Well I’ve been following all of the “plane” talk with great interest. I have never been completely satisfied with the finishes that I obtain on my projects (mostly small projects). I have made up my mind that I should try the Card Scraper and a good Hand Plane. I have a Stanley Block plane, Stanley Low Angle Block and a Stanley #5. Reading the post by MartyS on the Veritas #4 Smoothing Plane and reading the post by Ebanista suggesting a review of the new Veritas Bevel Up Smoother by Derek Cohen I decided to take the plunge. I just ordered the following from Lee Valley:
I also just received a Card Scraper that I had ordered from Rockler – fortunately I already had plenty of sandpaper on hand.
I have a small box, made from Tiger Maple, with a red dyed Lacewood insert in the lid, almost ready for a finish. I still have to install the hinges and make some trays for the interior – so I am hoping to time things out so when the new Plane arrives I can try it on some scrap and then see which works best for that “Perfect Finish”. Any thoughts or suggestions will be appreciated.
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
5 comments so far
Thos. Angle
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4013 posts in 858 days
posted 736 days ago
I think you will be well pleased with this set up. Let us know how it works for you.
-- Thos. Angle
Dorje
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1767 posts in 893 days
posted 736 days ago
Way to go!
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
Douglas Bordner
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3424 posts in 960 days
posted 736 days ago
Cool. I have asked the wife for a Lee Valley gift certificate for Christmas. I may have to use it for the tons of small things I need, but the BUS is a major want. In fairness I think I’d better learn to use Tom’s smoother and the rehab I’m working on, but I’m keen to follow your progress here, Bill.
I wonder if anyone has a recommendation on the advisability of moistening woods with reversing grain before using the plane. In Cohen’s monograph (it is a serious piece of documentation, more than just an article) there was still small areas of tear-out in difficult woods. Tiger maple falls into that category.
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
Calgirl
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188 posts in 792 days
posted 736 days ago
The anticipation of the tool actually arriving on your doorstep is almost as good as actually getting it! I have bought several new tools recently for my new shop and can hardly wait to try them out. At least, when you have to wait to use a tool, it kinda forces you to read the documentation that came with it. I have never used a good plane, but with all the posts about them recently, I may try them out. Please let us know what you experience when you get yours.
-- Forget the health food, I need all the preservatives I can get !
CharlieM1958
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7654 posts in 1114 days
posted 736 days ago
I will be following your progress with this closely, Bill. I keep telling myself I should get into planes, but my limited experience with them has left me frustrated, and all the talk of sharpening and tuning to get it just right tends to scare me off. I did just buy a book on tuning and using planes, so there is still hope. I do have a Lee Valley scraper set, and have had some success with that, although I still don’t see where it gives me a smoother finish than sanding down to 400 grit. If you get your new tools going and are really happy with the results you are getting, I will definitely want to come over to your shop for a demo.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"