I can't decide.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

LOL! I read Amy the part about your girlfriend allowing you $600 and she said' "That's a girlfriend, not a wife. A wife has to feed you and you eat a lot. That requires a reduction to $100." Wow. You were right. I had forgotten what dating was like.

Dont worry, your girlfriend will never see this... For a small fee....

[Mike Cherry]

I'd be the last person to try and dissuade someone from buying tools haha. I would urge you to look at what size furniture parts you mostly deal with. I have completed smaller projects with nothing but a number 5 and smaller. I had the LN #8 and decided it was too big and heavy. I'm not a small guy. Bookcases and stuff would require larger planes of course. Have you considered the LN rabbet block?

[Phil Mueller]

I have the LV BU jointer...very nice plane, can't go wrong. I also have the LN adj mouth block plane...also very nice, can't go wrong. Heck, throw in a bit of your own $ and get whatever you want. They both have such great reputations, that if you decide to sell, you'll get most back. Did I say can't go wrong?

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Tim

An alternative to the Veritas BU Jointer and the LN #8 is the Veritas Custom #7.

The BUJ is a terrific plane - lots of feedback and a wide range of cutting angles using blades with different bevel angles. The down side is that it cannot be used on its side on the bench as a shooting plane.

The #8 is a monster. I think that the LN #7 is probably a more reasonable mass, unless you are The Hulk, and in which case you can have anything you like

The Custom #7 is a terrific plane - all the low centre of gravity virtues of the BUJ along with the benefits of a BD and chipbreaker use. Mine has a 40 degree frog that enables it to go from low cutting angle (planing end grain or across the grain) to planing edges and face grain without fear of tearout - all without changing the blade or frog.

The other feature I have come to appreciate in the Custom planes, compared to the Bailey planes (both Stanley and LN) is that the setting screw for the Veritas is on the same side as the bevel when adjusting the chipbreaker. The Bailey planes have the bevel on the opposite side to each other. This makes it easier to set the Custom chipbreaker.

Of course, if you have no interest in setting chipbreakers, then get the BUJ.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Tim Cooper Louisiana]

I'd be the last person to try and dissuade someone from buying tools haha. I would urge you to look at what size furniture parts you mostly deal with. I have completed smaller projects with nothing but a number 5 and smaller. I had the LN #8 and decided it was too big and heavy. I'm not a small guy. Bookcases and stuff would require larger planes of course. Have you considered the LN rabbet block?

I am to new to know what I'll mainly work on. My Roubo is pretty much my first furniture project. It's coming along great, but due to my friend's skill and not mine. I intend to start off making some boxes to learn some skill. Bigger boxes with dovetails etc...maybe the size of the lower drawers in a dresser. I expect to go through a good bit of wood practicing sawing and joinery.

in my head I'm a big furniture builder. In reality, I'm a researcher and a tool buyer. The Roubo build has been great because my buddy will make me do stuff that I hesitate to do because of my lack of confidence. My mortising has gotten a lot better.

I really thought about the LN rabbet block, but you can't adjust the mouth can you? I doubt I've taken 45 strokes total with a hand plane, so I base everything on research.

[Bryan Robinson]

I have the LN #8 and I love it.

[Kurt Cady]

I think you need to wait and try out the planes. I have the LV low angle block. It's a bit too big for me. And I don't have small hands. The LN low angle block on the other hand is a dream. It's not as wide or tall. I got the LV first, reading on the internet.

The LV block isn't a total waste though. With the handle and knob it is a dream to use. Like a number two plane.

Now, if someone would just get LV to make a custom 2 or 3...

[Robby Tacheny]

I agree with Kurt. Hand planes are nice to have, but to actually make stuff you need a core set of tools. A #8 is a plane to dimension lumber, functionally the same as a powered planer or jointer. After you have a square board, you still have to make something out of it usually using joinery of some sort. That's going to require saws, chisels, marking/measuring tools, etc.

I would say make sure you have the basics covered and wait until you have a project in mind that requires that jointer plane.

You mentioned you are making a Roubo bench? Do you have dogs and holdfasts? They aren't sexy, but holdfasts and bench dogs will save you some grief.

Robby

[Mark AJ Allen]

Derek expressed my sentiments. In addition to not having chipbreakers (because frankly, I haven't encountered anywhere I've needed them) ... I like the BU planes because they are fast and easy to setup (and therefore, less a barrier to frequent blade touch up and sharpening) and also easy and fast to swap out blades of various angles depending on what I want to do. For me, it's easier to have a library of blades than it is to have many planes to choose from for various tasks.

[Tim Cooper Louisiana]

I agree with Kurt. Hand planes are nice to have, but to actually make stuff you need a core set of tools. A #8 is a plane to dimension lumber, functionally the same as a powered planer or jointer. After you have a square board, you still have to make something out of it usually using joinery of some sort. That's going to require saws, chisels, marking/measuring tools, etc.

