miter plane question

[Kurt Loup]

I plan to make myself a couple shooting boards and would like to purchase a low angle plane to go with them. The three planes I have in mind are the LV low angle jack, LV low angle smoother and the LN #9. I realize that the two LV planes are more versatile, but I have a full set of Stanley bench planes. Is there any reason that the LN #9 would be better for this application than the two low angle planes? The price is tough to justify when I also need a shoulder plane. I WANT the LN #9, but I'm trying to be practical.

Kurt

[Chris Barton]

Hey Kurt,

I am no authority on the choice between these planes but, if you really want the LN, then avoid the buyer's remorse and get the LN. If not then you are going to wish you had bought the LN. For me it would be a different situation, I like the Veritas stuff better than LN and the advantage of a lower price is just gravy. But for you, this is like wanting an Abel reel and buying a Scientific Anglers because it is cheaper... Wendy will never know the difference. Just sell a little plasma to make up the cost difference.

[Mike Henderson]

Unless you're going to do a lot of hand tool work, you can do very well with a much lower price plane. A well tuned Stanley #4 will work just fine. If price is no object, go for the LN #9. But you might try a good, sharp, well tuned Stanley #4 or #5 on your shooting boards to get started. Then, if you find they aren't working to your satisfaction, and you're doing a lot of hand work, go ahead and get the LN #9.

And just a note on shooting boards, you can build one board to do both miters and end squaring (I'm sure this is old news to most people on the board). The first picture shows the board for end squaring. Note the two holes in the piece at the top. Now look at the second picture which shows the miter attachment. The third picture shows the shooting board converted to a miter board.

Mike

[Alan Turner]

I can't comment on the LV planes for use in shooting boards, but I have the LN, and it is a wonderful shooter. I would not hesitate to buy such a fine tool as it is a very long term investment.

[Kurt Loup]

Chris,

If you offered me an Abel or the LN, I'd take the plane. Now a Bellinger, Bogdan or Ballan would be a tough call. I handed over my debit card to Wendi for her birthday, so I have to start planning as Christmas and my birthday are quickly approaching.

Kurt

[Kurt Loup]

Mike,

Nice idea. Thanks.

Kurt

[Peter Mc Mahon]

I took a 5 day woodworking with handtools coarse with Rob Cosman. There were 12 people in the class and a decent portion of time was spent on shooting. We had every L N plane at our disposal, and by the end of the week I believe that every person felt that a #8 was the best shooting plane. We all tried the 8 right beside the 9 and it was hands down the 8. Something to think about anyways. Peter

[Richard Gillespie]

For a miter plane and shooting board work, I use my LV LA Jack and am very satisfied with it. I don't however own a LN plane to compare it with. I have also used a #5 Stanley on occasion when I didn't feel like pulling out the LV for the little bit of work I needed done.

[Keith Christopher]

Ok not to hijack this thread, but does anyone else have a problem with "chipout" when shooting boards ? When I'm doing the end grain I get an awesome cut until the "exposed" end then I always seem to get some chipout. Is this design or technique or something else sort of problem ?

Keith

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Ok not to hijack this thread, but does anyone else have a problem with "chipout" when shooting boards ? When I'm doing the end grain I get an awesome cut until the "exposed" end then I always seem to get some chipout. Is this design or technique or something else sort of problem ?

Keith

Keith, I get some when I hold the stock against the stop by hand. I can reduce it by clamping the piece against the fence very tightly.

[Paul Erickson]

Ok not to hijack this thread, but does anyone else have a problem with "chipout" when shooting boards ? When I'm doing the end grain I get an awesome cut until the "exposed" end then I always seem to get some chipout. Is this design or technique or something else sort of problem ?

Keith

Hi Keith,

What I have seen done it to put a small chamfer (sp?) on the end that will be against the fence, and then flip the board around, and plane just to the point the the chamfer disappears, thus eliminating the problem of chipout.

cheers, Paul

[Mike Henderson]

Ok not to hijack this thread, but does anyone else have a problem with "chipout" when shooting boards ? When I'm doing the end grain I get an awesome cut until the "exposed" end then I always seem to get some chipout. Is this design or technique or something else sort of problem ?

Keith

I'm not sure what you mean by the "exposed" end. The end board on the shooting board should act like a backer board. On the shooting boards that I'm familiar with, you use a plane, like a Stanley #4 or #5, where the blade does not go all the way across the plane body. When you shoot with the plane for the first time on a new shooting board, the plane removes some wood where the blade is but can't, of course, where the blade isn't at the edge of the plane. Once you "season" your shooting board, the plane rides on that little ridge towards the bottom of the side of the shooting board. So you should never cut into the shooting board beyond the seasoning cut. That said, the board that aligns the cut should function as a backer board. You should take small cuts - that is, don't stick the board to be trimmed out too far. Then if you need to take more off, move the board out some more. See my note earlier in this thread for a picture of my shooting board, which might make it clearer what I'm trying to say.

Mike

[Richard Gillespie]

I have not experienced chip out at the back edge of the trimmed end. As Mike Henderson has referred to, as you season the shooting board to the plane you use, this includes the back fence. Therefore, the back fence supports the board being trimmed all the way to the cut face. So long as you don't take too aggressive of a cut, the back edge is supported when being cut.

[Mike Henderson]

Richard did a much better job of explaining it than my tortured prose. That said, I have encountered tear out when I trimmed a piece of wood that was thicker than my fence. I need to modify my shooting board to make the fence higher than the 3/4 inch that it is now but I never seem to get around to it. So when you make your shooting board, make the fence at least one inch high.


Mike