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View Full Version : Does anyone have experience with the LN T&G plane?



bob blakeborough
12-21-2011, 9:57 PM
As the title says, is there any creekers who use the LN Tongue and groove plane(s)? If so, what jobs do you find it most useful? I am assuming for frame and panel type jobs. It seems available in sizes to center on both 1/2" and 3/4" thickness pieces, but if the pieces are not exactly those sizes, does it still work, just offset slightly? Any onfo would be appreciated!

http://www.lie-nielsen.com/images/48inuse.jpg
http://www.lie-nielsen.com/images/48sillfront.jpg
http://www.lie-nielsen.com/images/1-48_lg.jpg

Joe Bailey
12-21-2011, 10:34 PM
Your assumption is correct. THis is why, for instance, the Stanley catalog, in describing the No. 48 (upon which the LN is based) says that it:
"cuts a 5/16" groove on boards 3/4 to 1 1/4" Centers on 7/8"
The fixed (as to width) fence ensures that the tongue lines up with the groove, regardless of width of board.

Ryan Baker
12-22-2011, 12:32 AM
I have a Stanley. As the name implies, it does only one thing -- tongue and groove joints. Always make sure to work from the reference side of your boards and they will match up right every time -- though they will be offside from center unless your boards are the designed size. No problem, it still works fine.

If you do a lot of tongue and groove joints, it might be a good thing to have around. If you hardly ever cut those joints, you can better serve your needs with more versatile planes -- unless of course you just want one for coolness factor. It's certainly a lot easier to use than an old set of woodie match planes.

paul cottingham
12-22-2011, 12:38 AM
Great plane. But the blade does jump if you hit a hard bit. and then you have to re-set the blade. Or I have just missed something in setting it up.

James Owen
12-22-2011, 12:41 AM
As already mentioned, it's great for frame and panel making.

It also works nicely for making T & G floorboards for chests, boxes, and the like, as well as T & G backboards for case goods (instead of ship-lapping them).

Like everything else LN makes, well-made and works like you'd expect it to.

Jim Koepke
12-22-2011, 2:59 AM
I handled one at a show a few years ago. It is a nice plane.

I do a lot of T&G joinery. A Stanley 45 works fine for my needs.

jtk

Mike Holbrook
12-22-2011, 8:14 AM
Just wondering if one might use this plane to T & G boards for the exterior sides of cabinets as opposed to glue ups etc? Wouldn't T & G boards in a cabinet carcass without glue have more ability to expand & contract? Does anyone make cabinet sides this way? May not be worth the effort and I am sure it is much easier to put plywood in a groove but if one wants to make all solid wood cabinets. Although it may require a great deal of planner work to get enough boards to make cabinet sides. I guess I am starting to get off topic here but I am interested in tools to help make cabinets and this one obviously has some applicability.

bob blakeborough
12-22-2011, 12:00 PM
I think this may have to go on the future wish list, along with the rest of the entire catalogue it seems! Grrrrrrrrr!!! What a slope it is...

David Weaver
12-22-2011, 12:08 PM
The stanley plane works really well, and I don't know what they go for now, but mine were about $50 each complete.

For the amount you'll end up using the plane, I think LN money is better spent elsewhere on other LN stuff, like a jointer.

bob blakeborough
12-22-2011, 12:17 PM
The stanley plane works really well, and I don't know what they go for now, but mine were about $50 each complete.

For the amount you'll end up using the plane, I think LN money is better spent elsewhere on other LN stuff, like a jointer.

I already have the LV Jointer which I like very much! I know it is a bit over the top but I convince myself that I am not spending money as much as locking it up in a safe investment that doesn't lose value like my supposedly safe mutual funds did... Haha

David Weaver
12-22-2011, 12:22 PM
If you do use a lot of pre-finished or exactly 3/4" stock, it may be nicer to have just because it'll center the groove. If you're finishing rough lumber by hand, then the 7/8th is nicer to have.

