Veritas small router plane

[Don Dorn]

I have had one for a couple of years, but frankly, hesitate to use it. It's most likely ignorance on my part, but its use reminds me of the first time I ever used a dull and non-tuned hand plane - blade set too deep and just made gouges.

On the small router plane, I let the blade drop to the depth of the soul and tighten. Seems like I get either nothing at all, or even the slightest change is way too deep. Does the downturned blade contribute to this? Anyway, combined with a round blade that tends to turn as I attempt to use it, it has been more frustrating than pleasure and therefore, sits in the drawer.

Perhaps someone who has one can steer me in the correct usage or modification. I'm contemplating a full sized Veritas or LN which both have the square blades and more finite controls. This is the only Veritas product I've owned that I don't care for. Any feedback would be appreciated.

[Bill Miltner]

I set my router plane by slipping playing cards under each side and sole the iron before tightening. The number of cards used control the depth of cut.

[David Gendron]

I have the same plane as you and use to have the same problems... So for the round shaft, I sanded it lenght wise with 60 or 80 grit paper, and it did helpe a lot. As for the depth, I set the sole on the piece to be worked and ajust the blade so it take a light cut, maybe 3/32 and go at it. hte first pass is the harder one after that I take passes with half the wight of the blade and it work great. If you go with a ful size Router I stongly suggest the Veritas from LV I think it is a better design... but that is just my own oppinion!

[Eric Brown]

First do what David recommended. Rough it up a little.
Then score the wood with a knife, marking gauge, etc.
If going deep, precut with saw or chisel. Let the plane clean-up.
Use wax.

Eric

[Don Dorn]

I tried the playing card trick and it helped a great deal, I'm also going to rough up the blade. Unfortunately, David, I'm not sure I know what you mean when you speak of "half the weight" of the blade.

My intended purpose of the plane is to have smoother bottoms on hinge mortises than what I've been able to acheive with the chisel alone. Secondly, I commonly use a dado and rabbit joint for drawers (if I'm doing allot - otherwise it's dovetails) and would like to be able to more cleanly ease out the rough dado left by the blade. I really appreciate the feedback, thank you.

[george wilson]

If you go to the FAQ section in this forum,and look up my lion head violin,the background to the carvings were lowered with a miniature router I made out of wood,with a 1/32" wide blade. As said,shallow cuts with a very sharp edge. The hand router can do things that a more bulky power router,or even a Dremel router could not handily get at. And that was on curly maple. After routing,the backgrounds were stippled,but they were so smooth I could have left them plain.

My little router was about 2" wide X 1/4" deep on its footprint.

[Larry Marshall]

I love Veritas tools but I've found their small router plane problematic. I agree that the blade shaft shouldn't be round but, to me, the real problem is the operation of the locking device. It's too close to the stock and too close to the router base. The result is that it's difficult to tighten it without moving the router itself, which in turn messes with the blade adjustment. I find the tool useful but it would be more so if the blade were square or hexagonal and I had tiny little fingers that could actually operate that blasted brass knob.

Cheers --- Larry

[Kent A Bathurst]

I set my router plane by slipping playing cards under each side and sole the iron before tightening. The number of cards used control the depth of cut.

FWIW - standard hotel "credit card" room keys are .030. I collected a hundred+ from business travel. work great for a lot of things - stack of 2 replaces the dime for inset door reveal, and don't scratch or dent, either.

[Derek Cohen]

I reviewed this plane a couple of years ago: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/The%20Veritas%20Small%20Router%20Plane.html

I have never experienced any problem with the round blade slipping, although I am aware that some have reported this. The round shaft is not my favourite feature. But it works.

Since writing the article I have come to recognise that the easiest and most reliable method to obtain a razor sharp blade is to create a hollow on the face of the bevel. Use a dremel or sandpaper wrapped around a dowel. It is then a simple matter to freehand the blades on a waterstone.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[David Gendron]

Sorry Don, lost in translation... I meen wit(with, wight...):o, I don,t know how to spell it like a lot of other words in english:confused:.

[Don Dorn]

I roughed up the blade and am getting by much better now - thanks to all for the great feedback. I'm probably still going to spring for the full sized Veritas router plane due to it's better controls and the square blades, but this will now suffice until that happens. Thank you again.

[Derek Cohen]

Oh, you want controls?!

Just add a depth stop ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/DepthStopsForVeritasRouterPlanes_html_422d2dc5.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[jonathan evans]

FWIW - standard hotel "credit card" room keys are .030. I collected a hundred+ from business travel. work great for a lot of things - stack of 2 replaces the dime for inset door reveal, and don't scratch or dent, either.

I thought I was the only one who collected those things! They're great for prying apart snap-together plastic electronics like cell phones, ipods, cordless home phones, tv remotes, etc., without scratching. But your uses seem even BETTER!

Jonathan Evans