Veritas Shooting Plane quite a bit out of square. How important is this?

[Andrey Kharitonkin]

Why wouldn't you hand lap the angle precisely square?

I probably would. There are drilled holes on small surface. They seem to be drilled parallel to the big surface. So, if I lap the small one to square the plane should be fully functional.

[Andrey Kharitonkin]

While we are on shooting plane topic, I've heard in this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLWntsttKKo) Tom Fidgen saying that he tried to sharpen the blade at 20 degree angle.

That, plus skewed blade, worked for him amazingly, it seems.

At 4:05 minutes he says that: https://youtu.be/nLWntsttKKo?t=4m5s

[Shane MacMillan]

Were you able to get the issue resolved? I picked up one today in Ottawa and found the same issue and will be returning it tomorrow and backorder one of the new ones coming.

[Hasin Haroon]

Hi Shane. The plane that I pictured in this thread was within the 3 thousandths tolerance, and Veritas intentionally makes their shooting planes just slightly acute (I believe they include this info in a little pamphlet with the new planes). So really there was nothing wrong with it. I would suggest checking yours against a known flat surface with feeler gauges if you have one. If I could delete this thread I would, but unfortunately cannot. I didn’t post an update as the thread got pretty irrelevant and out of hand, and I hoped it would just get buried....Hope this helps!

[Shane MacMillan]

Hi Shane. The plane that I pictured in this thread was within the 3 thousandths tolerance, and Veritas intentionally makes their shooting planes just slightly acute (I believe they include this info in a little pamphlet with the new planes). So really there was nothing wrong with it. I would suggest checking yours against a known flat surface with feeler gauges if you have one. If I could delete this thread I would, but unfortunately cannot. I didn’t post an update as the thread got pretty irrelevant and out of hand, and I hoped it would just get buried....Hope this helps!

Thanks for the update, adds good closure to the thread as well.

[Blair Swanson]

Greetings all. This has been a most fascinating thread & I would like to post here being that Lee Valley & Veritas are so well respected in this particular woodworking community.
I have nothing but admiration for the product & C.S. that I have experienced over the last 4 decades or so & it isn't often that you'll hear those words in any context from me.
A couple months ago I placed an order for the Veritas LA Jack w/PM-V11 & it has been on back order since then due to production delays/problems. It's making me a little nervous; QC & all, considering the unidentified source of these delays.
I have heard "rumoured everythings" from the bodies being manufactured in Austria (???) - to only back orders are being considered before re-stock (which doesn't instil a whole lot of confidence in the issue being rectified). I've already got 2 extra blades waiting for the body so I can go ahead with cambering.
Is there any definitive news out there on this issue of delays? I am a bit disappointed that this is being left up in the air, so to speak. I apologize if I've missed something on this elsewhere.
I look forward to participating on the forum & thank you all for your learned input in many facets of our passion. Be well.
Blair.

[sean contenti]

Last I recall seeing from Rob Lee was that the addition of Bubinga to the CITES conventions had accelerated a switch to torrefied maple for all totes and knobs - and that there were production issues with scaling up to the required rate.

No idea if that's still current for LV, as this was a number of months ago.

[Simon MacGowen]

A quick call or email to their c.s. should bring you the update you want. No guessing.

Simon

[Frederick Skelly]

Last I recall seeing from Rob Lee was that the addition of Bubinga to the CITES conventions had accelerated a switch to torrefied maple for all totes and knobs - and that there were production issues with scaling up to the required rate.

No idea if that's still current for LV, as this was a number of months ago.

Welcome Blair. Look forward to hearing more from you.

I tried to find the thread Sean mentioned just now and couldnt. But my memory matches whst Sean said. I agree with Simon - call LV and get the story. They will tell you what they can.
Fred

[Blair Swanson]

Welcome Blair. Look forward to hearing more from you.

I tried to find the thread Sean mentioned just now and couldnt. But my memory matches whst Sean said. I agree with Simon - call LV and get the story. They will tell you what they can.
Fred

Thanks Sean. Thanks for your greetings Fred. I'm aware of the change over to maple & have seen the new ones on the custom bench planes in stock but nothing yet on the others. (I have 3 of the Veritas PM-V11 chisels w/that wood & they're very nice.) I've got a nice piece of that roasted maple that I'm saving for the right place.
As a side: I sure wish they would have kept the original single rod attachment to the body. This would have facilitated my preferred "traditional"(forward lean) shape totes that are optional on the customs.

A quick call or email to their c.s. should bring you the update you want. No guessing.

Simon

Talked to them a few days ago re. an oversight on my end with my back order, but will phone again after the long weekend & inquire. I'm not sure I'll get anything too definite. Both stores in Toronto can't seem to get answers either. I suspect there's more to it than handles.

[J. Greg Jones]

Here is the link to the discussion where Rob explained the situation, post #13 in the thread.

Hi,


We’re currently experiencing a production issue with wood parts (ironically). Since we’ve brought all handles in-house, we’ve been challenged to catch up with orders, let alone get ahead. We have stopped actively marketing many of the products, and expect to have our act together soon. New equipment has been ordered/installed, and we are looking at a second shift to catch up. We have more than 1000 finished planes waiting for handles...


It has been a challenge to convert to a torrefied wood, and we did not anticipate how steep and how long the learning curve was.


Please accept my apologies for the delays - we have good people working hard to get out of a sticky situation.


Rob Lee
Lee Valley and Veritas

[Rob Lee]

Hi Blair,

Thanks for your order, and your patience as we work through our production problems. While we are not out of the woods yet, our manufacturing team has made great progress reworking our production process for wood parts, and is close to getting out of the hole. We are back on double shifts, new equipment has been installed, and we are producing parts with far greater efficiency. A plane handle used to take about 30 minutes of labor to produce, and we’re now closer to 15 minutes, with a target of 8. We have a “burn down” plan for our backlog, and are tracking progress daily. We have scaled labor and equipment as much as we can without building a new facility, and have made excellent progress in optimizing the use of all of our resources.

While we catch up, we have been “parking” new product (ouch) until we restore a capacity cushion.

It hasn’t been an easy issue to address, and it has had our full attention for months now.

All of your patience is not taken for granted ....

Sincerely,

Rob Lee

[Blair Swanson]

Thanks J. & Rob. Understanding the source of anything always builds confidence. Wishing you all the best in your efforts Rob. You have my sincere empathy. All in - my new Jack will surely be a "slice"!
B.

[Jim Koepke]

Howdy Blair and welcome to the Creek.

Amazing how many of life's questions can be answered just by asking.

jtk

[John C Cox]

In all honesty - I would much rather LV have the problem of can't keep up because of too much demand for their product than the opposite...

Dealing with the learning curves of new equipment and new employees to keep up with demand is a good problem to have.