Jim Koepke
01-29-2017, 9:12 PM
Before leaving for vacation Rob Lee arranged for a Veritas Small Plow Plane (VSPP) and blades to be sent for me to use and review.
I have invited others to come over and give it a try if they would like. If you are in the general area of southern Washington state and would like to give it a try send me a PM. Warning, my shop is a bit of a mess. I have done a little cleaning but there is still plenty of mess. It is also cold this time of year, bundle up. Finally it would have to take place in the next three or four weeks. After all, it is only on loan.
We were out for the day Wednesday shopping. We normally come in to the house’s back door from our car. Later in the evening when Candy went out to secure our chicken for the night she was surprised by a package sitting on our front porch. When I saw the Lee Valley tape my interest grew.
My experience with plow planes includes three planes by Stanley, a #45, a #50, a #55 and also a wooden plow plane. The Veritas Small Plow Plane is most like the Stanley #50 in size and its operation.
352808
Supertool.com (Patrick’s Blood & Gore) lists the Stanley #45 at 9-1/2 pounds. The shipping label on the VSPP said 5 pounds.
The plow plane in this revue is the right handed version. There being both right and left hand versions of a plow plane is great for left handed users. How ever, in some situations with uncooperative grain working a left handed plane may be the best way for a right handed user to avoid tear out. It is possible to set up some older plow planes to work left handed. It is usually rather awkward and isn’t really a left handed plane as much as a plane rigged to have the fence on the other side. I will have to give this a try at being set up backwards later.
The set up of the VSPP is fairly straight forward compared to the #45 or #55. For the smaller plow and beading blades only one skate is used. The #50 also works in this way. The problem with the #50 is the bolt to secure smaller blades is almost always missing in action. The VSPP is shipped standard with a 1/4” blade.
352809
There are two holding screws and one adjusting screw. One of the holding screws comes in from the side to prevent unwanted lateral movement. The other holding screw also secures the lever cap. This gives the lever cap two points of contact holding the blade. The blade depth adjusting screw is a 10-32 thread for blade adjustments. Both the side and lever cap screw should be loosened during depth adjustments. At first the adjuster seemed small. With the size of the plane body, it is likely as big as it can be. The adjusting screw is an interesting piece in it self. The ring engaging the blade notch rotates freely on the screw body. This should help to prevent lateral deflection while adjusting cutting depth.
The fence design makes this plane more comfortable to use than its ancestors. Many plow planes have the rods secured to the plane’s main body. The fence is slid along the rods to the desired position to be held in place by bolts on the fence. This usually leaves the rods sticking out where one wants to find a grip. The VSPP uses a different approach with the rods attached to the fence. The fence’s position is then held by two collets on the planes main body. My left hand felt right at home on the contoured bridge arm of the fence casting. This also contributed to a better sense of control. The collets seemed to work well even with my bare, slightly arthritic hands doing the tightening. Maybe it is because the collets use eight segments. They held tight during my use.
A welcome surprise was even though this is a small plane, the open ended handle made it very comfortable in my hands. The closed handle design on my Stanley plow planes feels cramped at times.
352810
Here the plane is being used with a 1/4” blade right out of the box. The Veritas blades each come with a label warning users to be careful due to the blade’s sharpness. They are not kidding. Most of the blades I have received from other makers mention the blades may need a little honing before use.
The VSPP has a varried assortment of blades. There are both metric and Imperial size blades. There are 9 metric sizes from 4mm to 18mm. From 8mm to 18mm are listed in only in even sizes. The Imperial sizes run from 1/8” to 3/4” in 1/16” increments. At 7/16” or 12mm and above the blades require a conversion kit to be used. There are also six tongue-cutting blades available for the VSPP, three in Imperial sizes 1/8”, 3/16”, 1/4” plus three metric sizes 4mm, 5mm and 6mm. The larger blades are made so as to be used in either the left or right hand plane configurations.
There are three beading blades available, 1/8, 1/16 & 1/4” with each being available in left or right hand versions for their respective plane bodies.
One of the beading cutters was tried and wasn’t different in use than setting up with a plowing blade.
The tricky set up was with a tongue-cutting blade. To use any of these the conversion kit is needed. There is also a shaving diverter to install in place of the depth gauge. The set up of a tongue is easier if the diverter is put in place before the blade. Also before installing the blade is the blade’s depth stop. This needs to be set lower on the blade for everything to fit together properly.
352814
This shows the blade’s depth adjuster set against part the body casting under the blade. The chip diverter is above the blade. In this position the blade is just shy of engagement in the work. It makes me shiver to think of the maths that went into getting all of these parts just right.
With the 1/4” tongue-cutter the chip diverter helps to keep the shavings from jamming. Each tongue-cutting blade is supplied with a chip diverter and an allen wrench to adjust the depth stop on the blade.
A question that seems to come up at times about this plane is if it can use blades made for the Stanley #45 or #55.
The answer is not as simple as yes or no. A picture of the blades might help:
352811
The top blade is from my #50. It is shorter than all the others. The two center blades are from a Stanley #45 or #55. They are longer than the Veritas blades. To use them in the VSPP the adjusting screw must be removed. The blade then needs to be set by feel, just like my #50.
352812
Larger Stanley beading would likely be problematic if one attempted to use them. One problem is the length of the side holding screw. The next is with the adjustable skate:
352813
The conversion kit for larger blades doesn’t have a bevel to allow the needed clearance for a typical beading blade. A special blade with a wider quirk on the outside of the bead might work. One has to remember this is a Small Plow Plane. It is nimble and capable of very good work. How ever, when it gets to the heavier work, just like working with bench planes, a bigger brother might be better.
