Ideas for Veritas' next tool

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Hey Rob, I know you lurk here. I'm going to waive my usual fee for my intellectual property. (The usual fee is $0.01, although admittedly overpriced.) Here is what I would like to see come out of Veritas


A compass plane like the Stanley 20, but with Veritas modern engineering
A high quality level with a beveled edge ruler on one side and a flat on the other- like if your aluminum straight edge, a level, and a ruler all stepped into that machine from the movie "The Fly" and came out as one mutated tool. Make the markings start at a zero line so I can accurately mark from zero rather than starting at 1.
Chisel slicks in 2, 2.5, 3, and 3.5" or metric equivalent sizes. Long handles, hefty built, and offered in O1, A2, and PMV11.
Drafting/lofting ducks with black crinkle finish, quality pads, and stainless points. Make the "tail" pointed so you can use them to leverage against tight curves from the inside. Also sell a spline with a groove that the points fit into so the spline doesn't slip.


That's the short list. Anyone else want to chime in on tools you wish Veritas made?

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Wow, why did I not know they sold a slick? Seems it's out of stock for another 7 months.
http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=62599&cat=1,41131

[Jessica de Boer]

A number 3 plane.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

A number 3 plane.

I never realized they don't have a No. 3. That's a good addition.

[Tom M King]

That's a good price on that slick. Looks like another tool I'll have to have.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

That's a good price on that slick. Looks like another tool I'll have to have.

Cheaper than many used ones on eBay, and looks to be properly elevated at the handle and flat the entire length of the blade.

[Kurt Cady]

A number 3 plane.


Seconded

thirded. Fourthed

fifthed...

[Albert Dao]

I'd be happy to see the triumphant return of the April Fool's line.

[Simon MacGowen]

Drafting/lofting ducks with black crinkle finish, quality pads, and stainless points. Make the "tail" pointed so you can use them to leverage against tight curves from the inside. Also sell a spline with a groove that the points fit into so the spline doesn't slip.
[/LIST]

+1. Brass, S.S., black, whatever

Simon

[Hasin Haroon]

A veritas sliding bevel is what I want...

[Simon MacGowen]

A veritas sliding bevel is what I want...

Not sure why they have discontinued producing them (large and small).

Simon

[Tony Wilkins]

A veritas sliding bevel is what I want...

I kept saying I would get one with a future order and then they were gone before I got one :sad:

[Brian Hale]

A Veritas version of the Stanley #48

[Tyler Bancroft]

A #3 would be excellent.

[David Justice]

How about they have something in stock...anything, before we start asking for new stuff. I haven't bought anything there is over a year because every time I go to buy something it's out of stock. I've about given up on that brand.

[Aaron Rosenthal]

In think they have a bevel up equivalent of a #3. It's called the small smoothing plane.
I have a 3 already, with the Veritas blade
What a sweet unit! I'm not sure if a Norris adjuster would be better, but I agree, even if I never got one, it'd be a sure fire addition.

[Josko Catipovic]

Cool ducks and splines, please!

[James Waldron]

Cool ducks and splines, please!

Ducks and splines are typically diy projects for Naval Architects, loftmen, and boat builders. Usage has become rare and these do no represent viable commercial products for a tool company. The are available in specialty (precious) boat building suppliers like Wooden Boat and Duckworks and the like.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Ducks and splines are typically diy projects for Naval Architects, loftmen, and boat builders. Usage has become rare and these do no represent viable commercial products for a tool company. The are available in specialty (precious) boat building suppliers like Wooden Boat and Duckworks and the like.

True- supply and demand might not support it. I thought maybe with hand tool work being popular, maybe old school drafting implements would sell.

[Rob Lee]

Hi Malcolm!

Number three size is headed for pre-production, and there are two bevel designs waiting to get slotted into production. In all, we are sitting on more than a dozen products that are ready to go at this time, with dozens more waiting in the wings.

As I have noted in other threads, we are at capacity right now, and are just finishing major changes to our processes and structure to allow us to get completely caught up. There is light at the end of the tunnel - new machines (faster, and more efficient) are being installed now, with more planned as we bring capacity on line.

However - keep the suggestions coming...our designers are not maxed out!

Cheers -

Rob

[James Waldron]

True- supply and demand might not support it. I thought maybe with hand tool work being popular, maybe old school drafting implements would sell.

Hand drafting is not extinct, quite, but is nearly so. CAD drafting with B-Splines has pretty universally displaced ducks and splines, virtually eliminated the need for lofting and greatly altered the use of (full size) splines for building in commercial production. These old systems survive in amateur work and in historic preservation circles with a very few die hard (struggling) small builders doing traditional building. Even in amateur circles laminated construction (strip planking and/or cold molding) techniques have displaced traditional carvel construction and (epoxy) glued plywood lapstrake construction has overtaken traditional riveted and framed lapstrake building techniques.

[Simon MacGowen]

Hi Malcolm!

In all, we are sitting on more than a dozen products that are ready to go at this time, with dozens more waiting in the wings.


Cheers -

Rob

That's scary!:p

Simon

[J. Greg Jones]

Great news about the #3 production Rob! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Hi Malcolm!

Number three size is headed for pre-production, and there are two bevel designs waiting to get slotted into production. In all, we are sitting on more than a dozen products that are ready to go at this time, with dozens more waiting in the wings.

As I have noted in other threads, we are at capacity right now, and are just finishing major changes to our processes and structure to allow us to get completely caught up. There is light at the end of the tunnel - new machines (faster, and more efficient) are being installed now, with more planned as we bring capacity on line.

However - keep the suggestions coming...our designers are not maxed out!

