Sold Power Tools, help me spend $1200 Wisely

[Derek Cohen]

I know I want to get a Veritas Low Angle Jack Plane, but should I get the extra 2 blades or for now just keep the one that comes with it?

I have to be careful, becuase I want a good Bad Axe Carcass saw and at least one good Disston rip saw, I would like to get a cross cut panel saw as well.

I don't know where to go... I just want to make sure I spend the money wisely and stretch it as far as I can, but I have learned, that I want to buy once and be done with it.

I want to get three nice Ariou Rasps, I think, or maybe I should forget that until later?

I have good markers, knife, etc. I would like to get a good Rob Cosman dovetail saw...

Any advice would be great, thanks.

Brian

Why do you want the LA Jack? What uses do you plan for it? On a shooting board you need a 25 degree bevel. However, this is too low for anything other that cross- or endgrain work. As a short jointer or long smoother (I cannot imagine that if you are preparing boards by hand), I would use a higher cutting angle, say a 38 degree bevel. This can best be done on another 25 degree blade, especially if you want to add camber.

Basically, what I am leading to is that you should prioritise your immediate needs, which ideally are based on a current/planned project (and not purchase for some imagined future use).

What other tools/planes/chisels do you have? That will also help determine what you need.

Some tools you can make quite easily (bench, squares, knives, winding sticks, card scrapers), and there are some that are quite inexpensive and bargains if you are looking to save in some areas so you can spend in others (Stanley craft knife for a marking knife, LV dovetail saw ... LV saws generally). I could not justify the Rob Cosman saw in the context of your budget. I would rather have the tapered thin blade LN anyway.

Good rasps are great tools. What do you want to use them on ... and now? From memory, I have 10, 14 and 15 grain. I still finish with files and scrapers.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Christopher Charles]

I can recommend the LV carcass saws--basically two for one compared to others. I'd also suggest considering a good #4 or similar and buying a used #5 and putting a solid camber on it. I've been tempted by the LA jack as well, but haven't ever been able to justify...

The advice to buy by the project is solid.

And great problem to have!

[Frederick Skelly]

Frankly, you can't go wrong (seriously) with the LV dovetail saw (fine) and the two LV carcass saws. I have cut an awful lot of joinery with those saws.

+1. I've tried both the LN and the LV dovetail saws. They are both nice tools. I bought the LV DT and LV carcass because I just couldn't beat the performance vs price. I have not regretted it - the LV is definitely not a throwaway tool.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

Several people have suggested you buy what you need for a real project, and not get in a hurry to spend a lot on tools you may use very little or not at all. This comes up a lot in the chisel threads, where people buy a whole set of nine or whatever, and then realize they only ever use one or two of the set. You are getting good advice there.

A good project if you don't have one and are new to hand tools is a saw bench. Buy a 2 x 8, break it down, flatten and square the components, and see what you think. You could do that with a rip saw, a backsaw, one chisel, and a jack plane. None of the joinery is complicated, but in all honesty most of hand tool work is not making fancy joinery. It is breaking stock down, flattening it, and squaring it up. A little project like that will give you a chance to see if you like doing things that way (if you have not already made up your mind).

If you are new to hand tools I would certainly recommend you take a day trip to visit Steven, or some other member who lives near you. That is a very kind offer he has made to many members here, and is of tremendous value. He can show you his stuff (which he has acquired from people who pretty much paid him to take it if I recall correctly). You might not have his bargaining ability, but even for normal people used tools can be had a lot cheaper than the LN/LV stuff. For example, I think I have about the same amount in my planes as you would have in that one Cosman saw (that includes a Stanley No. 7, 5, Keen Kutter 4 1/2, a wooden try, and a wooden smoother, plus a fence for the No. 7). You can set yourself up with a decent set for $1,200, but not if you spend it on new stuff. I started with very few tools and some advice from a good friend, and have built up a set of tools over a decade or more. Going slow is good because it lets you get what you need (and not a bunch of things that just sit on the shelf), and also lets you do it more cheaply (you can watch prices and buy when the price is right).

In any event, good luck.

[Brian Holcombe]

If you plan to build small furniture, you may want to take that in steps. Prepping stock by hand requires three planes, breaking down stock requires two saws, and basic joinery requires a few saws and chisels.

What do you want to start with first?

If you are set on buying new, then you are likely to spend your $1200 accomplishing one of the above tasks, two if you spend carefully.

Are you building a bench or do you own a bench?

[Prashun Patel]

It sounds like you want saws first. For small boxes, I submit that you may not need three saws to start. Get a carcass cross cut and rip saw, and then add to your arsenal as these fail to meet your needs.

You haven't spoken of smoothing planes - which for the boxes and casework you wish to build can be wonderful.

Speaking of boxes (hat tip to Pandora), with that much $$ to spend, I would invest in "proper" sharpening stones. I'm sure you're doing fine with sandpaper but I have not met a person who regrets going to stones from paper.

[Brian Sommers]

My current inventory of hand tools:

Two Veritas back saws, the xcut and rip.

Japanese hard back pull saw

marking tools, knife, wheel, etc.

incra true square and a 45 deg. gauge.

