I Wants

[Richard Gillespie]

Got a bad case. Money is tight. Want a medium shoulder plane from Lee Valley and a set of paring chisels from them also. Keep trying to talk myself out of them but????? Guess I've slid so far down the slope there's no hope now.

Now, if I can just get things to turn around the corner. Heat pump failed middle of last month and one of the two ceiling fans fell in the family room a month ago. Got to buy two to match. I guess that the cathedral ceiling is at a too steep an angle for the bracket to handle without an adapter. Stayed up twenty two years before it fell though. As my Dad use to say, "S" happens.

[Sean Hughto]

What are going to do with the paring chisels exactly? While there have been occassions where their extra length was useful, those occassions have been few and far between. (Maybe I'm weird?) Also, I'm sure I could have made my other tools get the job done if it had been necessary. If you have decent bench chisels, I'd save your money on the paring set for a while. If you really need some long chisels, vintage ones are abundant and cheap.

[Richard Gillespie]

Very same things I've told myself. Have always used bench chisels for everything. Results on dovetails always haven't be satisfactory though. Want to try using coping saw to cut waste and paring chisels to finish rather then chopping waste with bench chisels as I was taught. I know, I know, I can use the bench chisels for that purpose also. I've told myself that also.

[Sean Hughto]

Far be it from me to get between a man and his wants. Lord knows I have my own personal pile of 'em! I was mainly just curious what great uses/methods of work I might be missing out on as far as long chisels.

[David Weaver]

Comfortable control and a set of chisels to have set shallow with no threat of being hit by a mallet.

Not exactly a need, but a nice want to fill if you like to pare joints or chamfers, etc. I used to like to avoid chisels for work that could be done by a plane - wanting everything to look perfect even against the marking line (subtleties in lack of machine-like precision disappear when you can put finish on something), I guess I still do when I can, but am less hyper about it now. It's a nice thing for planes. I guess that's how you stop avoiding things - get forced into them.

The medium shoulder plane is a nice want, too. I got one several years ago, but do more and more with chisels as time goes by, and it doesn't get out much. I think it's the best of the mediums out there, though - the fixtures on it for grip are nice compared to the older designs - very nice to use.

[Terry Beadle]

As a suggestion, you can get a wood shoulder plane on the bay fairly cheaply. Certainly less than $50. Even cheaper is making your own wooden shoulder plane.

You might find it does the job very well.

[george wilson]

How long would you want the blades of the paring chisels to be? I have always just used bench chisels,too.

You really could make a good,usable shoulder plane from wood,if you can get an iron. We used them for years in the museum.

If you are afraid of trying to mortise out one,just make it in 3 layers.

[Dan Karachio]

Dare I suggest their large router plane instead of the chisels?

[Chris Griggs]

Dare I suggest their large router plane instead of the chisels?

Go ahead Dan, suggest it! Just got one of those a couple weeks ago. So far I've only used it as a plow plane to cut a 1/4" groove for the back panel of a cabinet. Though that's not its ideal task it worked pretty darn well. Can't wait to try it out on dados, hinge mortises, and tenons.

A router plane isn't often recommended as a plane to get early on in your Neandering, but it should be. Very useful plane!

[Dan Karachio]

Ha! I am enjoying mine too. Hinge mortises, cleaning up various joinery. It really is a very useful tool. Actually, although still a newbie, I kind of wish I had it much sooner! However, I do not have a shoulder plane and if I were to get one, I think I might want the small and use it more. I could be completely wrong on this.