Which LN plane?

[Matt Stiegler]

I'm thinking about picking up a LN plane from Woodcraft while they're on sale. Not that I need it now, I'm a newbie who mostly uses power tools. But for down the road, when I'm on the slippery slope of rapacious handtool acquisition but have less money to spend on this than I do now. But, because I'm a newbie and I don't need it now, I'm not really sure which LN plane to get.

I have a LN LA block plane and a LV 4 1/2. I also have an 8" jointer and a 15" planer, and I envision using handplanes to complement not replace them.

Having read a lot of 'which plane' threads here over the past couple days, my sense is that some folks would say my next plane should be a shoulder plane. But I'm pretty much decided I want to get the LV medium shoulder plane instead of the LN, so that doesn't answer my question today.

So, apart from "see a shrink," what do you suggest? #7? #5 1/2? Nothing?

[Mike Henderson]

If you don't have a need, I wouldn't buy anything. Getting a great deal on something you won't use is no bargain.

The only encouragement I can offer is that if you get it cheap (on sale) and don't use it, you can probably get close to full (not sale) price on eBay - but you have selling cost on eBay.

Mike

[Sean Hughto]

I'd get a 7 or a low angle jack. Either these will come in really handy even for a power tool guy to do stuff like fit drawers and doors and clean off machine marks before edge jointing, etc.

[Jerome Hanby]

I keep hitting spots where I wish I had a shoulder plane. I've collected the goodies to make one that Shopnotes featured quite a while back. That project keeps getting moved up on my to do list. It used to be in the rainy day section, it's now moved up to the before you buy anything else section. Router plane is the other function I seem to be missing, so those two would be top of my list, in that order.

[Doug Shepard]

Hit the LA Road Jack

[Matt Stiegler]

I gather that the LN LA jack is a 5. The fact that I have a 4 1/2 already shouldn't deter me there? (I guess not, since LN sells them together in their 3-plane set).

[Doug Shepard]

The LV 4-1/2 you have is a bevel down plane. The LN LA Jack, even though a roughly similar size is a bevel up plane, and quite a different critter. I've got a 4-1/2, & 5-1/2 and still find plenty of things to use the LA Jack for.

[RickT Harding]

Originally Posted by Doug Shepard

and still find plenty of things to use the LA Jack for.

End grain FTW!

[Doug Shepard]

Originally Posted by RickT Harding

End grain FTW!

Yeah that too. I just find it less twitchy and quicker to adjust to different tasks than a bevel down, so I tend to use the LA Jack on maybe more things than I should since I've got other planes that are maybe better suited.

[Matt Stiegler]

I appreciate everyone's feedback so far. Finding the LA jack suggestion persuasive, with an extra blade I think.

[Phillip Pattee]

How about considering LN saws, or chisels? Maybe you have a project where they will fill a need before an additional plane will.

[Matt Stiegler]

I appreciate that suggestion, Phillip. I have a set of LV bevel edge chisels, 1/4 to 1". So that doesn't seem like a place I can justify dropping a lot of money. As to the saws, I'm inclined towards the substantially less expensive LVs there.

[Rich Tesoroni]

Any opinions on the 10 1/4 rabbet?
Rich

[Mike Henderson]

Originally Posted by Rich Tesoroni

Any opinions on the 10 1/4 rabbet?
Rich

Unless you do an awful lot of rabbeting with hand planes, or make really big rabbets, that's probably overkill. There are a lot of other less expensive ways to make rabbets by hand. For example, the Stanley 78 is commonly available, works well, and is significantly less expensive than the LN 10 1/4. And you have a fence on the 78.

Mike

[Joe Close]

Originally Posted by Matt Stiegler

I'm thinking about picking up a LN plane from Woodcraft while they're on sale.

I'm not seeing a sale. Is this maybe a local sale?