Next plane: Shoulder, bull nose...?

[Dan Karachio]

I have been working with my Lie Nielsen low angle block, #4 smoother and Lee Valley Bevel Up Jack. The former and the latter are getting the most work. I can now sharpen any of them without panic and they cut like a dream. More and more I am finding the need for a plane that I can use on rabbets, tenons and other situations where I need to plane to an edge and/or on end grain. I'm sure there is no one best little plane that can do it all, but I bet there is one that's close. I have up to $200 to spend and I am not sure whether a rabbet block, shoulder or bull nose plane is my best first choice. For example, here are some options.

Lie Nielsen
Rabbet Block Plane 165.00
Skew Block Planes 225.00
Small Shoulder Plane 165.00
Medium Shoulder Plane 195.00

Lee Valley
Veritas Bull Nose 165.00

[Derek Cohen]

I am not a big fan of bullnose planes. I have one and it rarely gets used. Just use a chisel at the end of a rebate.

Of the choice of a shoulder plane and a rabbet block plane I'd go for the shoulder plane without hesitation. I like the rabbet block and use one, but a shoulder plane is more useful in my shop.

Of the sizes you mention, I'd get the medium if just owning one. Actually, it depends on the size of the work you do. The "small" (1/2") shoulder is probably a better size, and the Veritas version is really excellent.

Another plane that you should consider is the router plane. This is my first choice for tenon faces (unless the tenon is sawn very square, in which case you could use a rabbet block plane). If tenon faces are out-of-square, the router plane makes quick work of truing themup, and to size. Shoulder planes are for shoulders, not faces.

Veritas Small shoulder plane:
http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/VeritasSmallShoulderPlane.html

Veritas Medium Shoulder Plane:
http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/The%20Veritas%20Medium%20Shoulder%20Plane.html

Veritas Router Plane:
http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/The%20Veritas%20Router%20Plane.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[David Keller NC]

As Derek noted, it's not at all ideal to put a shoulder plane to use on a tenon cheek, nor a rabbet block or skew rabbet block to use on a tenon shoulder. There are a lot of us that don't use shoulder planes much, preferring an accurate layout with a marking knife and a sharp paring chisel to clean the remaining fuzz after the saw cut. A shoulder plane is quite useful, however, for the occasional major mess-up where an overcut with the croos-cut backsaw obliterates the marked layout line.

On the other hand, a skew rabbet block can be used for a heck of a lot of other things than just squaring tenon cheeks (and as Derek noted, a router plane and a good flat bench is more accurate for taht job anyway). A skew rabbet block can, if set up properly, cut the bevel for a raised panel, cut the rabbet for half-blind dovetail joints, and many other uses. That's what I'd go for from the list you posted.

[Dan Karachio]

Thanks you guys. Great advice. I think you are right, what I really need now is a router plane. Hinge mortises are another thing I have been struggling with lately. Given that, can I ask some questions please? Large or small (or both). Veritas or Lie Nielsen?

Edit: I think I am going with the Veritas (large and small). They have an interesting way to make blade sharpening easier and the large comes with 3 blades while LN wants extra...

[David Keller NC]

Thanks you guys. Great advice. I think you are right, what I really need now is a router plane. Hinge mortises are another thing I have been struggling with lately. Given that, can I ask some questions please? Large or small (or both). Veritas or Lie Nielsen?

Edit: I think I am going with the Veritas (large and small). They have an interesting way to make blade sharpening easier and the large comes with 3 blades while LN wants extra...

I have the larger Veritas plane. My guess is that you will find a similar situation as I have - only one of the blades is necessary for using the plane as a joinery tool. In fact, though 99% of the work I do on the things that I build are done with hand (unpowered) tools, the remaining 2 blades have gone unhoned. The fence is most useful - I use the router plane and fence to cut stopped grooves for fielded panels instead of the plow/router combination advocated by C. Schwarz.

Having said that, the L-N version of the large plane has an advantage - the ability to use an adapter and the smaller blades for inlay work. This might be the tool you want if you plan to do inlay work.

[Larry Marshall]

I think the most important 'specialty' plane is the router plane. With it you can do so much. You can trim tenon shoulders as well as cut rabbets, grooves, and dados. If you get the auxillary fence (mine's a LV) much of this becomes really easy. Even with the fence the LV router plane is less than your $200 limit.

I agree with those who don't find much use for a bullnose plane. When you need them, they are superior to a chisel but not really necessary.

Cheers --- Larry "woodnbits"

[Dan Karachio]

Thanks guys. This is perfect. I knew what I wanted or needed to do, but was off on what I needed to do it with. Router plane on the way.

[Brian Ashton]

I think it's easy... Buy all of them from LV... One every six months... Lots of tools never get used all that much but it sure is nice to have them when you need them. And for the most part all that you have listed are those sorts of planes that don't get used all that often. And when you look at the relative costs they're not that expensive, especially if you buy from LV. I'd probably ditch the rabbet block and go for a skew block... but that's about it.

[Derek Cohen]

Thanks guys. This is perfect. I knew what I wanted or needed to do, but was off on what I needed to do it with. Router plane on the way.

Hi Dan

I have tried to update my review on the Veritas router plane with a comparison with the LN version. It is only partially there (at the end of the article) and the images did not come out. I will sort that out hopefully soon.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/The%20Veritas%20Router%20Plane.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Frank Drew]

A plane that I used a lot is Record's Rebate and Fillister #778; much handier and more versatile, IMO, than a router plane.

[Bill Houghton]

Hinge mortises are another thing I have been struggling with lately.

You might consider making yourself a butt mortise plane. I made one some years back in, roughly, an afternoon (http://www.woodcentral.com/articles/handtools/articles_114.shtml). This is a great plane to make, because the tolerances are a lot less fussy than more refined planes.

[Dan Karachio]

Thanks everyone for the great advice. And Derek, I already had your stuff bookmarked! Thanks again!

I'm going to start out slow with the router plane, but then I see things like this and I wonder, what will the future bring?

http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?sku=99
http://www.lie-nielsen.com/images/99_lg.jpg