I would say make sure you have the basics covered and wait until you have a project in mind that requires that jointer plane.

You mentioned you are making a Roubo bench? Do you have dogs and holdfasts? They aren't sexy, but holdfasts and bench dogs will save you some grief.

Robby

i have measuring and marking pretty well covered. My bench dogs are made out of wood. I have a bad axe tenon saw and a LN dovetail saw. This decision is proving very difficult to make.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I say go for the jointer, which is a more costly item, and then use your own money if you need chisels. I have the complete set of LN chisels- bevel, skew, mortice, fishtail, corner, etc... but I'll be the first to admit I could get by with a much smaller set. If you need chisels you could get a few and build them one by one. Veritas also makes an excellent chisel.

That said, I did forget that you folks have access to S4S dimensioned lumber that I don't have access to. That lessens the need for a jointer and/or jack, but you really still need a jointer for dressing edges. Ultimately, you get a tool, whatever tool you choose. Do like Nike and just do it- regret it later if you want, but you'll still have a cool tool. :-)

[Andrey Kharitonkin]

If you want to listen to someone who started to plane and woodwork a year ago then here are my thoughts.

Veritas BU Jointer is nice but requires some skill to join an edge with it. I bought it but wasn't able to do much without skill. So, inspired by Derek and all I've got Veritas Custom #7. This is my most used one now. I use it to plane surfaces and I use it on the side to shoot long grain all the time. Together with Veritas Custom #4 1/2 and Veritas Scrub these are the planes I use to dimension lumber and smooth it. Any of similar size and flat square sides will do the same - LN 6, 7, 8, Stanley and such. LN #8 might be too heavy but I think nice to have after #7. Chipbreaker is awesome too, that means BD plane then. BU Jointer and LAJ I use sometimes for planing surfaces when I can read the grain - low angle makes so easy to push.

Specialty planes I found to be very useful. Almost as costly as bench planes. Veritas Shooting plane is the fourth plane that uses the same blade as LAJ! I use it all the time for shooting end grain. I found that Veritas LA Block Plane with addition of knob and rear handle sold separately is very nice to use.

Saws are nearly as important as planes but not so costly.

Overall, I think I would need 10 such birthdays/years to get comfortable set of tools I have now. So, I made it in one year. I may say I had birthdays every month right after salary, hehe.
My wife also likes to make things by hands (sewing, painting, renovating, cooking) and can also appreciate a good tool, lucky me! She also wants use my woodworking tools for making boxes and such later on.

[Tim Cooper Louisiana]

I doubt I'll ever buy s4s lumber. I get lots of free lumber from my friend that owns a mill. I probably need a scrub plane also.

I was hoping Derek would chime in. I hadn't considered the custom LV. I'm not sure what a chip breaker really is, but maybe it wouldn't be too difficult to grasp. The Schwarz uses the LN #8 and he seems like a skinny fellow, so I never considered the weight. Andrey seems pretty happy with your advice though. I know what you mean about the # of birthdays. I just got a sterling tool works dovetail square. I really like it, but I stink at swapping the blades..I have the same issue with my Starrett. I read the Vesper version is easier to swap, so I just ordered one today.

Malcolm has me intrigued by the LV skew block planes now....thanks. I still want one of your posters also!

Then there is Prashun and the chisels nibbling away at my brain. I really like my friends Veritas Bench chisels. I think I'll end up with a full set one day. (NX60 Rob Lee, my tattoo would be a full size NX60..just saying..I am pretty handsome so it would be great advertising.) I still would like to try some others before I commit. I've read that everyone should have at least one good paring chisel and butt chisel. I wouldn't mind trying a blue spruce version. Thoughts?

[Kurt Cady]

Dude, you're all over the map!

heres some of the best advice I've ever gotten. Took a while for me to adopt it, but I'm finally there. When you need a new tool for a project, buy it. Buy the best. Don't buy for tools for dreams projects or far away projects. Buy tools for current projects. This 1. Ensures it will get used. 2. Ensures that you're gaining experience to know what you want for your work style 3. Fills a need

[Tim Cooper Louisiana]

Dude, you're all over the map!

heres some of the best advice I've ever gotten. Took a while for me to adopt it, but I'm finally there. When you need a new tool for a project, buy it. Buy the best. Don't buy for tools for dreams projects or far away projects. Buy tools for current projects. This 1. Ensures it will get used. 2. Ensures that you're gaining experience to know what you want for your work style 3. Fills a need

I know I'm all over the map, it's frustrating for me as well. I love building my Roubo. After its complete, I want to build my skills. I have lots of rough cut lumber, but I'd like to be able to surface it. I also believe in buying quality and fixing up old tools is not very appealing to me. I also think that no matter which way I eventually go, learning to use hand tools is the best investment in the future woodworking me.

Its also a hard decision because I want the girlfriend to see her gift being used. That way she will know that I truly love and cherish her...giving me nice gifts.