I'm sneaking out of work early tomorrow to attend the Lie-Nielsen tool event in Chicago. I'm new to hand tools and have never used a hand plane before so I look forward trying them out for the first time. Since they have a lot of options and I doubt I'll get a chance to try them all, which ones would you recommend as must try?
Aside from building a bench I would like to build a few bookshelves and a coffee table. If that all goes well then I'll move on to a desk. With that said, I'd like to try out the #4, #7 and maybe the LA jack.
I don't know if my first purchase will be a LN but I'd at least like to see what a nicely tuned up plane is supposed to feel like.