Shoulder Plane Size

[Dan Sink]

I need a shoulder plane for my latest project. Am I being dumb by trying to save $55 and getting the medium-sized L-N over the large?

I'm going with L-N because I've got a couple of gift certificates from my birthday a few months back.

[Chris Vandiver]

If you're going to have one shoulder plane the large size is the way to go.

[glenn bradley]

This will depend on what you do. I make small tables, chests, bookcases and such. The medium size works best for me. For a workbench, dining tables or bed frames, I would want a larger one.

[Stephen Cherry]

You may want to consider the rabbet block plane

[Tony Zaffuto]

I would go for the largest LN shoulder plane. I have the large LN, medium LV, small Preston, small Stanley and the one that gets the most use is the large LN. Once you get used to it, there are more tasks you will use it for, besides shoulders.

[Jeremy Dorn]

I'll take the opposite point of view, I've got the LV Minature, LV Small, LV Medium and LV Rabbet planes and I find that the one I reach for most often is the Small sized one. Seems to fit my hand the most comfortably and is usually scaled to the kind of work I'm doing quite well.

[Jim Koepke]

Me thinks the work you do should be the guide.

Have you ever used a #8 to square the edge on a piece of wood that is 6" long?

Have you tried to true and edge on an eight foot board with a #3?

There are some advantages to having a shoulder plane that is 3/4" or larger if you do dovetails and like to put a rabbet on the inside of the tails.

If you are building timber framed bunk beds and such, then larger is better.

If you are building M&T doors on jewelry boxes, then a smaller size may be what you want.

Show us a gloat when you get it.

jtk