After planing a splendid piece of white oak 5" wide & 1.5" thick I decided it needed a beaded corner instead of just rounded. I assembled the 3/8 beading cutter and long rods on my combination plane. Gingerly I lowered the cutter, balanced the plane and began my cut. It did not go well. I adjusted the skates. I lifted the back of the plane and managed to start a groove. I worked backwards gradually. Keeping the plane level is very difficult. If you put your thumb on top of the fence and your work piece you get more control and possibly some splinters. The brass knobs repeatedly came loose and caused wracking of the plane. My cut wavered, wobbled & jammed. The fence is not long enough at full extension I said to myself, have to replace it with a longer one (have some black walnut for that). Despite being fully on the rod the brass screws came loose. The knobs are a bit small. The skate knobs are a bit bigger and feel much better in the fingers.

After half an hour I looked at the hacked up bead, the blade cuts string but does not seem that sharp. I tried it left hand, right hand but no joy. I removed the left side altogether. I put the plane down turned the wood around and glued my slab of black walnut over the oak, almost hiding the attempt, a block plane round over it is.

Then I noticed my phone had rung. I called back. "Lee Valley here just wondering how your combination plane is going?" "It seems you are the only person to have bought one in south west Ontario". "We have had reports of wracking, how is yours?" Well knock me down with a feather!

I explained what I had been doing that morning. The fence is too short, the rods too short, the knobs are too small & come loose and yes it ends up wracking. It is also horrible to balance sideways and with the skate. The little blade knob stops you using the left skate properly as the head jams up against it.

I explained the tester for the product must have had their eyes closed. If the rods were wider the screw area on the rod could be larger and more effective.

She invited me to return it if I wish. I have to try some other cuts with it. My oak bead cut was not the easiest but the other issues at full extension won't go away.

My gut feeling also says the blade bed angle is wrong and the blades are not that sharp.