Shoulder plane help?

[James K Peterson]

I need to get a shoulder plane :D
I've been trying to get one on ebay and keeping my eye on Walt's and Sandy's sites, but no luck.

Would buying a newly made Stanley 93 be a good choice? or should I save up some more and buy a LV medium (or maybe one of those premium stanley's coming out?) :confused:

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
James

[Chris Kennedy]

I needed a shoulder plane and bought the LV medium as a bit of splurge since I had a windfall at the time. Seriously, I think it is one of the best purchases I have ever made. It has been incredibly useful and it is a very well made tool. Worth the investment.

Cheers,

Chris

[lowell holmes]

I absolutely agree with Chris.

You know the old saying : buy a good tool and cry when you pay for it, buy a cheap tool and cry every time you use it.

I acquired mine as a Christmas present from my wife.

[Bill Moser]

James - If you're going to buy only one shoulder plane, go for one in the medium/large range. I have several record/preston clones (clifton 410, 3110, ln 073). of those, I'd pick the 3110 as most versatile, since it can do bullnose work as well. The LN 073 clone is very heavy -- not good for smaller tenons. My largest (in width, at 1 1/8", but not in weight -- the LN is the king there) is my shepherd tool works (spiers clone) large shoulder plane kit, and its also my favorite. Shepherd Tool went out of business a couple of years ago, unfortunately. I've never used one, but the lv shoulder planes look really cool. If you buy new, and can afford it, I'd go with one of the larger lv offerings (based only on my happy experience with their other tools)
-regards,
bill

[Brent Smith]

Hi James,

Pass on the newer Stanley 93 and save up for a LV or LN. My preferance is the LV med shoulder.

[Mike Henderson]

Hi James,

Pass on the newer Stanley 93 and save up for a LV or LN. My preferance is the LV med shoulder.
I agree with Brent. I had a Stanley 93 and was not satisfied with it. I later purchased the LV medium shoulder plane and it was wonderful.

Mike

[Pedro Reyes]

I have a Lee Valley Medium Shoulder plane. It is one of the best engineered, best manufactured and best performing tools I have ever used. And to top it off, it is one pretty tool. ;-).

/p

[glenn bradley]

Let's see, does that make me the 6th vote for LV or the seventh? I have the medium and love it. A large would be nice but not at the loss of my medium. Hmmm, Christmas is coming soon, right?

[James K Peterson]

Ok, LV medium it is then, I'll just save a bit more and get the OK from the LOML :D

I'll post back after I get it and play... err.. work with it for awhile;)

Thanks
James

[Michael Sobik]

You won't be sorry. I'm a 95% power tool guy, but I do have a thing for planes. The first time I used my LV medium, I wondered how I ever manged to work without it. It's now one of my most used planes.

[Joe Vincent]

Do you folks also use your shoulder planes on the cheeks of tenons? How about other non-shoulder uses? I see one in my future, but I'd like to get an idea as to its versatility, if any.

[Peter Quadarella]

I was nearly ready to buy one, when I got to pick one up and was saddened to find it did not fit my hand very well. The hole is a little far for my somewhat stubby finger to reach. I'm not sure what to do, given that this shoulder plane gets 99% of the yes votes.

[David Keller NC]

Just my opinion, but I don't use shoulder planes on the cheeks of tenons. The reason is that it's difficult to hold the tool to get an even-thickness shaving, and after several passes you wind up with one side of the tenon narrower than the other (i.e. - a trapezoid shape rather than a rectangle when you look at the end of it).

Instead, I use a float. Lie-Nielsen makes several varieties, and I use the plane-maker's type, simply because I have one and didn't want to spring for both that and the joinery float. I find these tools to be much easier to use to thin out a tenon, as the length makes it easier to hold it horizontal.

[Michael Sobik]

I use mine on tenons, both the cheeks and the shoulders. I also use it to clean up the backside of lips on lipped drawers, any kind of 90 degree mating on moldings or drawer fronts, adding a tiny rabbet to the inside of the tail board on dovetail joints, relieving the bottom of drawer fronts for proper gaps, the list goes on. I thought it would be more specialized that what it actually turned out to be.

