LN Low Angle (Bevel Up) Jointer - Lateral Adjusting Issues?

[Ryan Michel]

I have spent a few days reading the various (hundreds of) posts on the LA (or bevel up) jointer (and jack planes) and am 90% sure I am going to purchase the LN LA #7.5 jointer vs. their standard #7 bench jointer.

My main concern is the lack of lateral adjustment on the LA jointer. Has anyone encountered issues here? Conversely, does anyone find joy in the fact that the blade stays "square" in the throat?

I use the new Veritas honing guide so keeping the blade square shouldnt be too much of an issue, but I am curious to know if this is a troublesome feature.

TIA,

Ryan

[Frank Martin]

Ryan,

I have not used the LN version, so can't help you there.

You probably are already aware but LV Veritas has a low angle jointer plane with lateral adjustment. Actually, I like it more for the set screws than the lateral adjustment feature. It also uses the same blade as their LA jack and bevel up smoother (the heavy one).

[Eddie Darby]

The reason that you don't find set screws on LN planes is because the blade fits properly, and so these are not necessary.

Just keep the blade sharpened at 90 degrees, and there is enough play in the throat to make small adjustments. If you need larger adjustments, then you are not sharpening close enough to 90 degrees, so just go back and resharpen.

[Joel Goodman]

I have the LN 62 and concur that the lateral adjustment is a non issue. I assume the 7 1/2 is the same setup. The blade can be adjusted for square very easily and then stays square as you advance or withdraw the blade. There is enough room for lateral adjustment but not too much -- the blade is much more controlled by the body of the plane than a Bailey -- if that makes sense. I guess what I want to say is that the tolerances are tighter.

[Mike Cutler]

Ryan

I have the LN 7 1/2, and lateral adjustment is not an issue. There is some "wiggle room".

The advice to sharpening to 90 degrees square is good advice, but I have found that the sides of LN blades are not parallel to each other. They're very close though ( I have 15 LN planes). Check the 90 degrees, but the more critical dimension is that the edge of the blade is is parallel to the adjusting nut slot, minus any camber that you elect to put in the blade. You won't have any worries with your Veritas jig. I use the older version of the Veritas jig.

One thing to be forewarned about. That Iron is 1/4' thick, it takes a bit to sharpen and hone it. There is a bit of material to work with on the primary bevel.
It's a beautiful plane, and you won't regret owning one.

[Tony Zaffuto]

I've got the LN low angle jack and the LN low angle jointer. Lateral adjustment is not an issue whatsoever. I have the LV bevel up smoother that has the lateral adjust screws and to tell the truth, I don't like them and keep them set "two tads loose" so that I have the ability to tweak the blade if I need to.

T.Z.

[Tristan Raymond]

I have the LN LA Jack and their LA block plane. The Jack does have some wiggle room which is good as I find that the blade has to be skewed just a little to take an even cut across the blade (and yes, I use the Veritas Mark II guide and my blades are square). The block plane doesn't have much wiggle room and I can't adjust it to get a perfect cut, looks like I'm sending it back to them for adjustment. I like their planes (a lot), but it probably isn't possible for absolute perfect geometric alignment of the blade bed and the sole - at least not at prices mortals can afford. Perhaps the Veritas is milled to closer tolerances, but I doubt it.