This will be continued later with some thoughts, musings and possibly more pictures, especially if they are requested.
jtk
I have invited others to come over and give it a try if they would like. If you are in the general area of southern Washington state and would like to give it a try send me a PM. Warning, my shop is a bit of a mess. I have done a little cleaning but there is still plenty of mess. It is also cold this time of year, bundle up. Finally it would have to take place in the next three or four weeks. After all, it is only on loan.
We were out for the day Wednesday shopping. We normally come in to the house’s back door from our car. Later in the evening when Candy went out to secure our chicken for the night she was surprised by a package sitting on our front porch. When I saw the Lee Valley tape my interest grew.
My experience with plow planes includes three planes by Stanley, a #45, a #50, a #55 and also a wooden plow plane. The Veritas Small Plow Plane is most like the Stanley #50 in size and its operation.
352808
Supertool.com (Patrick’s Blood & Gore) lists the Stanley #45 at 9-1/2 pounds. The shipping label on the VSPP said 5 pounds.
The plow plane in this revue is the right handed version. There being both right and left hand versions of a plow plane is great for left handed users. How ever, in some situations with uncooperative grain working a left handed plane may be the best way for a right handed user to avoid tear out. It is possible to set up some older plow planes to work left handed. It is usually rather awkward and isn’t really a left handed plane as much as a plane rigged to have the fence on the other side. I will have to give this a try at being set up backwards later.
The set up of the VSPP is fairly straight forward compared to the #45 or #55. For the smaller plow and beading blades only one skate is used. The #50 also works in this way. The problem with the #50 is the bolt to secure smaller blades is almost always missing in action. The VSPP is shipped standard with a 1/4” blade.
352809
There are two holding screws and one adjusting screw. One of the holding screws comes in from the side to prevent unwanted lateral movement. The other holding screw also secures the lever cap. This gives the lever cap two points of contact holding the blade. The blade depth adjusting screw is a 10-32 thread for blade adjustments. Both the side and lever cap screw should be loosened during depth adjustments. At first the adjuster seemed small. With the size of the plane body, it is likely as big as it can be. The adjusting screw is an interesting piece in it self. The ring engaging the blade notch rotates freely on the screw body. This should help to prevent lateral deflection while adjusting cutting depth.
The fence design makes this plane more comfortable to use than its ancestors. Many plow planes have the rods secured to the plane’s main body. The fence is slid along the rods to the desired position to be held in place by bolts on the fence. This usually leaves the rods sticking out where one wants to find a grip. The VSPP uses a different approach with the rods attached to the fence. The fence’s position is then held by two collets on the planes main body. My left hand felt right at home on the contoured bridge arm of the fence casting. This also contributed to a better sense of control. The collets seemed to work well even with my bare, slightly arthritic hands doing the tightening. Maybe it is because the collets use eight segments. They held tight during my use.
A welcome surprise was even though this is a small plane, the open ended handle made it very comfortable in my hands. The closed handle design on my Stanley plow planes feels cramped at times.
352810
Here the plane is being used with a 1/4” blade right out of the box. The Veritas blades each come with a label warning users to be careful due to the blade’s sharpness. They are not kidding. Most of the blades I have received from other makers mention the blades may need a little honing before use.
The VSPP has a varried assortment of blades. There are both metric and Imperial size blades. There are 9 metric sizes from 4mm to 18mm. From 8mm to 18mm are listed in only in even sizes. The Imperial sizes run from 1/8” to 3/4” in 1/16” increments. At 7/16” or 12mm and above the blades require a conversion kit to be used. There are also six tongue-cutting blades available for the VSPP, three in Imperial sizes 1/8”, 3/16”, 1/4” plus three metric sizes 4mm, 5mm and 6mm. The larger blades are made so as to be used in either the left or right hand plane configurations.
There are three beading blades available, 1/8, 1/16 & 1/4” with each being available in left or right hand versions for their respective plane bodies.
One of the beading cutters was tried and wasn’t different in use than setting up with a plowing blade.
The tricky set up was with a tongue-cutting blade. To use any of these the conversion kit is needed. There is also a shaving diverter to install in place of the depth gauge. The set up of a tongue is easier if the diverter is put in place before the blade. Also before installing the blade is the blade’s depth stop. This needs to be set lower on the blade for everything to fit together properly.
352814
This shows the blade’s depth adjuster set against part the body casting under the blade. The chip diverter is above the blade. In this position the blade is just shy of engagement in the work. It makes me shiver to think of the maths that went into getting all of these parts just right.
With the 1/4” tongue-cutter the chip diverter helps to keep the shavings from jamming. Each tongue-cutting blade is supplied with a chip diverter and an allen wrench to adjust the depth stop on the blade.
A question that seems to come up at times about this plane is if it can use blades made for the Stanley #45 or #55.
The answer is not as simple as yes or no. A picture of the blades might help:
352811
The top blade is from my #50. It is shorter than all the others. The two center blades are from a Stanley #45 or #55. They are longer than the Veritas blades. To use them in the VSPP the adjusting screw must be removed. The blade then needs to be set by feel, just like my #50.
352812
Larger Stanley beading would likely be problematic if one attempted to use them. One problem is the length of the side holding screw. The next is with the adjustable skate:
352813
The conversion kit for larger blades doesn’t have a bevel to allow the needed clearance for a typical beading blade. A special blade with a wider quirk on the outside of the bead might work. One has to remember this is a Small Plow Plane. It is nimble and capable of very good work. How ever, when it gets to the heavier work, just like working with bench planes, a bigger brother might be better.
This will be continued later with some thoughts, musings and possibly more pictures, especially if they are requested.
jtk