I just got a Veritas Shooting plane and a Starrett Master Precision square 20-4 1/2. When I used the square to check the plane, I found it to be out of square. With the precision and quality control of Veritas, I called Lee Valley to see if this was normal. They couldn't say, but offered to send me a replacement. With the square base resting on the side that slides on the shoot board there is a gap of around 300 microns between the outside edge of the plane side with the blade and the blade of the square. Am I being overly picky in my tolerance for squareness?
I also have a Veritas Low Angle Jack Plane. It's measured perfectly square.
I think your being too picky.
Also consider the blade squareness to the work combined with how flat your piece sits on the shooting board decides if your on track.
For a square edge to a flat face.
I think your being too picky.
Also consider the blade squareness to the work combined with how flat your piece sits on the shooting board decides if your on track.
For a square edge to a flat face.
You're right about the other factors. I also have the Veritas Shoot Board Track so I'm concerned about the board. The alignment of the blade is the biggest variable. It's pretty hard to check given it's skewed. If the replacement plane is also out of square, I may just live with it.
I don't think you're being too picky. I think the shooting plane should be square (side to bottom). If the side is not square to the bottom-wouldn't that same error be translated to the stock being cut? If that's true-then the resulting joinery would be off as well.
Why should you have to rig something or make adjustments to the shooting board or plane to accommodate the error? What are you gonna do-add layers of painter's tape to the side to bring it square? Makes no sense to me.
Maybe it's designed to be this way? I sorta doubt it-but I don't know. I would wait and see if the replacement is different and if not-I would return it for a refund.
I'm ignorant on this one, but I can see both sides. On one hand if I ever paid that much for a plane I think asking for it to be dead on square is reasonable. On the other hand I can't see it being that much off would ever make any appreciable difference in the squareness of what I planed with it. Also definitely check the square by doing the flip/flop line thing if you haven't already. All my squares are of much lower quality, but a lot of them aren't really all that square.
I was thinking I really don't know how much 300 microns is. Doesn't sound like much but your pic looks like 1/32.
My Shooting plane is a LN miter plane and it's not square.
Somewhere between 1/64 &1/32.According to my starrett No 61
Sorry for calling you picky. ;(
Sounds good, but there is a simple, foolproof way to test a square. Take a piece of stock like a 1×6 with one trued edge (fresh from your jointer and checked with a straight edge). Place the square against the trued reference edge and draw ( or perhaps better scribe) a line along the blade. Flip the square over so the handle is facing the opposite way and check the line (scribe mark). Dead on or slightly off? Only dead on will do. Testing one square against another only works if you are 100% certain that the reference is accurate. The simple scribe test does not rely on any assumptions about the accuracy of another tool. My guess is that you are indeed OK, but you can prove that easily.
In a shooting plane, I wouldn't accept it. Especially not a Veritas plane at that price point. 300 microns may not sound like a lot but it is once you translate it to each piece in a glue up. Yes, I know there are ways to work around it. But if you drop that kind of cabbage on a plane, you shouldn't have to.
Every time he sharpens that skewed blade it going to be a different angle. It's the blade that determines the cut on the wood not the body of the plane.
Then all the other factors the wood, his ramp,and the human that pushes the whole contraption is a wonder it works at all.
It's good that Cortes is meticulous about his tools hopefully it will transfer to some nice work to inspire others to challenge themselves.
Yep your right Bill. The iron is straight
I'm a Lie Neison user myself. Here's a look at the Ln shoot plane it's blade is straight but sits at a angle what a trip.
500 bucks for this one.
I have the Ln miter plane it's not as big and heavy
The LV iron edge is not skewed but the iron is bedded at a 20* skew, like the LN.
No you are not being picky and Im positive LV doesnt think so either, in fact they are probably embarressed and very concerned how that particular plane got out of the plant. Get the replacement and thanks for the info.
Not picky at all. You're spending good money for tools that should be impeccably made. I've had a few issues with LV and their CS has always been top notch. Good to know they're sending a replacement. I would have asked the same thing.
I just got the replacement shooting plane today, a very fast turn around. The plane is still out of square, but only by 100 microns or 0.1mm. I've misplaced my feeler gauge so I used pieces of paper and mic'd the thickness.
When I compared the photos, they look similar. The new plane is much more square. I also have the Veritas shooting track. I can always shim it to compensate should it be necessary.
Looks plenty good to me for a wood working tool.
This reminds me of the saying is it the Archer or the arrow.
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