Put a 55 frog on 5 1/2 plane?

[David Ragan]

I've had this 55 degree frog sitting there forever. Mounted it. Have not actually used it. (Replaced the 45 degree.)

(Actually, the frog is mounted on a bedrock of 20 degrees.)

so, is there any advantage besides being able to tame more wild wood? I normally use maple or mahogany.

It is going to be harder to push the plane through:confused:

Please don't ask something like......If you bought it, and haven't used it in years, and cant remember exactly why you bought it, isn't that stupid?:cool:

[James Baker SD]

Others with more experience can answer, but I put a 55 degree frog in a LN 5-1/2. Yes it is a little harder to push, but I take very thin shavings. I hate sandpaper and I use a lot of semi exotic woods with wicked grains (I'm a sucker for wild grain when I am in the lumber yard). It leaves a really slick surface, maybe too slick for some surface finishes, but I almost always rub in oil on my projects. I am hobbyist and everything I make is kept somewhere in our house. Not sure it helps on wood with tame grain.

[Stephen Rosenthal]

Can't comment directly about a 55 degree frog, but here's what I've been using for gnarly domestic and exotic hardwoods with great results: LN 5 1/2 with a toothed blade in a 45 degree frog, followed by regular bladed York Pitch LN #7 and a LN #4 with 45 degree frog. I originally purchased the #5 1/2 with the York Pitch frog but was disappointed in the way it performed (hard to push and still a good amount of tearout). So I decided to switch frogs with the #7 and, after reading a lot of differing opinions, decided to take a chance and shelled out the $$ for the toothed blade. While this setup won't work for all woods, it has been a lifesaver for the wickedly grained stuff. The only downside in using the toothed blade is that it clogs easily and requires frequent cleaning.