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Thread: In this situation...should I just get a Veritas jack plane?

  1. #16
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    Aug 2012
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    I have and use an LV bu jack, jointer and smoother. I use them almost exclusively. I have cambered an iron and mostly use it in the jack but I can use it in the smoother if I want a shorter plane or in the jointer if I choose to. The cambered iron looks a bit strange when compared to a BD plane. It works fine however. I can’t remember the exact angle I put on it. It was a 25* iron and I think I went to about 30*. It’s a PMV 11 iron as a jack it isn’t sharpened often. I do have 2 Bailey #5’s I could use but prefer the LV. It’s not for everyone. I prefer the center of effort, as described well by Derek Cohen, because of severe back problems I have to deal with. If you have a good grinder it’s no big deal to camber an iron.

  2. #17
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    Apr 2015
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sam Shankar View Post
    After reading/listening to a lot of Chris Schwarz stuff, I got interested in buying a vintage pre-war Stanley jack plane. And that has proven to be a harder search and a bigger PITA than I expected, (See the thread immediately below) AND I kind of need a jack plane right now to flatten my new workbench. (I glued it up a little wrong, and it has a 1/32" hill down the middle.)

    Long story short, I was *given* a nearly-new Veritas jointer plane a while ago...along with a brand new toothed and high-angle blade for it(!) A retiring woodworker took interest in me, what can I say. In this situation, I'm thinking of just buying a veritas low-angle jack plane and being done with it. Yeah, it'll cost me $250 as opposed to...say...$75, but because the Veritas blades are compatible, I'll have a nice setup. And I'll just be able to get flattening. Is there something I'm missing (besides the expense vs. 'cool factor' of having a hundred-year-old tool)?
    Pre-war Sweetheart No. 5 available for sale. I have no interest in Jim Bode tools other than very rarely as a customer.

    https://www.jimbodetools.com/product...eetheart-90707
    Last edited by Charles Guest; 03-30-2020 at 4:19 PM.

  3. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by steven c newman View Post
    Try it, and find out.....let us know how it turned out...
    If you can answer my question, that'd be great. If you don't know the answer, well your reply is not very helpful at all.

  4. #19
    A Veritas LAJ is nice to have (I have one) as is a vintage #5 (have 1-2 of those also). However, neither would be my first choice for flattening a workbench. I just flattened mine again this winter, and my jointer plane is the go-to for this task (as others have mentioned). Put the toothed blade in the jointer to rough out the 1/32” hump in the middle of your bench, and put in the standard blade and finish the job. It’s better suited than a #4 or #5 to flatten a bench, plus you already own the jointer.

    And yes, one can camber a BU blade just fine, it just takes a little more work.

  5. #20
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    There IS a WR No. 62 in my shop.....mainly used as a JACK plane/small jointer....not much account as a smoother. I have #3s and #4s for that sort of work.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
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    United Kingdom - Devon
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    No need to worry about it being a certain type of Stanley. Type 19s are great and post war. There are other brands like Record etc. Just pick one that's in good shape.

    A bevel up jack is a fine tool but is less useful than a bevel down with a cap iron.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    N. Idaho
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    I agree with this " However, neither would be my first choice for flattening a workbench. I just flattened mine again this winter, and my jointer plane is the go-to for this task (as others have mentioned). Put the toothed blade in the jointer to rough out the 1/32” hump in the middle of your bench, and put in the standard blade and finish the job. It’s better suited than a #4 or #5 to flatten a bench, plus you already own the jointer"

    A regular #5 is better as a jack and cheaper. Which is good because the LA Jack is good as a shooter, but what you'll really want is the LV Shooting plane....

    Best of luck
    "You can observe a lot just by watching."
    --Yogi Berra

  8. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sam Shankar View Post
    After reading/listening to a lot of Chris Schwarz stuff, I got interested in buying a vintage pre-war Stanley jack plane. And that has proven to be a harder search and a bigger PITA than I expected, (See the thread immediately below) AND I kind of need a jack plane right now to flatten my new workbench. (I glued it up a little wrong, and it has a 1/32" hill down the middle.)

    Long story short, I was *given* a nearly-new Veritas jointer plane a while ago...along with a brand new toothed and high-angle blade for it(!) A retiring woodworker took interest in me, what can I say. In this situation, I'm thinking of just buying a veritas low-angle jack plane and being done with it. Yeah, it'll cost me $250 as opposed to...say...$75, but because the Veritas blades are compatible, I'll have a nice setup. And I'll just be able to get flattening. Is there something I'm missing (besides the expense vs. 'cool factor' of having a hundred-year-old tool)?
    Sam, there is just as much 'cool factor' in having a new Veritas LA Jack as there is in having a century old Stanley/Bailey Jack plane. It is just a different 'cool factor.'

