LN disapointment

[Roger Reynolds]

I was very excited to pick up my first LN plane today - the 60 1/2R rabbiting block plane. It cut nice out of the box, but being a perfectionist, I honed the sole and blade. The blade was in good shape but the sole took 2 hours of honing on a glass plate to get flat. I had to start with 150 and work up to 1500 grit. I did not expect this in a LN plane.
That said, it cuts as well as expected and is a nice addition to my shop. Has anyone else had this issue or did I get a "bad" one.

[Roy Wall]

Roger,

In my visits to the LN booth at the WWing shows.....Deneb has told me that the backs DO NEED to be flattened somewhat. He uses a 4-5000 Norton Waterstone to hone the back 1" or so-- but only about 5 minutes of work. He doesn't do more than this.

The final (back) edge is honed on an 8000 stone using the Charlesworth ruler trick. I've always just used the "trick" without honing the back at all with good results.

You'll like that little rabbet...good tool!

[Mark Stutz]

Roger,
I have a 60 1/2R and have not had to touch the sole of the plane. I have a couple LN planes, and have never had to do anything to the sole. In the future, I suggest giving them a call...likely a replacemant would be on it's way pretty quickly.

Mark

[Brad Kimbrell]

I have the 4 1/2 ductile iron model, the adjustable mouth block plane and just received the large shoulder plane. I also have both the straight and curved sole Boggs spokeshaves. Love them all.

I've never had any issue with any of them - especially the soles. Love the planes - before I got them I just thought that I was "bad at planing".

They make you feel like you know what you're doing. Each one of them works like a fine instrument.

Hope now that it's flat you can enjoy the music!

[Peter Mc Mahon]

I believe that they advertise that their planes are flat within .0015". If your plane wasn't then it is faulty and should be returned. If they would not replace it or repair it then there would be cause to complain. How do you know that your glass is flat? Peter

[Alice Frampton]

Roger,

Did you try it before you out all that work (1500 grit?! Yowsers ) into the sole? Didn't it work? What did you test the sole against? Occasionally a rogue one will get through, just in the nature of things, but I wonder if it wasn't within tolerances all along? Either way, if it had been me I think I'd gone straight back to LN either for a replacement or reassurance. I'd bet on LN doing a better job on a sole than I can with abrasives, at any rate.

Cheers, Alf

[Michael Gabbay]

I would have sent it back. I have about 4 LN planes and other items. I have only once had an issue and it was with the small shoulder plane. They were great, I sent it back and they checked it (was within tolerances advertised) and gave me the option to replace it with the same type, replace it with another one, or get my money back. TLN is one of the best companies I've ever dealt with.

[Dan Racette]

I would sure check that sole and that glass plate with a known good straightedge. Glass is not flat. I used to work in the glass industry, and compared to something like a granite surface plate, glass is not as flat.

I would also let LN know. They stand behind their products and I am sure they would like to know.

[Bob Smalser]

Next time use 60-grit and the jointer table until its flat, then finish it off with finer. Or not. It only has to be flat at toe, mouth front, and heel. Your jointer table is much flatter than a hand plane sole needs to be.

Takes around 15 and never more than 30 minutes to do a full-sized, post-war, worst-case Stanley that way. And those planes usually have a deep hollow in them from edge-planing...even the smoothers

And I wouldn't worry about L/N's being out of true by small amounts. Just true them up. Castings need more seasoning before milling than any company can provide today. All those planes will eventually get out of true from use, and users need to learn how to fettle them.

I just fettled a free, '60's-vintage 5 1/2 last week as a gift to a 19-year-old beginner, and it shaves as well as any jack, including L/N's.

[Roger Reynolds]

Thanks to all for your reassurances.
No need to return it now - it is flat. It had a dished area about midway in the rear section and to one side. I am very impressed with it's performance and I am now eyeing the No 4 bronze smoother.



--Roger

[Derek Cohen]

<I>It had a dished area about midway in the rear section and to one side</I>

I am curious to know whether you have found any difference in the before-and-after performance. The area you describe should not have made any difference at all, and so I expect that the flattening you did was really just aesthetic.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Roger Reynolds]

Derek,

The performance out of the box was fine, but I detected an improvement after tuning. I suspect it was more due to the blade tuning than the sole tuning. I agree that the flattening was most likely aesthetic, but this is important to me. I expect to see a shinny uniform surface and it would have driven me nuts to view the dished area every time I set it on the bench. I take a lot of pride in buying the best I can afford and making them the best they can be. I must admit that how they look matters - that played a part in my buying decision.

--Roger

[Derek Cohen]

Roger

No need to apologise for lapping the sole of your LN - I would have done the same. Curse this obsessionality!

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Mike Wenzloff]

Roger

No need to apologise for lapping the sole of your LN - I would have done the same. Curse this obsessionality! Regards from Perth
Derek

You know, there are therapists that can help!

Take care, Mike

[Jeff Geltz]

Roger,

I have over a half dozen LN planes. Shoulder, rabbit, block, jack and chisel style planes as well as their socket chisel set and a dovetail saw. I guess you could call me a fan. I haven't seen the issue you described. Maybe I've been lucky, but each one of these tools blew me away right out of the box. I agree with others that the folks at LN would make good if you wanted to call them regarding concerns with future purchases. I've spent quite a bit of time with them in their factory in Warren Maine on several occasions and I can tell you that even the guys running the C&C machines and bronze burnishers on the factory floor are serious about their work.

Jeff