Purchase Decision: My First Quality Bench Plane

[Jeff Moore]

OK guys, I've been a good boy this year (mostly), and have been frugal with my spending (mostly). So in 2008 I am going to reward myself by upgrading my junky hand tools; one per month, sort of a tool-of-the-month thing.

My first purchase is going to be a smoothing plane. I have decided on the Lie-Nielsen #4-1/2. What I'm unsure about are the available options. The first is corrugated sole or flat. The second is the high-angle frog, and of course within the HAF option is the decision to go with the 50 degree HAF or the 55 degree HAF. I just got off the phone with a very helpful fellow at Craftsman Studio and he's convinced me the HAF option is the way to go. Then after speaking with him, looking at the LN website, I realized there is both a 50 and a 55 degree HAF option.

I'd appreciate your input and thoughts on the HAF option, as well as the corrugated sole option (which he thinks is basically a waste of money).

Thanks in advance for your input.

[Jesse Cloud]

In my opinion, worth what you are paying for it, the big advantage to a corrugated sole is that there is less material to remove when flattening the sole. If I were buying an old stanley of any size, I would definitely look for corrugated. If I were buying a new LN and the sole wasn't flat, I would send it back - not likely to happen though, I'll bet your LN arrives dead flat.

Keep us informed on 'tool of the month' - what a cool idea!

[Wilbur Pan]

Quick answers:

Flat sole, go with the standard angle until you find the board that you can't plane, then get a HAF.

Longer answers:

Personally, I've never been convinced that corrugation really helped out a plane in terms of reducing friction. If you really need it, a bit of paraffin wax rubbed across the sole does wonders.

The downside of a HAF is that it will make the plane harder to push. Since this is your first plane, unless you are looking to plane birdseye maple right off the bat, a standard angle plane will work well for nearly anything you throw at it. Making sure that you have a really sharp blade and that you have the mouth closed down tight for difficult grain helps a lot. And you can always go to a scraper in the meantime.

Besides, this will give you an excuse to buy a HAF plane in the future. ;) My rule of thumb is that for hand tools, purchase decisions should be made with an eye to leaving open an excuse to go shopping in the future.

[Randy Klein]

I went with the standard bench angle (45 deg). A sharp iron and a tight mouth will handle almost all domestic woods.

If I come across a board I can't handle, I can then decide if I should get a HAF or just get a new iron and hone a back bevel on it.

[Marcus Ward]

If I come across a board I can't handle, I can then decide if I should get a HAF or just get a new iron and hone a back bevel on it.

This is true. A 10 deg back bevel on a normal iron is the same as a 55 deg high angle frog. And a lot cheaper too.

[Jack Camillo]

"Besides, this will give you an excuse to buy a HAF plane in the future. ;) My rule of thumb is that for hand tools, purchase decisions should be made with an eye to leaving open an excuse to go shopping in the future."

I like your thinking, Wilbur. In fact, I live by it. And I also second the advice - get a standard, high quality plane, and work it. It'll do you justice, and offer the opportunity to diversify if necessary.

[Mark Stutz]

The only reason to get a corrugated LN is if you like the looks,IMO, but it will add nothing to performance. I also agrre on the standard angle frog. Unless you're working with hard tropicals or highly figured wood, the standard angle will handle all you can throw at it, and will be easier to use, especially if this is your first planMark

[gary Zimmel]

Jeff

One of the first LN bench planes I got was a 4 1/2 with the standard frog and have been very happy with it.
Watch yourself cause as you get one they will seem to multiply before your eyes.
It wasn't a long time ago I got that first one and now seem to have a couple more. (well maybe a few more than a couple)
My 5 1/2 has the HAF. Because of the extra mass I believe it's better suited for the HAF than the 4 1/2.
If you want it to look really pretty get it with coco....

[Mike Cutler]

Looks like ypu got all the info about angles already, so I'll just affirm your decision.
The LN 4 1/2 is an excellent plane. It was my 2nd LN plane, after the 60 1/2.
It is true, that they do tend to multiply.:D,;)

[Don C Peterson]

I went with the standard bench angle (45 deg). A sharp iron and a tight mouth will handle almost all domestic woods.

If I come across a board I can't handle, I can then decide if I should get a HAF or just get a new iron and hone a back bevel on it.

While I agree with the advice to get the normal frog to begin with, I have not been a big fan of back bevels on bevel down planes. Sure a back bevel can yeild the same results as a HAF, and at first it seems like a bargain because you saved the $70 for the HAF. The problem is that back bevels, once they are established are not easy to get rid of, so you wind up buying additional irons, so much of your savings evaporates. My personal experience is that with the LN bench planes the HAF is well worth having. I just don't like sharpening back bevels, and would rather spend the little extra money to avoid it...

[Steve Wargo]

I will second the motion to disregard the back bevel. I've found nothing but problems with them and find the amount of time it takes to repair the edge greatly increases come sharpening time. I personally like the HAF but I'm a pretty big guy and don't have much problem pushing any plane. I owned a LN 4 1/2 with HAF for many years and thought it to be an outstanding tool. Congrats on your decision to upgrade. You'll be pleased.

[Marcus Ward]

It's only expensive if you don't have an extra blade, or extra plane. I have several 4s and 5s so having a couple set up with back bevels is no big deal. Let's see, I paid 12$ for my nice #4 1/2C type 8. :\

[Jake Helmboldt]

FWIW I just got the 4 1/2 LN and it is very nice. I got it at LN while in Maine; I grew up right down the road. I went in thinking of getting the low angle smoother, but not convinced and came out with the 4.5. I plan to do some larger pieces in the next couple years and have a nicely tuned vintage Bailey. So think about why you want the 4 1/2 because the 4 is very nice for the way it just glides around.

As for HAF, I chose the regular frog and even on figured cherry it does well to minimize tearout and I've not closed up the mouth. I have a boat load of cherry (an entire tree air drying) and I also like maple as well so the guy at LN suggested the normal frog. So far so good.

A sharp iron, thin shavings, and a waxed sole on the Bailey (with a thicker LN iron) has allowed me to plane birdseye maple with very minimal tearout.

[Corvin Alstot]

I personally like the HAF but I'm a pretty big guy and don't have much problem pushing any plane. I owned a LN 4 1/2 with HAF for many years and thought it to be an outstanding tool. Congrats on your decision to upgrade. You'll be pleased.
I second the HAF with the LN 4 1/2. Of course I prefer a lot of figured in my hardwoods.