New Tote for Veritas Low-Angle Jack

[Peter Pedisich]

Hello all,

I have looked up some threads going back 4-5 years that discuss to the LV Veritas Low-Angle Jack tote shape, and found some references to Chris Schwarz buying one of Bill Rittner's totes.
I actually purchased a tote from Bill back in 2011 for my Record No. 4 that came with plastic handles, so I'm familiar with the quality of Bill's work (supper smooth finish)

I have also used my Veritas LAJ a lot recently making some planters, and found the handle shape to be uncomfortable for me, so much so that I was reaching for my Craftsman (Sargent) 18" fore plane more often and the LAJ less. But the LAJ is such a wonderful plane that I'm ready to spend the money and upgrade the tote.

Finally to the actual question!
The Bill Rittner totes (Hardware City Tools) have only one screw, as opposed to the two in the original Veritas, does anyone have a Rittner tote and can vouch for it's stoutness/durability?

Thanks,
Pete

Here are some pics if the nice tote on my Craftsman Fore plane.

[Hilton Ralphs]

Why don't you just buy a riffler or two and shape it to what you want?

[Peter Pedisich]

Why don't you just buy a riffler or two and shape it to what you want?

Hilton,

Hi, I've also read that due to the dual threaded posts, the shape I want cannot be achieved without exposing the bored hole.
And if I keep the original handle I can get more money for the plane should I find myself in need of selling it to raise money after my wife leaves me for spending too much time in the shop

-Pete

[Eddie Darby]

Will this keep your marriage on safe ground?

http://www.leevalley.com/en/html/16j4010h.pdf

http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/2011/...raping-planes/

Shorten the front bolt, and use the rear original bolt.

[Chris Griggs]

Been wanting to buy one of those. Always wondered that same thing. I don't have an answer but I've only every heard good things.

[Peter Pedisich]

Thanks all!

Eddie, that was just the info I needed, thanks!

[Danny Steele]

I am wondering if this is a case of the handle being over design on Veritas' part. These were some of the first planes to come out on their new line of planes, and following planes have not had the 2 screws.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Peter

About 18 months ago I changed out three of my LV plane handles, when I built a lower bench, to those made by Bill. I do not recall if there is any special support to maintain the squareness of the handle. I only have a vague recollection that this is via a routed mortice. In any event, like most planes, they require the odd re-tightening every now-and-then. Nothing excessive.

Here are two with a LN at the rear ...



Here is a shop made handle using 2 bolts ...



I have also made them with one bolt, and added an internal stub for the other to prevent twisting. Note that most Stanley-type handles usually have two bolts - one to secure and the other to prevent twisting. On the Stanley the latter is the screw at the toe.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[David Barnett]

The aftermarket handles are a big improvement, Derek. Of course, the rest of it still looks "stylish like Bulgarian police shoe."

[Derek Cohen]

David, we are so familiar with the Bailey pattern planes that anything that is different looks strange. Personally I think the round topped Stanley body has a wonderful aesthetic, and I find the Bed Rocks chunky.

But looks alone can deceive.

The handles here do look nicer to my eye than the original LV. The fact is that the LV handles are excellent in their ergonomic envelope. They were designed for an earlier era (if I can say such a thing as I am referring to only 10 years ago) when benches tended to be moving higher among the hobbiests. After Chris Schwarz began drawing attention to lower benches, such as the Roubo, many began moving back to the low, planing bench of Olde. The more upright LV handles really suited the higher bench, where one pushed forward rather than down. When still using my old, higher bench I changed out my handles for something akin to Stanley. Within a month I was back with the original handles. They just worked better in this setting. I only moved to the current handles after I build a bench that was 2" lower. They feel considerably different now compared to when used on the higher bench.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[David Barnett]

I think you're entirely right, of course. The original blocky Lee Valley handles remind me of the razee planes I favored on my uncharacteristically tall bench and do excel for that and for planing sideways at chest level on ship's hulls and so on. Never a bedrock fan—neither the shape nor the frog adjustment gimmick ever impressed me so my L-N planes are all LA or specialty, not bench—if I needed another bench plane, it might well be a Veritas®.

While I learned on a low, massive planing bench, as I chose not to dimension and thickness timber mostly by hand, a taller, more detail-friendly joiner's bench became my model when I built my own, better suiting my hybrid woodworking style and avoirdupois.

Besides, if I ever did get a Veritas®, I could keep it hidden from sight when not actually using it—not so much out of vanity, mind you—as to not compromise my own aesthetic sensibilities.

"Form ever follows function. ... but the building's identity resided in the ornament." —Louis Sullivan

[Chris Griggs]

I'm always the odd man out here. But I really like the aesthetics of the LV planes. I think they look cool...the bat mobile comes to mind for me.

Though I too, much prefer the shape of the LN totes. I like the girth of the LVs but they are indeed too upright for my tastes/lowish bench and just bit more rounding around the edges would make them more comfortable too. Definitely, want to get one of the after market totes in walnut. I also always thought it would be cool if they used a North American wood for the knobs and totes.

[David Barnett]

I'm always the odd man out here. But I really like the aesthetics of the LV planes. I think they look cool...the bat mobile comes to mind for me.

Batman? Aesthetics? Ontario Chic? Canadian Deco Streamline? I'll grant you retro without a quibble, at the very least. Like my good friend Bogdan Kiryakov from Blagoevgrad put it:

"Say once, say again. Lee Valley plane like marry good wife. Strong like bull. Make hard work. Stylish like Bulgarian police shoe but no too pretty her run away. Moles no matter when make fourteen childs."

I also always thought it would be cool if they used a North American wood for the knobs and totes.

See, Chris? You want wood where I think its design vernacular fairly screams for rubberized moulded totes and knobs, so who's to say?

[Chris Griggs]

Batman? Aesthetics? Ontario Chic? Canadian Deco Streamline? I'll grant you retro without a quibble, at the very least. Like my good friend Bogdan Kiryakov from Blagoevgrad put it:

"Say once, say again. Lee Valley plane like marry good wife. Strong like bull. Make hard work. Stylish like Bulgarian police shoe but no too pretty her run away. Moles no matter when make fourteen childs."



See, Chris? You want wood where I think its design vernacular fairly screams for rubberized moulded totes and knobs, so who's to say?

Like I said odd man out. Though I don't really disagree when it comes the BD bench planes. Anyway, for bench planes I like the Bailey design anyway, and if I were going to invest in a set of new BD planes I'd likely go LN (the vast majority of my modern made planes are specialty planes; with the exception of my LA jack all my bench planes are vintage Bailey styles planes).

Though I do feel a need to state that your commentary above demonstrates very little other than your age

[David Barnett]

Though I do feel a need to state that your commentary above demonstrates very little other than your age

Too damned old to know what an X-man or X-men is or are, that's for sure. At my age, I don't even buy green bananas.