If you're a Fine Woodworking member, there's a good article here:

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/ToolGuide/ToolGuidePDF.aspx?id=27126

[Chris Varas]

I apologize for a tag on question but I see that most of you are recommending the LV over the LN. The prices between the 2 are pretty close so I'm guessing most of you feel the LV is the better tool? If so, why do you feel that way?

[Mike Henderson]

I apologize for a tag on question but I see that most of you are recommending the LV over the LN. The prices between the 2 are pretty close so I'm guessing most of you feel the LV is the better tool? If so, why do you feel that way?
I believe the LN is based on the Record 073 shoulder plane. I didn't own the LN but I did own the Record 073. The LV is much better than the Record - just fits my hand better. Also, the 073 was too big. The LV medium is just the right size for the work I do.

I sold the 073.

Mike

[Pedro Reyes]

I apologize for a tag on question but I see that most of you are recommending the LV over the LN. The prices between the 2 are pretty close so I'm guessing most of you feel the LV is the better tool? If so, why do you feel that way?

I think the LV was designed with not only great ergonomins but also ease of use in mind, setting it up is easy, I have not used a LN shoulder plane, but the LV has adjustment screws to tweak it in almost every feature (mouth opening, blade, etc.).

To answer another question: Do I use it to trim cheeks as well? I prefer a LN rabbet block plane, also a beauty, or my LN 140 (ditto) but only because I have them, you know this slippery slope. I could do fine with just the LN shoulder plane, and if I had to even just chisels, but I'm no chisel ninja yet. I have not cut a dado that wide yet, so I have not used it for dado bottoms yet. In summary, if it is not endgrain I usually go for another tool.

/p

[Larry Fox]

Another vate for the LV Medium. Pretty incredible tool and I have found tons of uses for it. I, like at least one other poster, received mine as an XMAS present.

[Chris Friesen]

I apologize for a tag on question but I see that most of you are recommending the LV over the LN. The prices between the 2 are pretty close so I'm guessing most of you feel the LV is the better tool? If so, why do you feel that way?

The LN has a polished brass lever cap, while the LV one is black, but has a swivel knob for easier pushing. The LN blade is A2, the LV blade is A2 or O1 depending on preference. The LV also has four setscrews to set the side-to-side blade alignment, and a hole to stick a finger through for a more secure grip without having to squeeze the plane.

The LN is a more "pretty" tool, the LV has a more utilitarian look.

The LN is 3/4" (0.75") wide, the LV is 0.7" wide so it can fit into slightly narrow grooves/dados.

They feel different in the hand...if you can, try them both.

[Don Naples]

Another option is a plane from HNT Gordon.
http://www.hntgordon.com.au/productioncat.htm

He states the purpose as:"Clean up the shoulders of tenons across the grain or a rebate with the grain. Can reverse the blade for use as a scraper on cranky grain." That is a handy feature.

I use one of his shoulder planes frequently. It has a good feel and the iron holds a good edge (Rc-62-64)

[Thomas Pender]

Like many of the others I have the LV Medium and value it. I use it to clean out dadoes, rabbets, grooves, you name it. I will admit it is also pretty :D and that folks have admired it. I intend to buy a large shoulder plane soon. Its kind of funny, the older and more experienced I get, the more I like really good hand tools. Just wait until you use a LV jointer plane for a few hours - it beats weightlifiting.;)

[Steve Thomas]

Another option is a plane from HNT Gordon.
http://www.hntgordon.com.au/productioncat.htm

He states the purpose as:"Clean up the shoulders of tenons across the grain or a rebate with the grain. Can reverse the blade for use as a scraper on cranky grain." That is a handy feature.

I use one of his shoulder planes frequently. It has a good feel and the iron holds a good edge (Rc-62-64)



Great Plane..
I have on too. The 3/4" version.
I also have the LV medium.

I like the HNT Gordon the best. Both give the same performance. and it only takes about 7minutes to learn to set the wedge correctly.

Go for either one.

[Peter Quadarella]

Thanks for the alternative suggestion! I will take a closer look at the HNT Gordon :).

[Mark Roderick]

I love my Lee Valley shoulder plane. I used it recently while making the lip on the top of a jewelry box. I hogged off most of the material with a dado blade on my radial arm saw (forgive me, purists), then cleaned them up beautifully with the shoulder plane.