    One thing that is cool about it is the interchangeability of blades between it and the jointer.

    This would allow your to get a blade with it that isn't a duplicate of what you already have. That is another one of the 'cool factors' with the Veritas trio of bevel up planes.

    In my shop there are five Jack Planes. One is an LA Bevel up Jack used mostly for end grain. Another is set up like a long smoother. One is set up as a short jointer. One is set up as a scrub plane. Finally one is set up as a try plane for rough work after the scrub.

    Pre-war Sweetheart No. 5 available for sale. I have no interest in Jim Bode tools other than very rarely as a customer.

    https://www.jimbodetools.com/product...eetheart-90707
    Those are the kind of prices that almost tempt me to sell one of mine, but not quite.

    My guess is when the nation gets past the current 'stay at home' situation there will likely be a lot of folks who finally cleaned out their garages and will have a lot of old 'junk' for sale in their yards and garages.

    So if you do purchase the Veritas LA Jack and feel that is an awesome size plane to have you may be able to find a few Stanley/Bailey style Jack planes cheap. That would then let you set them up as you like so you won't have to fiddle with swapping blades and such.

    jtk
    Last edited by Jim Koepke; 03-30-2020 at 8:26 PM.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  9. #24
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    Feb 2004
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    Perth, Australia
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sam Shankar View Post
    After reading/listening to a lot of Chris Schwarz stuff, I got interested in buying a vintage pre-war Stanley jack plane. And that has proven to be a harder search and a bigger PITA than I expected, (See the thread immediately below) AND I kind of need a jack plane right now to flatten my new workbench. (I glued it up a little wrong, and it has a 1/32" hill down the middle.)

    Long story short, I was *given* a nearly-new Veritas jointer plane a while ago...along with a brand new toothed and high-angle blade for it(!) A retiring woodworker took interest in me, what can I say. In this situation, I'm thinking of just buying a veritas low-angle jack plane and being done with it. Yeah, it'll cost me $250 as opposed to...say...$75, but because the Veritas blades are compatible, I'll have a nice setup. And I'll just be able to get flattening. Is there something I'm missing (besides the expense vs. 'cool factor' of having a hundred-year-old tool)?
    Sam given that you immediate need is to flatten your work bench, I would use the jointer.

    You need to find the high spots on your bench to remove first. You also need to determine twist, if any, with winding sticks. But, since these are all about reducing high spots, the longer jointer should not matter.

    I would not use the toothed blade, just the basic blade you have. High angle is better. A LA Jack would be a good addition, since you will. find many uses for it. At this time, get one with the 25 degree bevel blade, and add a higher angle with a secondary micro bevel (see the link to an article of mine, posted in an earlier thread).

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
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    Washington DC
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    Thanks everyone for all these thoughts. I'm going to try the jointer on the bench and will report back.

  11. #26
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    Apr 2013
    Location
    Stone Mountain, GA
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    Would not recommend getting any more bevel up planes. They are difficult to camber. To take big shavings you need a low bevel angle and then they tear out badly. To prevent tear out you need a high bevel angle and then you can only take thin shavings.

    Figure out how to make your Stanley work.

    In the meantime tackle this bench with the jointer. I'd try the toothed blade. Hopefully you can take shavings of at least 0.003. if so then to remove the 1/32 hump will require about 10 series of passes down the middle, staying away from the edges. Then put in the regular blade and smooth the whole surface.
    Last edited by Robert Hazelwood; 03-31-2020 at 7:47 AM. Reason: down is up

  12. #27
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    I have the Veritas BU jointer and a LAJ. I would just use your jointer. You are right about being able to swap irons around in the BU jointer, LAJ and BU Smoother being a tool multiplier. While I think your immediate need can be met with the jointer you already have, I enjoy having all three and a few extra irons/angles.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  13. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Hazelwood View Post
    Would not recommend getting any more bevel down planes. They are difficult to camber. To take big shavings you need a low bevel angle and then they tear out badly. To prevent tear out you need a high bevel angle and then you can only take thin shavings.
    Did you mean "Would not recommend getting any more bevel up planes"?

  14. #29
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    Apr 2013
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    Quote Originally Posted by Winston Chang View Post
    Did you mean "Would not recommend getting any more bevel up planes"?
    whoops, fixed

  15. #30
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    Don't overlook wooden jack planes. They work just as well as anything else, can be had extremely inexpensively, and they are very easy to use for extended periods of time due to their light weight.
    Your endgrain is like your bellybutton. Yes, I know you have it. No, I don't want to see it.

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