One can never have too many planes and chisels... or so I'm learning!!
Jim, I have no idea about release, and if Rob Lee had not also mentioned this plane before I would not say anything at all about its existence. I do not know if the plane I saw in January, when I sat in on design meetings with the LV team, actually will be the final production version. All I can say is it is a typical Veritas product: innovative and modern with all the fruit. It will be very, very good. When it gets to the stores I do not know.
Regards from Perth
Derek
I though Rob was talking about late this year when he mentioned it not too long ago. I could be remembering it wrong. Shouldn't be too hard to dig that thread up.
You'd best start being REALLY good this year if you are going to put that on your xmas list.
I'll admit I'm hooked on LN stuff. I've tried so many other brands but have never been disappointed by what 'ol Tom puts out.
I got the catalog. I saw the shooting plane. I have the low angle jack plane and all the bells and whistles they were selling when that was supposed to be the bomb. I built the shooting jig, exactly according to their specs. And in the end I found I rarely use it.
I absolutely love the low angle jack plane! I've become one with it! But to buy a specific shooting plane? I'm not that "worldly". In other words, I don't have the money to blow.
If I had the $500 burning a hole in my pocket, I'd be shopping Festool or Auriou rasps and files or maybe a start on some fine chisels. The shooting plane is too specific. Spend your money on what you'll use most often and what will give you the most satisfaction.
Probably depends on how you work. If your xcutting most stuff with a chopsaw or at the TS with a sled you probably won't need to shoot that often. If you crosscut everything with handsaws and are only a moderately skilled sawyer, like me, you end up at least lightly shooting just about everything. My LA jack essentially is a dedicated shooter and while I use it for other things, I use it enough with the shooting board that I would not feel bad at all if thats all it was capable of. I came very close buying a No. 9 when I got my LA jack but the the LA jack was A LOT less expensive and does the job 99-100% as well. Were I a wealthier man (or a single man who didn't need to answer for extravagant purchases) I would very likely have some type of dedicated miter plane.
Work styles, typical lumber species used, and shop space, other tools in shop ect, can have a HUGE impact on what on what new tools will see lots of use in the shop.
Woodworking is terrific for keeping in shape, but it's also a deadly serious killing system...