Cheers -

Rob

Thanks for the reply. This was more me dreaming than anything else.

[Mike Lemon]

Nothing major, but 1/4" hex bits in the proper width (slotted) or size (phillips #3) would be great, especially the longer lengths. A screwdriver handle with a through tang (so it can be hit) and/or a place for a wrench would be good too.

[Curt Putnam]

I'd be really interested in a Veritas miter saw. I think there is a lot of room for a modern miter box with good work holding that is prettier and more substantial than the Nobex. Would complete the whole shooting plane/board sequence.

[Aaron Rosenthal]

Is Derek still getting pre-production evaluation items? Can anyone "encourage" him to give us a hint?

[sean contenti]

Would complete the whole shooting plane/board sequence.

This is true, and I've had the same thought myself. It sets my spidey sense tingling... It would seem to be quite a logical progression.

[Jim Koepke]

That's scary!:p

Simon

Many wallets are a shivering tonight. :eek:

jtk

[Matthew Hartlin]

I've always been a bit surprised of the lack of chairmakers tools, compass plane, scorp, travisher, sliding bevel etc.

But excited to hear the more is on the way!

[Josko Catipovic]

Ducks and splines are typically diy projects for Naval Architects, loftmen, and boat builders. Usage has become rare and these do no represent viable commercial products for a tool company. The are available in specialty (precious) boat building suppliers like Wooden Boat and Duckworks and the like. Well, perhaps we Art Nouveau people are a tiny community too.

[Trevor Wentzel]

Some small things I've always wished Lee Valley would stock.
The Stanley specific sized screws that I can't seem to find. The 10/28...perhaps in brass...
I'd love to replace the broken handle on my son's mini spokeshave.

I would love to see Lee valley expand their saw options, a Veritas panel saw, please.

[Don Orr]

New/updated version of the Stanley 42X saw set. I've been after Tom LN for years to bring this back to life but he says it's just too complicated. It's only 2 castings and some small machined parts. I'll bet Veritas would do it better anyway.

[James Baker SD]

I was going to suggest a complete shooting board to go with the shooting plane I bought a few years back. A too long string of bad health issues has not only kept me out of my shop, but also off the Lee Valley Web site. Last night I see the shooting board is already available. Your designer's brains work faster than mine.

P.S. You don't happen to accept a never used aluminum shooting track as down payment on the complete shooting board? Only joking, as I would not do it as a businessman.

James

[Jim Koepke]

Some small things I've always wished Lee Valley would stock.
The Stanley specific sized screws that I can't seem to find. The 10/28...perhaps in brass...
I'd love to replace the broken handle on my son's mini spokeshave.

I would love to see Lee valley expand their saw options, a Veritas panel saw, please.

Interesting as one of my #42X saw sets is also in need of a 10-28 oval head screw in steel. My current fix is a brass screw that was adapted to the purpose.

How long is the screw you need Trevor?

The die to cut the threads was purchased here:

https://www.victornet.com/subdepartments/Special-Pitch-Dies-up-to-1-2/1350.html

They have a $25 minimum so you may want to see if there is something else you can use like a die holder, taps and tap holders.

Currently my plan is to find a steel #10 fastener that can be used to make the replacement screw. Finding one at a reasonable price would likely be as difficult or more expensive.

jtk

[Trevor Wentzel]

Interesting as one of my #42X saw sets is also in need of a 10-28 oval head screw in steel. My current fix is a brass screw that was adapted to the purpose.

How long is the screw you need Trevor?

The die to cut the threads was purchased here:

https://www.victornet.com/subdepartments/Special-Pitch-Dies-up-to-1-2/1350.html

They have a $25 minimum so you may want to see if there is something else you can use like a die holder, taps and tap holders.

Currently my plan is to find a steel #10 fastener that can be used to make the replacement screw. Finding one at a reasonable price would likely be as difficult or more expensive.

jtk


Hi Jim, the screw is for a Stanley 78. My current solution is having the level cap screw off my 151 serve double duty.

[James Waldron]

Well, perhaps we Art Nouveau people are a tiny community too.

1. How many tools are specifically dedicated to Art Nouveau work, contrasted with, say, 18th Century Philadelphia woodworking? As a tool market, there's very little difference, if any.
2. While I don't have any source of data, I'd guess that "Art Nouveau people" number in tens of thousands among the hundred or so thousands of woodworkers; apart from Asia, traditional carvel planked boat builders and the Naval Architects who service that market currently number in the low hundreds with a few hundred more who may have tried it once and moved on. The majority of those are building small dinghy and skiff designs. Current carvel plank on frame builds over 30 feet are very rare (again apart from traditional craft in Asia).
3. Loftmen are no longer around at all, so that each boat builder has to find a good book on lofting and roll his own - as I think Malcolm has been/will be doing on his current build - or work to computer faired plans and Mylar full-scale templates from the NA.

Remember, the topic at hand is Malcolm's suggestion of ducks and splines as Veritas products. There's no "there" there. :rolleyes:

[Tyler Bancroft]

I'll add in one more request, straight from I-know-it-won't-happen-land: A good ripsaw. Yes, vintage ripsaws are generally available and cheap (I paid $15 for a Disston I'm restoring - but what happens when the supply eventually dries up?), but if you want something new, you're looking at either a) far too much money, or b) hit-and-miss, like a Pax. (I just finished stoning a brand-new Pax rip that came with a loose handle and substantial overset to the left.)

[Josko Catipovic]

I hear you, but oh, how nice it would be to have splines that don't jump out and take out your coffee cup at the worst possible moment... I was just dreaming out loud, more than anything.
And yes, i 'should' learn to draft on the computer... never comes out the same, though.