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View Full Version : Newbie's back, with a question and a little gloat


Marty Walsh
03-08-2005, 8:21 PM
Hi everyone,

Some of you might remember me as the "yet-another-newbie" that got a pair of LV planes, made a few shavings and posted pics. I then went on to try and put a decent edge on the #4's blade with my new waterstones, (which I couldn't).

Well, a lot has transpired in the time since my last post. I wound up returning the LV planes. Even with the alright edge I finally got on the #4, I simply could not get used to the blade adjustment on it! Every time I'd get the depth and angle of exposure just right, I'd go to tighten it and it would shift one way or the other. If I needed a chamfered board, I would have been all set. I've read posting where people love that combined feed mechanism, but me and it just couldn't get along.

All is not lost. Woodcraft is running a sale, and on a whim I picked up a LN 60 1/2R. Their price was the same as FTJ, but tax made it a little more since FTJ still offers free shipping. There's that instant gratification thing again...:rolleyes:

http://www.woodworkersweb.com/modules/gallery/albums/albuy88/DSCN3247.sized.jpg

In my last post, I mentioned that I had a large project on hold until I could get a handle on this whole hand plane thing. I had 28 inset drawers all glued up ready to be fit. Well, the little LN did the job, and BETTER than I could have imagined!

It doesn't show up all that well in this pic, but aside from cleaning up the sides, and planing the tops to fit, I cut a rabbet at a slight angle across the bottom of all the drawers. Makes the spacing around the inset nice and even...
http://www.woodworkersweb.com/modules/gallery/albums/albuy88/DSCN3251.sized.jpg

Ok, so there's the little gloat. (The 60 1/2 is little, after all...) Now here's the question.

My next phase of the project is to flatten and finish the drawer fronts. Until I got bit by this damn neanderthal bug, I planned to use my Festool sander as I normally would. But after seeing the MAJOR difference in the finish on the curly maple from the LN, I have to give it a go on the fronts. The grain and curl literally JUMP out at me after being planed.

I know the LN 60 1/2R is almost useless for the task I have in mind, so I'm asking all of you for reccomendations. I'm considering a LN #4 (or #4 1/2), or the #85 Cabinet Makers Scraper.

A few of the drawers suffer from electron induced tearout from my planer. I might have to remove up to 1/16" or more in spots, so I'm thinking the scraper might take me forever. But I'm a little worried about the wild figure and the #4.

The drawers range in size from 4"x10" up to 9"x40". I figure the small size of some of the drawers rules out anything larger than the #4. Is that a safe assumption?

Thanks for reading this far, and thanks in advance for whatever you care to contribute.

- Marty -
Dennis McDonaugh
03-08-2005, 8:33 PM
Marty, I recommend a LN with the york pitch to handle that curly maple. The higher bed angle helps with gnarly grain patterns. Good luck.
Mark Stutz
03-08-2005, 8:39 PM
Marty,
At the recent WW show I wore out my welcome at the LN booth! Deneb was working on a piece of highly figured maple. The surface left by the smooth plane was clearly superior to that of the scraper plane on the figured maple.

Mark
Marty Walsh
03-08-2005, 9:02 PM
Dennis,

Are you thinking the York replacement frog for the #4? Can I just get a second balde for whatever plane I get and regrind it to a higher angle to mimic the York?

Mark,

Was he using a standard #4 smoother?

- Marty -
Mark Stutz
03-08-2005, 9:25 PM
Marty,
I think it was a 4 1/2, but I'm not sure if it was a York pitch or not. Sorry.
Grinding a different angle on the blade only works for a plane bedded with the bevel up. The angle on a bench plane comes from the frog. It took me a long time to figure this all out. They won't work the other way! DAMHIKT.

Mark
John Miliunas
03-08-2005, 10:15 PM
Marty, I saw the same guy (Deneb) with the same demo. Simply amazing! He was using the 4-1/2 with the York pitch frog. I was so impressed that, I picked up the York frog at the show and mounted it in my LN 4-1/2. As luck would have it, I had some BE Maple and Curly Maple laying around. All I can say is, his demo is for REAL! :D I had the Curly cutoff from another project, which had been already sanded. So, I just did the one side with the 4-1/2. Mind you, the sanded side was real smooth and I had cleaned it as best I could. Well, once done with the 4-1/2, I had a quick A/B comparison. Now, I knew that it was the same board I was flipping over, but man, what a difference! I did really look like two different boards!:) I'm wondering if the standard pitch frog will ever make it back on the 4-1/2!:) :cool:
Dennis McDonaugh
03-08-2005, 10:26 PM
Mark and John beat me to it!
Mark Stutz
03-08-2005, 10:29 PM
Sorry, Dennis :o I can't answer too many questions here, so I gotta jump in when I can! :D ;)