Two bit braces, with one dedicated to a 13/16 auger for drilling bench dog holes if/when I need them.

These planes were bought locally from an Amish woodworker here in town, he ground and sharpened and set these up for me.
#7 set up as a roughing plane
#4 set up as a smoothing plane
block plane for taking sharp edges down.

my $12 special FatMax - not to terrible for a rough xcut.

Winding sticks

Veritas steel straight edge

Incra corner squares

A not to bad of a bench, that I made.

bench hook

shooting board

clamps

[Rob Luter]

I got all three blades with my LA Jack. They're really handy. The lowest angle is used for shooting, the medium one for general smoothing, and the high angle for gnarly grain, I could get by without the middle one, as I use a LN 4 1/2 for general purpose smoothing.

[Jim Koepke]

My current inventory of hand tools:

Two Veritas back saws, the xcut and rip.

Japanese hard back pull saw

marking tools, knife, wheel, etc.

incra true square and a 45 deg. gauge.

Two bit braces, with one dedicated to a 13/16 auger for drilling bench dog holes if/when I need them.

These planes were bought locally from an Amish woodworker here in town, he ground and sharpened and set these up for me.
#7 set up as a roughing plane
#4 set up as a smoothing plane
block plane for taking sharp edges down.

my $12 special FatMax - not to terrible for a rough xcut.

Winding sticks

Veritas steel straight edge

Incra corner squares

A not to bad of a bench, that I made.

bench hook

shooting board

clamps

A low angle bevel up jack plane would be a good addition to your set. It would also be advantageous for you to find an old Stanley/Bailey*#5 to include in your line up. An extra (Stanley original) blade or two for this would be an inexpensive addition to set it up for scrub work.

If you are going to build boxes and drawers you will likely want to have a plow plane to cut slots for the bottoms. One with a few beading blades will help to add decorative effects.

There are no chisels on your list. A few sizes, 1/4, 3/8 & 1/2", might be very helpful

A recent addition to my tool selection has impressed me greatly. That is the Knew Concepts Fret Saw. It has me thinking about eventually selling all my other fret saws.

Most plow planes have the ability to double as a rabbet plane. A router plane would be helpful for mortise & tenon work as well as putting hinges on small boxes. Veritas has a small router for about $50 that is on my wish list.

It seems everyone loves spending other people's money.

jtk

[Brian Sommers]

I have a decent set of old restored chisels, I forgot to mention them.

So this is what I've ordered and I'm a little over my $1200 already, man that went fast.

1. a LN panel saw, both rip 8 and xcut 7
2. Bad Axe 12" carcass saw, hybrid 13tpi, got that going.
3. Veritas LA JP with just the low 25 deg. blade, of course they are out until 8/17 but at least its in the loop.
4. Veritas honing guide deluxe system
5. Veritas planning fence
6. Veritas router planner and the 1/4" blade, oh , with the fence
7. Wonder Dog

and that's about all she wrote, for now.

[paul cottingham]

You are well set up. The only thing I would have done differently is I would have bought used panel saws or regular length saws. Don't get me wrong, the LN are terrific saws, and you will love them. I just have a mighty love for the old (1940's and earlier) taper ground Atkins and Disston saws. And if you are patient, you can get them for a song. I would add a LV dovetail saw if you don't have a DT saw. Even if you don't hand saw a single dovetail, it's nice to have a small fine saw filed rip. It's useful for a zillion things, even small cross cuts.

the nice thing about buying new is now you know how a sharp saw should perform. So if you get the bug, and start rehabbing, you know what the standard is!

[Nick Stokes]

Well, one thing you did RIGHT was buying the best available. Those are arguably the best tools made in each category.

Only problem now is... No excuses...

[Brian Sommers]

Thanks. Now I have to wait until it gets here but I have a lot of cleaning and rearranging to do.

[Luke Dupont]

Rather than expensive BU Veritas planes, I'd buy a range of nice vintage BD Stanleys at a fraction of the price. They're wonderful tools, very flexible, and you can put the savings towards other essential tools.

For me, the essentials would be:

1. A smoothing and Jack Plane
2. A tenon saw and rip saw
3. A good set of chisels
4. Card Scrapers
5. Brace and bits (Unless you prefer to use a power drill)

And nice to haves, in no particular order, would be:
- Router Plane
- Spokeshave
- Draw-knife
- Hatchet
- Eggbeater Drill
- Gimlets
- Crosscut Saw

These are just ideas though. You should buy the tools that you need for a given project as you need them, and as you work, you'll get an idea of what tools will make your life easier and what tools you actually need/don't need. As you gain more skill though, you might find that the basic tools are more flexible than you realize, and that you might not need a lot of the fancier tools that you originally thought you would.

Don't forget everything that goes along with these tools, and also the cost of wood and materials. Besides wood to work with, you'll need sharpening stones, saw files and sets, and a surprising number of little costly items that may not factor into your budget.

Seriously though. Consider old vintage tools on Ebay and at flea markets. A lot of them are of great quality and a fraction of the price you'll pay for new ones. Plus, they'll give you experience learning to set up and maintain your tools properly.

[steven c newman]

Something like this?
FULL till.jpg
better view.jpg

Just a tease...