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Thread: Veritas or Lie Nielson Router plane?

  1. #1

    Veritas or Lie Nielson Router plane?

    I was thinking Lie Nielson, but the fence system on the Veritas would allow me to plow groves for drawer bottoms in drawer sides, and further relegate my router to it's home on the shelf. Input?

  2. #2
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    Chris, went through this decision recently when I went through my spending spree. The Veritas was universally recommended. I had been planning on getting the Lie-Nielson but Derek and others mentioned several reasons to go the other direction. The two reasons I remember are the better fence and the wider selection/cheaper blades available for the LV.

  3. #3
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    What Tony said...

    And yes, the LV can do a very respectable job standing in for a dedicated plow as well.
    Last edited by Chris Griggs; 07-26-2013 at 5:51 PM.
    Woodworking is terrific for keeping in shape, but it's also a deadly serious killing system...

  4. #4
    Probably go with the Veritas...Thanks!

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Hachet View Post
    I was thinking Lie Nielson, but the fence system on the Veritas would allow me to plow groves for drawer bottoms in drawer sides, and further relegate my router to it's home on the shelf. Input?
    Hi Chris

    As Tony mentioned, I have recommended the Lee Valley over the Lie-Nielsen. Both are excellent router planes, but the LV is the better design. One factor is that the LV has a wider selection of blades. The LN requires an adapter to use the smaller sizes. There is also the excellent fence system on the LV.

    One more item is the sharpening of the blades. LV make this easier on the 1/2" size with a shaft that can be unscrewed so as to permit the blade head to be honed like an ordinary, flat blade. A day or so ago I became aware that the LV blades have another advantage over the LN blades. This came up on a Chris Schwarz's blog. He posted a new method for honing the LN blades (inventive and clever). I responded with my preferred method for LV (and Stanley, which are similar to LV). Look it up. Anyway, it just confirmed my preference for the LV.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

  6. #6
    Thanks for the input. It is interesting how the media, printed. And otherwise colors our thinking. After reding Fine Woodworking and other woodworking publications, I kind of thought that Veritas was the unloved sister of the two. The more I talk with actual woodworkers, the more good stuff I hear about LV.

  7. #7
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    Upon Derek's advice, I bought the LV. At the free shipping sale, I ordered different blades. I am a happy man.
    Shawn

    "no trees were harmed in the creation of this message, however some electrons were temporarily inconvenienced."

    "I resent having to use my brain to do your thinking"

  8. #8
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    I'll just jump on the bandwagon and say I was up in the air, but I had used a LV router plane before and checked out the LN. I am not unhappy in the least. There are so many more blades for the LV, and not to mention if you get the blades for the original Stanley router plane, they're supposed to work in the LV router plane as well.

    One feature I like to point out on the LV router plane that I don't think is on the LN router plane: the LV seems to have a magnetic collar; this keeps the blade from unexpectedly dropping if you loosen the collar too much.
    The Barefoot Woodworker.

    Fueled by leather, chrome, and thunder.

  9. #9
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    Hi Adam

    It is not a magnetic collar, per se, but the blade collar has a curvy washer, which acts as a spring. This maintains some tension on the blade shaft when the collar is loosened and prevents the blade moving (particularly, dropping out!). It does blade adjustment easier and more precise as the blade is reasonably firm in the collar yet free to move.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

  10. #10
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    Hrm, so that's the difference.

    I've used my dad's LV router plane, and the washers above and below the collar (where the blade's shank rests) were chrome/stainless; on the one I ordered, they have the coloring of magnets (which is why I thought they were what was keeping the collar pulled back and keeping the blade from pulling back).

    Taking the thumbscrew out, I see that the spring mechanism in his was stuck and that's why the blades kept dropping out on me when the collar was loosened.
    The Barefoot Woodworker.

    Fueled by leather, chrome, and thunder.

  11. #11
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    I love my LN. I like sharing many of the blades with the LN small RP. I have found the LN fence works fine for my needs, but then I also have a LV plow plane when needed.
    Cheers, Bill Fleming

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Fleming View Post
    I love my LN. I like sharing many of the blades with the LN small RP. I have found the LN fence works fine for my needs, but then I also have a LV plow plane when needed.
    ...thanks for the input. Rob is going to get a lot of my spare change in the months ahead. I really love the LV plow plane, think this fall after I get a few other tools bought It will find a place in my shop.
    Last edited by Ken Fitzgerald; 08-03-2013 at 11:25 PM. Reason: removed inappropriate comment

  13. #13
    I don't like the LV aesthetic at all. I don't like how clunky they feel. I have the LV router plane! I don't regret it for one moment! It is the bastard child amongst my LN tools and deservedly so. It is a great tool.

  14. #14
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    Chalk up another LV Router plane user. I bought it primarily for the flexibility of having more blade choices as well as what I perceived to be a better fence. I'm more lukewarm about the LV fence than the rest here - while it works well in many ways the adjusting hardware hangs well below the fence itself, preventing its use on 3/4" stock that is flat on the bench. The adjusting hardware must hang over the edge of the bench, which I frequently find annoying. Other than that nit, I love the LV and have taken advantage of its smaller blades several times.

    Like some of you, most of my bench planes are LN, but I still have several LV planes as well. Personally I'm very thankful we have the choice between two excellent companies with such outstanding products and customer service. I think we are fortunate to live in a virtual golden age of woodworking tools.
    - Mike

    Si vis pacem, para bellum

  15. Quote Originally Posted by Mike Cogswell View Post
    Chalk up another LV Router plane user. I bought it primarily for the flexibility of having more blade choices as well as what I perceived to be a better fence. I'm more lukewarm about the LV fence than the rest here - while it works well in many ways the adjusting hardware hangs well below the fence itself, preventing its use on 3/4" stock that is flat on the bench. The adjusting hardware must hang over the edge of the bench, which I frequently find annoying. Other than that nit, I love the LV and have taken advantage of its smaller blades several times.

    Like some of you, most of my bench planes are LN, but I still have several LV planes as well. Personally I'm very thankful we have the choice between two excellent companies with such outstanding products and customer service. I think we are fortunate to live in a virtual golden age of woodworking tools.
    Golden Age of Tools? I'd say it's the Golden Age of... well I caught myself, maybe a conversation for another day. While there are tools for other trades shown, better check out the 1938 Marples catalog to keep it all in perspective:

    http://www.toolemera.com/bkpdf/MarplesCat1938.pdf

    Like to fool around with metal? How about a choice of five different portable forges? They're in there. Eight different drawknives. Close to a dozen adzes I think. Chisels in all sorts of configurations. Ditto replacement plane irons and cap irons. Six different hand-cranked bench drills ("pillar" drills), a half dozen or so hand-cranked grindstones, bunch o' oilstones, replacement saw handles and chisel handles. The list goes on and on.....
    Last edited by Charlie Stanford; 08-03-2013 at 5:32 PM.

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