New Veritas router plane

[Dave Lehnert]

Have you seen the new Router Plane by Lee Valley? What are your thoughts? Seems priced kinda high to me.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=52609&cat=1,41182,48945

[Mike Wenzloff]

Hi Dave,

Priced high is kinda relative. I can purchase a Stanley/Sargent/Millers Falls smoother for over $100 less than a LN or LV equivilant as well...

But I bet the RP from LV works better than my Stanley or Millers Falls router plane, at least in the sense of cutter adjustment and the fence.

That's my 2 cents...Mike

[Doug Shepard]

I agree. When you compare the size and amount of metal involved to their other planes, it does seem a tad high. That didn't stop me from ordering one though. It's on BO for about a week. Now that's just cruel.

[Ken Garlock]

In this age of of routers and dado blades, it looks like a solution looking for a problem. :confused:

[Dan Forman]

I think that the amount of material is not so much of a factor as the manufacturing process itself. The actual cast iron in probably only a small fraction of the cost. It most likely costs just about as much to manufacture as any of the other planes.

Dan

[Mike Wenzloff]

In this age of of routers and dado blades, it looks like a solution looking for a problem. :confused:
It depends. If the mindset is to use handtools to solve the build issues that arise instead of a screaming machine (now you know my mindset) then it is the proper tool for leveling out the cut first produced by other hand tools.

If, on the otherhand, one wishes to use electric routers and dado blades fitted in another electric machine, then it is definitely a tool that will confound and frustrate.

But I'd be willing to bet who late at night enoys the quiet of the shop, with the only sounds being produced by a hand plane or handsaw...

Take care, Mike

[Chris Barton]

Two for one beers for $1 seems expensive to the man that only has fifty cents. So, I guess that price is relative. However, I love gadgets and plan to make a home for one of these in my shop. I can think of many little chores for which it will work perfectly. I try to look at planes like watches. You can get a Timex that will tell time at a bargain price or you can get an Omega that sets the rythm to your heart...

[Jim Becker]

In this age of of routers and dado blades, it looks like a solution looking for a problem.

Perhaps, but even if you cut a groove, rebate or dado with an electric tool, such as a router or dado stack in a table saw, you may want to clean and/or refine the bottom of the cut by hand when you are working in solid stock and really want things crisp. There are many ways to do that; this is just another option. Regardless, Lee Valley has once again shown some great engineering as they continue to create new "modern" versions of classic hand planes.

[Keith Hooks]

I'm definitely adding this one to my wish list. I definitely enjoy the satisfaction of using hand tools and you can't discount the benefit of having more options for getting the job done.

[Mark Singer]

I have a couple of Stanley 71 planes ...I don't use them often...but when you need one they are great! Somtimes a piece is too small or aawkward for a router or even a shoulder plane...It is good to have one for unusual problems..

[Rich Tesoroni]

I'm not sure I get the fence. Can only use close to the edge and no nickers to score the edges of the cut.

Without having side by side, does it have more surface area sitting on the wood than the Stanley?

Rich

[Alex Yeilding]

A minority opinion here.

First of all, it is a beautiful tool, which I would love to have in my shop. But if I were given a $135 Lee Valley gift certificate, or ten such certificates for that matter, other fine Veritas tools would show up here instead.

Why? This, to me, is like a scrub plane--not often used, and when it is, a super-fine finish is not needed. In both cases, a realatively crude shop-built tool does the job. My scrub plane was practice for maybe making a decent wood-bodied plane some day, and works well when I need it. My router plane does the same job as this beauty for $120 less (assuming I "charge" myself the market price for some scrap cherry I had around the shop and for the replacment of the hex key I used for the iron). In either case, if I were using the tool a lot, I might justify buying a well-made tool or spend more time crafting a better shop-built one. But what I have meets my needs just fine.

If anyone thinks I am bluffing, just call my bluff and send the gift certificate(s) to see. ;)

[Charles Stanford]

Have you seen the new Router Plane by Lee Valley? What are your thoughts? Seems priced kinda high to me.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=52609&cat=1,41182,48945

My thoughts? Will it really do anything the one I have won't already do?

Can't imagine anybody buying one of these who already has an old Stanley or Record.

Good looking tool, though. Hats off to L-V.