Lateral Adjustment Question... Veritas versus Lie Nielsen

[Mark R Webster]

Is the lateral adjustment on the Veritas low angle jack plane easier, harder or the same difficulty as the Lie Nielsen low angle jack plane?
Thanks

[Rob Lee]

Is the lateral adjustment on the Veritas low angle jack plane easier, harder or the same difficulty as the Lie Nielsen low angle jack plane?
Thanks

Mark -

The Norris Adjuster allows for movement of the blade in two axes, but restrains movement along the long axis - you have to advance or retract the screw to move the blade....lateral adjustment can be done with a plane hammer, if you like. In fact, that's likely the best way to do it without adjusting the lever cap pressure. A Stanley type plane should be the same.

There will be a difference in where the pivot point will be for the blade though, as the Veritas has set screws down by the mouth to control "yaw", and provide a known pivot point.

Cheers -

Rob

[Curt Putnam]

IMO, easier. Mostly because of the set screws otherwise about the same.

[Mark R Webster]

Thanks Rob and Curt. Curt.. I have the LN low angle jack, I adjust the lateral with a brass hammer. Is that how "you" adjust the LV? I was just hoping for something a little more precise than a hammer tap. It seemed that the LV might be a little more controllable than a hammer tap with the Norris structure.

[Derek Cohen]

Thanks Rob and Curt. Curt.. I have the LN low angle jack, I adjust the lateral with a brass hammer. Is that how "you" adjust the LV? I was just hoping for something a little more precise than a hammer tap. It seemed that the LV might be a little more controllable than a hammer tap with the Norris structure.

Hi Mark

A hammer tap is more precise.

It is important that the lever cap is not over-tightened. An over-tight lever cap restricts all movement, both lateral and front-and-back. One can adjust laterally with fingers alone, but it is easy to use too much force, and overshoot, as the adjuster is short and leverage is difficult to control. I prefer to use a very light (jeweller's) hammer. You can strike either the side of the blade or the knurled adjustment knob.

For LV plane users: The set screws on the LV planes may be used to set up a blade in the lateral range - move it a tad this way or the other. However, the purpose for these is really to be able to return the blade to the same position after honing. Those who state that they never use the set screws do not understand their purpose, and are missing out on a great feature.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Mark

A hammer tap is more precise.

[snip]

Those who state that they never use the set screws do not understand their purpose, and are missing out on a great feature.

Regards from Perth

Derek

My LN #62 has to be set by fingers or tapping. I can set the lateral adjustment just as fast as my other bench planes with a lever.

As far as the sets screws go, I have thought of drilling and tapping the holes on some of my planes to give this a try. I haven't gotten to it and most likely never will.

jtk

[Mark R Webster]

Thanks for the information Derek!!
Mark

[Mark R Webster]

Thanks Jim
Mark

[Mike Holbrook]

I adjust my Veritas planes by hand, often "on the fly". The "press reports" use to claim that the Stanley system could be adjusted on the fly where the LV\Norris system could not. Then I started reading about guys, like Derek and other SMC posters, adjusting their Veritas planes on the fly.

With either system you just have to adjust the cap iron screw tight enough to hold the cap iron in place but loose enough so that the blade can move. The tightness of the Stanley cap iron is set with a flat head screwdriver and lever, where the ultimate pressure on the LV cap iron can be adjusted with fingers. The Stanley system is "more fiddly". The Veritas/Norris system is more sensitive, which can translate to operating faster. Those who get use to needing to remove slack within the Stanley system may over adjust with the LV system. Either systems requires practice to get good with.

Lee Valley now offers a "Slow Norris Adjuster for Veritas Custom Bench Planes". This adjuster has finer threads which may help with fine adjustment. I almost ordered one, but decided not to fix something that, at least for me, wasn't broken.

[Mark R Webster]

Thanks Mike

[Patrick Chase]

Is the lateral adjustment on the Veritas low angle jack plane easier, harder or the same difficulty as the Lie Nielsen low angle jack plane?
Thanks

Is red better, worse, or the same as blue?

Seriously, preference in adjustment mechanisms is massively subjective and a frequent topic of holy wars. I like Veritas' Norris-style adjusters (and the set screws, which IMO really come in handy in flush-cutting planes like rabbet and shoulder planes), others don't.

[Mark R Webster]

Thanks Patrick

[Jim Koepke]

IMO really come in handy in flush-cutting planes like rabbet and shoulder planes), others don't.

OMG! Is there a shoulder plane with a Bailey style adjuster? I want one.

jtk

[glenn bradley]

I adjust my Veritas planes by hand, often "on the fly".

I am also an "on the fly" guy when i want a little more bite after I have started.

Lee Valley now offers a "Slow Norris Adjuster for Veritas Custom Bench Planes". This adjuster has finer threads which may help with fine adjustment. I almost ordered one, but decided not to fix something that, at least for me, wasn't broken.

I got a couple. They do make it a bit easier to sneak up on the sweet spot when you're "on the fly" but, definitely a luxury for me, not a requirement ;-)

[Patrick Chase]

OMG! Is there a shoulder plane with a Bailey style adjuster? I want one.

jtk

The full remark from which you excerpted that was "(and the set screws, which IMO really come in handy in flush-cutting planes like rabbet and shoulder planes)".

Obviously I was referring to the set screws, not the adjuster. Nice misquote though.