Search:

I'm making a maple chest of drawers and the stretchers fit to the sides with sliding dovetail joints. For several of the joints, there is about a 2-3mm gap on the side of the dovetail which I would...

Since I purchased this plane two months ago, I've spent many an hour using it help flatten large panels and joint edges. It is really a great plane- the best I have. At the same time I purchased...

Derek,

It was wonderful to read your review and see your table. It turned out great!

I purchased the BUJ several weeks ago and have only just begun to use it. I haven't evaluated the sole...

Derek,

I've experienced edge failure with all of my LA blades when used on Lyptus. I've put back bevels on my LA Block, Medium Shoulder, and LA Smooth plane blades. The edges definitely last...

I've read a few posts, from Derek and Rob Lee about the benefits of back bevels on BU/LA planes. That's why I put the back bevel on the blades although they could explain the rationale better than...

Hi All,

I've been sold on the whole low-angle/ bevel-up plane design and now own three- the Lee Valley BU Jointer, LA Smooth, and LA Block planes. While I'm very happy with the design of all of...

I have recently purchased the Milwaukee 5625 3 1/2 hp router and will be mounting it in my home-made router table as soon as I can get the thing built. I am trying to decide whether to buy an...

I think Fine Woodworking magazine published by Tauton Press has reviewed both models. Workbench magazine reviewed the Dewalt in December 2004. I own the Makita 2012 NB and like it a lot. If they...

I am looking at getting the Unilift for my new router table. I don't yet own a large plunge router so I'm wondering what plunge router models work best with the UniLift system? The Hitachi M12V is...

Has anyone had any experience using or owning the new Incra LS Super System? Any thoughts or regrets? Is it overkill? I am trying to build/buy a router table set up and this is one of the fences...

Are you serious? I use hand planes over a jointer to flatten and joint rough stock. I do so because I have a small shop, my young kids can play in there while I'm working, and nothing provides me...

Derek,

You definitely persuaded me to get the BU Jointer and LA Smoother. I have the LV Scrub already so I'm excited to use it in combination with the Jointer. With the LA Smoother, I will...

Thanks Derek. Most of my hand planing to date has been done to flatten one face of rough lumber prior to running it through my portable thickness planer. Is the LA Jack better suited for this...

I find myself in an enviable position, I've gotten the green light from my wife to buy a few (emphasis on few) more hand planes. I own a Stanley #5 Jack, a LV LA Block, LV Scurb, and a LV Medium...

Thanks for all of your help. FYI~ I'm leaning towards investing in the LN dovetail saw and I've spent a few hours so far flattening the backs of my Marples chisels. A few more hours work and I...

I am stuck in the no man's land of trying to decide whether to cut dovetails by hand or with a jig. I'm a hobbiest and will soon embark on building a 7-drawer dresser. I doubt I'll be doing much...

Derek,

Very nice review. I purchased the LV scrub plane a month ago and used it to surface two 6-foot long boards of slightly twisted, cupped, and bowed Lyptus. The scrub plane performed very...

Just for the record... I contacted Lee Valley about using one of their Dozuki saws with their dovetail guide and they recommended against it because the guide uses up 1 7/16" of a saw's depth and...

As usual, you all have been very helpful. I've done way to much obsessing over the dovetail issue but following your all's collective advice I think I've come up with a good compromise solution. I...

I have two LV LA planes- their medium shoulder plane and block plane. I like both of them a lot and they do a great job on end grain- but... I'm having problems with the blade edge failing (i.e.,...

I know where to go to buy a hard 6" felt wheel and plastic inset bushings but where do you buy a ball bearing workhead and what is it exactly?

- Lyptus

Derek,

How do you flatten a 220 grit waterstone? I've only seen wet/dry sandpaper down to 220 grit and I've read that the 220 grit waterstone is actually equivalent to 180 grit sandpaper. Is...

I do have several A2 blades but I have also heard that using David Charlesworth's method of putting a slight back bevel on chisels and plane blades obviates the need to flatten the backs and...

Derek,

Is a 220 stone useful though- or is it really too course. Norton claims one should use the 220 stone for initially flattening the back of plane blades and chisels. I also have a 800/4000...

I am interested in purchasing either a 1000 grit Norton waterstone or the new 220/1000 grit combination Norton waterstone. Is a 220 grit stone useful? If so, for what, and is it necessary or...

Derek,

I am planing Lyptus which is like hard maple in density. I wish I could draw a picture on this forum to illustrate but the tearout is along the outside wide edge of the shoulder. I do...

Don't sweat your purchase. My first plane was a new Stanley #5 purchased a few years ago. I fettled with it for a few hours- trying to flatten the sole with 80 grid sandpaper sprayed with WD-40...

After much debate and questioning, I finally broke down and purchased the new LV Scrub Plane and their medium shoulder plane. The planes arrived last week. I used the scrub this weekend to flatten...

Do you need a special blade on your table saw to cut the dovetails? I have a combination blade currently on mine. Will that work?

I definitely prefer the look of hand-cut dovetails and would rather invest in good handtools for my long term woodworking goals. However, time is a definite issue since I only have about 6 hours per...

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%" rowSpan=4></TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>24453.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD...

Greetings,

I am designing a 6 drawer chest and want to know if it warrants the purchase of a dovetail jig for the drawers or if I should try to do the dovetails by hand (which I've never done...

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Like a lot of you, I'm pretty excited about the newly released and discounted LV Scrub Plane. However, I've also...

I've gone through this same debate myself- as I suppose we all have. I have a portable Makita thickness planer and flatten/joint my boards using hand planes. With hand planes it doesn't matter how...

Yes that makes perfect sense. Thanks!

- Lyptus

Sounds like a scrub plane would be helpful to me. How do you sharpen a blade with a radius though? Did you make a special jig to pivot the blade back and forth?

Thanks you guys. Your advice has helped me a lot, as usual. I will definitely get the LV LA jointer when it comes out this summer and probably the LV LA Jack as well. I've also been reading that...

Regarding the LV LA Jack Plane, I've read some British posts that say the tote is fairly uncomfortable compared to the Lie-Nielsen planes due to the more upright geometry used by Lee Valley. Also,...

I currently own a Makita Thickness Planer (2012NB) but have decided to do all of my jointing by hand. The boards I work with tend to run about 3' to 6' in length. I own a #5 Stanley Jack plane but...

I read your article- pretty impressive results for the LV low-angle planes. Thanks for referencing it. I just purchased a LV low-angle block plane which has impressed me and now I intend to...

Rob,

Wow... thanks! You're reply is very helpful and has definitely got me thinking that a low-angle jointer with an extra high-angle blade is a wise choice for an all-round jointer. I'll try to...

Hi Rob,

I'm happy to hear that your company is coming out with a LA jointer. I contacted your customer service two weeks ago to inquire about plans to make a #7 jointer and the response I got was...

What does LA stand for?

I appreciate all the advice from "down under". I actually did purchase a 1918 Stanley No. 7 (Type 11) Sweetheart plane from EBay a few months ago but the sole was concave in the center surrounding...

I want to purchase a hand plane for flattening and jointing my stock of rough-cut lumber (mainly hard maple, lyptus, and cherry). I own a cheap Stanley No. 5 jack plane and I'm now considering a Lee...