I tried out a Lie Nielsen hand plane…wow!!

[Michelle_K]

I used someone’s lie Nielsen hand plane and now my Stanley will never feel the same again! I have honestly avoided using expensive hand tools knowing that I would probably want one if I did but I had a chance to try out a lie Nielsen plane and my goodness, it was such a great experience. Now I have a very sharp and well set up hand plane but it just does not compare! But the price of the planes!!!! It’s interesting that almost every American woodworking i watch on the tube seems to have Veritas or lie Nielsen as standard, not so much here. I am guessing that it is because they are so much cheaper out there. Next I’d love to try a veritas hand plane! Think it’s times to start saving as I want to upgrade my plane!

 

[Hornbeam]

Have you tried one of the Clifton bench planes. Every bit as good as Veritas or Lie Nielson although I must say the Veritas shoulder planes are superb

 

[Tony Zaffuto]

I have a fair number of LN, Veritas, a Clifton and many vintage Stanley & Millers Falls hand planes. It is not difficult to get a vintage to perform like a modern plane, but it can take a bit of time (or money for some machining time!). Just taking apart and cleaning a vintage plane along with sharpening & setting the chip breaker correctly helps immensely.

 

[Ttrees]

It is not difficult to get a vintage to perform like a modern plane

But seemingly very difficult for many to get a modern plane to work, like a well working vintage!
The cost being the reason why most won't hone their cap iron at least 50deg or more.

Those straight shavings are important if you wished to plane with the grain in rows, as per Charlesworth's hand planing lessons, the only videos without bad habits,
unless you call not demonstrating the setup and use of the cap iron, that is....

Chances are, the vintage Bailey designs would be seen in a different light, should one
involve the cap iron, so they can plane the same as per Charlesworth's methodology
on any dry timber.

3 rules for this, as one should know ...choose yer own recipe other than stated
and you'll be in the dark still.

No clipped corners of the plane iron, as you need have the cap iron set very close.
No tight mouths, the mouth plays no part in tearout prevention here, set it tight and fail.
Cap iron honed at least 50, so the shaving comes out straight.

If you don't see the straight shavings, then something is not right, and the plane will still be
prone to tearing out.
Yes, you need two planes set like so, a panel or try plane, and a smoother.

Now, compare the two again with their premium counterparts, and there won't be much difference
I reckon.
It certainly made me look at me own no.4's differently, as they feel like a wider plane now.

Look at Weaver's videos, or Derek's posts for instance, as you won't find that out from the biggest names out there, and it's unlikely to change until someone more honest comes along.

Tom

 

[Trafalgar]

I used someone’s lie Nielsen hand plane and now my Stanley will never feel the same again! I have honestly avoided using expensive hand tools knowing that I would probably want one if I did but I had a chance to try out a lie Nielsen plane and my goodness, it was such a great experience. Now I have a very sharp and well set up hand plane but it just does not compare! But the price of the planes!!!! It’s interesting that almost every American woodworking i watch on the tube seems to have Veritas or lie Nielsen as standard, not so much here. I am guessing that it is because they are so much cheaper out there. Next I’d love to try a veritas hand plane! Think it’s times to start saving as I want to upgrade my plane!

That's great. Whenever you find a tool that works, check the box and move on. Don't waste your time comparing one to another or taking on the challenge of fettling one to equal the performance of the tool that worked well right off the bat. You also don't need duplicates of any one bench plane. You MIGHT need a few extra irons with slightly different cutting edge profiles. Emphasis on the word "might." Keep it simple, spare, and lean.

Save money for wood and the time to work it. Collecting, fettling, and evaluating tools is not woodworking.

One's hat is always off to the enthusiastic hobbyist who has arranged his or her financial affairs, family responsibilities, and general mode of living to allow for all of it-- collecting and woodworking. If you're one of these fortunate people, by all means enjoy yourself.

 

[johnnyb]

Tools are a distraction from creating which is the main focus of woodworking. IMHO of course. Enjoy making. Planing a board is just a single rather boring step in creation. Creativity can overcome any tools problems and even make a positive from a perceived negative.

 

[paulrbarnard]

Tools are a distraction from creating which is the main focus of woodworking. IMHO of course. Enjoy making. Planing a board is just a single rather boring step in creation. Creativity can overcome any tools problems and even make a positive from a perceived negative.

Yeah but nice tools make it a real pleasure making things