There are wooden T&G planes, too, but it's nice to see them (and their irons) in person before buying unless someone takes really good pictures. I think they're nicer to use than any of the metal ones if they're in good shape.

Don Dorn
12-22-2011, 12:26 PM
A friend has a Stanley and it's nice, but I don't regret the purchase of my LN #48. I really like the one piece blade and find it easy to hone, and grind when necessary. The two piece blade has it's advantages too in that some like to set one deeper than the other to give what they feel is a flawless fit.

I have used it for frame and panels, but I use dowels so it works fine. However, if one used stub tenons, I don't think it would work on the end grain of the rails. It's actually been used more for the rear panels of small cabinets - I then put a bead on the tongue portion using a Record 050, and it turns out a nice beadboard panel.

Again, no regrets - it's up to the usual LN quality and mine has seen more use than I thought it would.

Jim Koepke
12-22-2011, 1:32 PM
Just wondering if one might use this plane to T & G boards for the exterior sides of cabinets as opposed to glue ups etc?

I use it on exterior sides of cabinets and for large shelves. My thought is there is more contact area for glue.

jtk

James Owen
12-22-2011, 4:26 PM
Just wondering if one might use this plane to T & G boards for the exterior sides of cabinets as opposed to glue ups etc? Wouldn't T & G boards in a cabinet carcass without glue have more ability to expand & contract? Does anyone make cabinet sides this way? May not be worth the effort and I am sure it is much easier to put plywood in a groove but if one wants to make all solid wood cabinets. Although it may require a great deal of planner work to get enough boards to make cabinet sides. I guess I am starting to get off topic here but I am interested in tools to help make cabinets and this one obviously has some applicability.

That would certainly work -- without glue -- if you used a frame and panel type of construction or if you center-of-the-board nailed them to the top and bottom of the case, but I'm not so sure about the aesthetics of doing so.... If I were to use T&G on the sides, I think I'd want to use that technique for the additional glueing surface over jointed edges, as opposed to leaving them loose -- even in a frame & panel type of construction. But that's just me.....

As mentioned in my previous comment in this thread, the couple of places that I would certainly consider using T&G boards "loose" are as floorboards and as backboards on case goods. With both, you already have a "frame" for the boards to either sit in grooves/rebates or to nail onto (or a combination of both). And, they are generally less visible.

If the grain direction of the sides is properly oriented to the grain direction of the top and bottom, there is essentially zero probability that solid board (including glue-ups) case side expansion and contraction will cause any problems with "self-destruction" of the case -- everything is expanding or contracting in about the same amount, in the same direction, and at the same time. This assumes that you are using the same species of wood throughout for the outside of the case, and that all of the boards have more or less the same moisture content at the time of construction. If you use different species of wood, say, for the sides and for the top/bottom, then expansion and contraction will depend on the specific woods used. If the co-efficients of expansion for each of the species of wood are pretty close, it probably won't make any practical difference, but if they're not, then you'd have to build in such a way as to take that difference into account. And, as an example of the differences in expansion in relation to grain direction in even the same species: a 40 inch wide oak table top will expand and contract, IIRC, somewhere around 3/8" through out the year (depending on the fluctuations of humidity in the area) -- something that would certainly have to be accounted for if you put breadboards on the ends of the table.....

Back to the subject at hand: A T&G plane could be very useful in building (solid wood) cabinets -- especially for increasing glueing surface for multi-board glue-ups, if you wanted to build them using frame and panel style construction, and/or for backboards, but it's probably not a necessity....

Just some thoughts on the idea.....

Matthew Hills
12-22-2011, 6:16 PM
I've normally seen it used for things like cabinet backs:
http://villagecarpenter.blogspot.com/2011/10/simple-t-bookshelf.html

A one-trick pony, but reportedly works well.

Have heard that Lee Valley is coming out with something for T&G work. Believe it was fittings for their plow plane, and the set could handle a range of thicknesses.

Matt