medium. It is a fantastic plane, and like others, I found it fit my hand better than the LN.

Cheers,

Chris

Tony Zaffuto
03-30-2009, 9:09 AM
I've got several and reach for the large LN first. The size takes a bit of getting used to. Don't limit yourself to pushing a plane like this--I pull as much as push.

T.Z.

Jim Eller
03-30-2009, 10:25 AM
Thanks.

I'm leaning toward this one, http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=48430&cat=1,41182,48945

Now the question of A2 or O1 tool steel? I really don't have a clue.

Jim

David Keller NC
03-30-2009, 10:45 AM
Jim - Based on your first post, I'm going to make a comment here that may help you with selection. A shoulder plane is a good tool to work - you guessed it - shoulders of tenons. While it can be used to shave down the cheeks, it's not the ideal tool for the job, because unless you've a very small piece you're working on, the cheeks are typically a good deal wider than the sole of the plane. Moreover, it can be difficult to maintain parallel cheeks when planing them down with this tool.

A better choice for shaving down tenon cheeks is either a block rabbet plane(Lie Nielsen has one based on the Stanley), a bench rabbet plane, a skew block rabbet plane, or (my choice) a joinery float or a wide chisel. The advantage to a joinery float is that it's a long tool and it has many cutting edges, so maintaining parallel cheeks is a bit easier than using a single edge tool like a wide chisel.

Barry Rowland
03-30-2009, 1:20 PM
My friend has the LV medium shoulder plane. I used it a few times
and fell in love.

It's the next one I get, right after my LV BU smoother.

Jim Eller
03-30-2009, 2:40 PM
So do I get A2 or O1 tool steel.............and why?

Jim

Barry Beech
03-30-2009, 2:52 PM
LV Medium. Plus they have outstanding customer service.

A2 steel will typically keep an edge longer but is harder to hone
O1 will not hold an edge as long but is easier to hone.

So, it's kinda up to you.

Brian Kent
03-30-2009, 2:58 PM
Jim, to simplify the A2 vs O1 choice, do you work more with hardwoods or softwoods?

If soft to medium, the O1 will hold up excellently and will sharpen quicker.

If you are like me and love the beauty of some really hard woods, go with the A2. They take a little longer to sharpen but you are less likely to need to sharpen in the middle of a project.

I bought the Lee Valley Bevel Up Jack plane with the O1. When I use it for end-grain on a shooting board for white oak or hickory, it needs all the hardness I can get. My next blade for it will be A2.

Pedro Reyes
03-30-2009, 3:00 PM
So do I get A2 or O1 tool steel.............and why?

Jim


Jim,

Rather than repeating, please read David's post. Everyone just jumped and said the LV medium shoulder plane, which I also have and love. Probably the best designed handtool I have. But is excels at trimming shoulders, not cheeks which is what you were doing.

About the steel, a matter of preference. A2 according to some holds the edge longer, may be harder to sharpen some may say. Others will say O1 takes a sharper edge. I would go with A2 just because the majority of my blades are A2 and I am used to sharpening that.

/p

Mark Roderick
03-30-2009, 3:04 PM
Another vote for the LV Medium. Fabulous tool.

Dave Cav
03-30-2009, 4:25 PM
Another vote for the LV Medium Shoulder Plane. I was just using mine this weekend, to trim tennons for my new workbench legs.

Dave C

Jim Eller
03-30-2009, 5:59 PM
Boy, you guys are good. And fast, I might add.

I really appreciate this info. It really helps.

Jim

David Gendron
03-30-2009, 8:23 PM
I also think the LV is the best out there! As for big tenon, you can use a large chisel like 1 1/2" that you would sharppen as a parring chisel, it does a realy good job at cleaning tenno as wellas mortises.
david