I have a project coming up that has some pretty figured wood. I just finished my first project with Qtr. sawn Oak and had an issue with tear out.
I already have a bronze #4 and was thinking about the #4 1/2 with the york pitch. Just wondering if the extra width of the blade and higher pitch is going to make it that much more difficult to use?
What about the Low angle smoother from either LN or Lee Valley? Lee Valley offers an additional blade ground at a higher angle. When you add a micro bevel they state an angle of 60 degrees.
Thanks
Replies
I have the LN 4 1/2 with the York pitch frog and I like it very much. I don't use my #4 (a Bailey type) very much any longer. The steeper pitch is good on figured woods, and only modestly more difficult to push. It is certainly much less effort to plane with the 4 1/2 York pitch than to scrape and sand tearout of figured woods...
Just my 2p,
Glaucon
If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...
I have the LN # 4 also and love it. You could just get the hi angle frog for it and call it a day. I have that frog but have not used it enough to say that it was money well spent. It seems that if I have the blade sharp enough I don't have that many problems. That being said you can never have to many planes and maybe the 4.5 would be perfect:).
Have fun.
Troy
Any plane configured to cut with a higher bevel [LA] or a steeper frog [HAF/higher bedding angle] will be harder to push. But this is minimal until you get really steep as you are taking the thinnest of shavings.
LN is coming out with a 55 degree frog. Going just their current 5 degrees on the HAF can be accomplished easily enough with a back bevel on your current #4. Couple that with a shaving that is not as wide as the 4 1/2 and the difference in resistance by using a back bevel isn't a big deal.
So that's another option. Just pick up another blade for your #4 *and* a chip breaker so you can leave it set up and you will have the ability to just swap the blade, adjust and plane.
Take care, Mike
When planing figured wood the two most important ingredients in a metal handplane, in my opinion, are heft and cutting angle. Generally, a heavy plane has an advantage over a light plane in that the additional mass translates into momentum. This is helpful when the cutting angle is high (50 degrees and above, often around 60 degrees).
If you want to stay with LN, then the above recipe would suggest that the #4 1/2 with York frog would be a better performer than just getting a york frog for the #4. You may still want to add a 5 or 10 degree backbevel (= cutting angle of 55 or 60 degrees) if the figured wood tears out.
Regarding the LV bevel up planes, the option is the Bevel Up Smoother. In high angle configuration, this plane really performs extremely well on figured wood.
Alternatives are a LN #5 1/2 - some prefer a longer plane with even greater added heft. The LV Bevel Up equivalent of the is the LV LA Jack. Both planes come with great reputations. But keep in mind that they are jacks, and when used as smoothers, your boards need to be flatter than when using shorter smoothers.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Hi there,
I do own the Veritas 4 and a 1/2 but I would not buy it again. It is a dissapointing plane, lacking flatness. I also have the Veritas low angle smoother, which performs reasonable. Not flat as well. After these two I switched to Lie-Nielsen, which I never regretted.
I do intend to buy the complete 4 and 1/2, 5 and 1/2, and the nr 7 because you can interchange blades between them. Then you buy a few blades and the high angle frog, and your done. Myself I started with the 5 and a 1/2 with both frogs (standard and High angle frog, for the York pitch) which is very good. I still have to buy the nr 7 (I do use a record nr 7) and the 4 and 1/2, but the 5 and 1/2 takes nearly any job, so I keep my money in the pocket.
I did buy a few years ago the Lie-Nielsen low angle Jack plane including three blades. It realy is spectacular, but has a rather small blade. I sharpen these with curved blades, like David Charlesworth advocates (you do not need then the set screws the Veritas Planes have). I use effective pitches of 37, 45 (satndard) and 50 degrees (york). The low angle jack is definitly my favorite plane. You might skip all other puchases, and start with this one.
My advise would though be to buy the 5 and a 1/2 with the high angle frog for the figured wood. But if you would ask me tomorrow, I would advise for the low angle Jack maybe. It is a close call.
Fred
Seeing how your Veritas 4 1/2 is in such an unusable state, how about you offer it to me for a price you think the plane is worth?
Always wanted their 4 1/2, but I bought the LN 4 1/2 instead. I sold it last year and would like to get the LV version.
Thank you, Mike
I don't sell it. One day, wenn I have a few days off, I'll tune it. Untill then it waits for me.
Geert (aka Fred, but youy have to choose thes stupid names on thes fora)
Yeah we can start some bidding on that 4 1/2! You know LV has a 3 month return policy. Even if you have done all reccomended adjustments. Just ship it to me, and Id gladly return! :) (they do have return policy)
Go for a low angle and buy an extra blade and you can grind it at any angle you want. Want to make a scraper out of it, then grind the blade at 78*!
As for the flatness of plane bottoms, not even the revered LN is going to be flat. ALL planes need some work before you can expect to get .001" shavings out of them.
On some bottoms I prefer a curve ;) but on my LN # 4 I was able to get full with shavings that you could almost see through with out having to flating the bottom of the plane. I think sharping the blade well is the key. Anyway have fun.Troy
I take a thinner shaving when I use the York frog with my 4 1/2, and it pushes just fine.
Stick with L-N and the higher pitch frog is exactly what you need for the stock you mentioned.
The Lie-Nieslen 4 or 4 1/2 with the York pitch frog is really about as good as you could do short of going with a nice infill smoother.
Ron
Ordered my LN #4 1/2 with the york pitch today from my local Woodcraft. I'll be using it on some Birdseye Maple.
You know at 5 1/2 lbs. with a .140 thick iron it should work quite well. I just ordered one the replacement irons for this plane along with an improved chipbreaker. I'll be using it in the next infill plane that I'm planning to make from bronze and walnut.Ron
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