Thread: Shoulder plane query?

Have you considered a HNT Gordon shoulder plane? I would rate them above either LN or Veritas.

+1 for the HNT Gordon shoulder planes

Bought an HNT a couple of months ago. 1". It's brilliant. So perfect for our timbers and easy to use.

I knew I'd get a comment on the HNT and it's definately in the running but I was interested in comments on the Lie-Nielsen and the Veritas

Dane
I recall suggesting that you into visit Terry at the Syd Timber and Working With Wood Show

OK Nick, since you ask for comments on the planes you specifically identified.

The first question you need to answer is what are you going to use it for. If you are going to use it for making or cleaning up trenches (ie what our US friends call dadoes) and grooves then you need to choose the one that makes the width of groove/trench you want. Since each of them is a different width, that makes the choice easy.

If you are not making use of the width of the blade as a dimension in your work, then I would tend to go for the mediums rather than the smalls. I suppose that if you want to use it only for boxes, small drawers and small cases, then the small ones would be fine and they will be more nimble and lighter to hold (so it shouldn't be tiring to use for a long period - but are you going to need to use it for a long period. What heft of plane you like to use is anothe personal choice issue.

As between LN and Veritas, I prefer the LN product, in part because I like the Preston/Record planes on which they are based and also because I think that the Veritas ones look a bit 'tricked up'. The LN/Preston/Record has had all the wrinkles in the desig worked out over the last 125 years. However, it is really like choosing between BMW and Mercedes and you won't make a bad buy if you buy one of those four planes.

Jeremy

Thanks for that
Muchly appreciated

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

I knew I'd get a comment on the HNT and it's definately in the running but I was interested in comments on the Lie-Nielsen and the Veritas

Dane
I recall suggesting that you into visit Terry at the Syd Timber and Working With Wood Show

Hey Nick, you did indeed. I'd been up to see him in Alstonville once before, and bought a few things, but not one of his planes- I was happy with the planes I had and didn't really need anything else. ... That day at the show, though, I did end up buying a side rebate plane off him, and I was delighted at the quality of it- I've found it so useful and a pleasure to use, so I bought the 1" shoulder plane as I needed a larger one than my Stanley 93. It too is perfect in every way. So I'm doing a reverse recommendation, if you will Thanks!

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

I find that I need to buy myself a present

and I've concluded that I really could use a better shoulder plane. I've a relatively newish No 92 at the moment, which I'm not that enamoured with.

I was thinking either a small or a medium size
and either a Lie-Nielsen or a Veritas

options are:
Lie-Neilsen Small here
Lie-Nielsen Medium here
Veritas Small here
Veritas Medium here

So what do people think are the relative merits of either plane?
which would you get?

Thanks

Personally I like the traditional look of the Lie-Nielsen
I own a Veritas Medium, Veritas Small, LN 1/2"

in terms of width, the LN Small at 5/8", Veritas Medium at 11/16" and LN Medium at 3/4" differ from each other by only 1/16"

Derek has done a shoulder plane review -- see his site
Personally I think the 1/2" is more useful as typically most of the blade is in the work.
With a typical 10mm tenon shoulder -- implies a 30mm thick rail -- half of a 3/4 blade is in the air.

+1 for one of Terry Gordon's shoulder plane. I have the 3/4" and it's one of my most used planes.

I have not used a LV or LN shoulder plane, but have the LV bullnose/chisel plane and find it very comfortable to use both upright and horizontally. The LV shoulder planes have a similar design so should be similarly comfortable.

I've decided to go with a HNT 3/4"
placed the order today can't wait to get my hands on it

thanks for your comments everybody!