Mark
John Miliunas
03-08-2005, 10:41 PM
Sorry, Dennis :o I can't answer too many questions here, so I gotta jump in when I can! :D ;)

Mark
Yeah, what Mark said!:D :cool:
Roy Wall
03-08-2005, 10:47 PM
Marty,

Another vote for the LN 4 1/2 -- I would not get the 4. The york pitch frog (50) is a winner. I picked up the York @ the show in KC - now I can obtain "glistening" finish on regular & High figured wood - just use appropriate frog:)

Excellent work with the 60 1/2-R ----and great photography!!!

Your shavings withe the 4 1/2 should be very thin & fluffy---but it will not "flatten" your surface.......that's what a #7 does....then you put the final finish on with the LN 4 1/2. If you overuse the 4 1/2, you will introduce "unevenness" back into the board and have the need of the #7 again. This is a little "over the top" -- but none the less a scientific phenom.....
Alan Turner
03-09-2005, 4:46 AM
You can change the angle of attack on a bench plane by grinding/honing, but the change comes from a back bevel. Were it me, I think I would go with the York pitch instead of back beveling, but if you want both angles available, you could go with two irons. Many do this on a low angle plane, but I see it mentioned rarel, if ever, for a standard bench plane. I have no low angle planes, except for a LA block, and a No. 9.
Michael Gabbay
03-09-2005, 9:02 AM
Marty -

I have the LN 4 1/2 and it's one of my favorites. I was considering putting on the York Pitch frog as well for the figured woods. One comment I got from LN ( I can't remember who, not Deneb) was that the York Pitch will make the plane harder to push given the higher angle and you probably don't want to keep switching back and forth between frogs. I'm seriously looking at the LN LA Jack with a higher angle secondary bevel for the figured woods.

Just a thought.

Mike
Marty Walsh
03-09-2005, 2:49 PM
Thanks to everyone for your comments and opinions. I had a very lengthy conversation with someone at LN this morning (old age prevents me from remembering his name). He echoed the sentiments here and extoled the virtues of the 4 or 4 1/2 with the York Frog for the task I'm facing.

We also discussed the LN LA Jack, which he said would do an equally fine job for what I need. Although, he added that the extra length of the LA Jack would make it difficult at best to work on the smaller drawers. He also said that in the long run I'd probably get more use out of the 4 1/2.

(I love dealing with customer service people that know their stuff and are willing to help. Kudos to LN!)

With that said, my LN 4 1/2 York should be here tomorrow. (Is that a pre-gloat? :confused: )

Thanks again to everyone. I'll hopefully be posting pics once I get used to my new chunk-o-iron.

- Marty -
Tyler Howell
03-09-2005, 3:00 PM
Was Deneb the tall bearded hunk with the cute assistant. Every move screamed macho Neander???? Didn't need a mic and could be heard over the power tools and haukers???

Didn't notice him:p but the LN fleat was awesome:cool:
Michael Gabbay
03-09-2005, 3:34 PM
Tyler -

Watch it, that cute assistant is his sister I believe. :o
Mike
Roy Wall
03-09-2005, 8:05 PM
Tyler -

Watch it, that cute assistant is his sister I believe. :o
Mike
Yes Tyler---that is his sister. But she is cute, and is the assistant - so your accuracy is 100%. :)
Marty Walsh
03-09-2005, 9:49 PM
I see how this place is. I post a question and get responses, make my decision and purchase, and then you guys take the thread wherever you want.

Oh wait, this is all related since she works the LN booth. Gotcha! :rolleyes:

Thanks again folks...
John Miliunas
03-09-2005, 9:54 PM
I see how this place is. I post a question and get responses, make my decision and purchase, and then you guys take the thread wherever you want.

Oh wait, this is all related since she works the LN booth. Gotcha! :rolleyes:

Thanks again folks...
Hey Marty, if you hang around here long enough, you'll get used to it!:) Often, many of these threads take on a life of their own! Most always, though, it's in good fun and the topic is usually covered.:) :cool: