Here is a shot of my new tools:

On the top left is a divider.  In practicing my dovetails, I am getting increasingly happy with my cuts and fits of the joint but have noticed that my rough guesses at where to make pins/tails and how wide to make them is looking non-uniform.  While I feel that hand cut parts should have some non-uniformity to them, I would like a closer sense of symmetry just from an artistic point of view.  In watching various dovetail experts, I noticed that Rob Cosman uses dividers to get symmetry in his joints so that was my motivation.

Far right is a new crosscut carcass saw.  All my shorter carcass/dovetail saws are rip so I needed a crosscut for things like tenons.

In the middle is a goose neck chisel for cleaning out the bottom of mortises.

Lastly on the left/bottom are some Veritas bench pups which give me another bench tool for keeping material in place while working that material.

If I head towards making guitars as I fantasized in a previous post, I expect that I will need a few additional tools but hopefully not many.  Everytime I make a tool purchase means that I don’t have the funds to purchase wood for actual projects.

Post from: This Week in Wood (c)2009 Glenn Thompson. For Downloads, Pictures, and other great content go to This Week in Wood. See This Week in Wood Legal Information Page for specific usage rights.

New Tools

I already have a Leigh-Nielsen Jack Plane.  I’ve got this one set up as a rough tool.   I wanted another plane about the size of a Jack for doing slightly finer work, much like a Jointer Plane but not as long.  Some boards are just too small for using the Jointer but smaller planes like Block Planes are too small for the board.

Another way would be to get a different blade but I also wanted the benefits of the low angle plane so I figured it would compliment my other hand planes.

Post from: This Week in Wood (c)2009 Glenn Thompson. For Downloads, Pictures, and other great content go to This Week in Wood. See This Week in Wood Legal Information Page for specific usage rights.

Expecting New Tool – Low Angle Jack

I’m currently using my Lie-Nielsen Jointer Plane which is set up for medium planing work (versus rough/aggressive or smooth/fine work).  This works though I’ve found that the plane should be set up a little bit more fine for cleaner “shoots”.  I’ve found that plane is reasonable comfortable and has a reasonably high side for decent stability when shooting.  My thoughts on having a dedicated shooting plane is that I could have it set up and not have to change it for different work (i.e. non jointing work).

One option is the Lie-Nielsen Iron Miter Plane pictured below:

Lie-Nielsen Iron Miter Plane

I think the benefit of this plane is that it has large sides to the hand plane giving it a greater stability than non-dedicated shooting board planes.  One miter benefit is that it may be slightly more comfortable than a standard plane.  This plane is probably the most expensive option for this job.

Alternatives include low-angle bench planes like the Lie-Nielsen Low Angle Jointer Plane or the Lee Valley/Veritas Bevel Up Jack Plane (which has a reasonably hide side versus the Lee Valley/Veritas Bevel Up Jointer Plane which has essentially no sides).  Here is a picture of the Lee Valley/Veritas planes (B or the middle plane is the Jack I mentioned above):

Lee Valley/Veritas Bevel Up Bench Planes

The Lie-Nielsen low angle planes have lower sides.  The Lee Valley/Veritas bevel up planes look to have similar sides to standard bench planes so may have increased stability.  Also the Lee Valley/Veritas bevel up planes appear to be less expensive so that makes this option attractive.

Based on this analysis, I’m leaning mostly toward the Lee Valley/Veritas Bevel up Jack Plane due to both functionality and cost.  If any readers have opinions on this, I’d love to hear agreements, disagreements, or maybe alternatives via the comments.

Post from: This Week in Wood (c)2009 Glenn Thompson. For Downloads, Pictures, and other great content go to This Week in Wood. See This Week in Wood Legal Information Page for specific usage rights.

Hand Plane for shooting board

It was a much smaller “event” than I had envisioned.  They had tables set around a small room (might have been 40′x30′) with a lot of Lie-Nielsen tools.  I’ve seen many photos of similar displays but it is impressive to see them in person.  It was really cool to see the hand plane collection in particular.  I was able to touch a few planes that I may consider getting in the future.

The two planes that I was in particularly interested are the Iron Miter Plane and the Tongue and Groove Plane.

The Iron Miter Plane was very nice in heft and feel.  It comes with a “hot dog” which is basically a grip that can be moved from one side of the plane to the other for use on the right hand side or the left hand side.  I’ve seen older miter plane designs that have a knob instead of this grip.  I’m not sure which would be better in day to day use.   It seems to use the same bed angle as the low angle planes which would make it very effective for shooting the end grain.  As an alternative to this, I would consider getting the Low Angle Jointer Plane.  My reasons for not going with the Low Angle Jointer Plane include the sides of this plane are not as tall as the standard Jointer Plane (which I already own) and the fact, that I already own a jointer plane.

Lie-Nielsen Iron Miter Plane

Lie-Nielsen Low Angle Jointer Plane

The Tongue and Groove Plane had a nice heft though seemed reasonably complex to use with the fence and the fact that the plane does two jobs instead of one in cutting the groove as well as cutting the tongue.

Lie-Nielsen Tongue and Groove Hand Plane

I did watch a session on hand planes and what makes a good hand plane.  The instructor was from the local woodworking program (the Port Townsend School of Woodworking) which I have considered (vs the Northwest Woodworking Studio mentioned in many previous posts).  The instructor was sharp and did not have the arrogance of some woodworking instructors that I have met.  I didn’t really learn anything from the session though it was full of information.  I think this could have been useful if we had been given a schedule of these sessions in advance.  I could have been there for the sessions that interest me versus just landing on this session.

I did also see (in use) the Shapton Glass Stones.  I don’t know how long my Norton stones will last but these are stones I would consider replacing them with.  I also saw something that could prove more useful than standard sheets of sandpaper for flattening plane bottoms and plane blade backs.  This was Adhesive Backed Sandpaper on rolls.  The only weakness (that I discovered later when I got home) was that these don’t seem to be available in high/polishing grits.

I got value from this event but it probably wasn’t worth spending the 5 hours of driving that I needed to get there.  If this was more local, I’d go again in a heartbeat (i.e. at the Local Rockler or Woodcraft stores).

Post from: This Week in Wood (c)2009 Glenn Thompson. For Downloads, Pictures, and other great content go to This Week in Wood. See This Week in Wood Legal Information Page for specific usage rights.

Lie-Nielsen Tool Event – Wrap up

I own a few Lie-Nielsen tools so I felt it was worth the long drive time (and a ferry ride too) to see what I can learn.  I have no idea if I’ll be there for the whole day or just a short time.

I’m at the point in my woodworking that a lot of tips are useful.  It wasn’t that long ago, that I didn’t even know what I didn’t know.  When you are that point, tips are often more confusing and non-productive that they are good for your craft.  I guess that means I’m making progress.

Anyway, I’m off on a long trip for a few hours of education.

Post from: This Week in Wood (c)2009 Glenn Thompson. For Downloads, Pictures, and other great content go to This Week in Wood. See This Week in Wood Legal Information Page for specific usage rights.

Off to Port Townsend

I suspect that this could be a selling event more than a learning event but if the schedule (at least the one they show for Saturday), is accurate then maybe it is a significant learning event.  Lie-Nielsen seems to be a big self promoter but has also provided a lot of learning into the industry.

They have sessions on inlays, dovetails, french polishing, and furniture design that sounds interesting for me in my re-invention of my own woodworking.

I’ll have to see if I can convince Marshall (my friend that is more about power tools, as I was until recently) to come with me.  Port Townsend is not a quick jaunt so I have to be committed to go.

Post from: This Week in Wood (c)2009 Glenn Thompson. For Downloads, Pictures, and other great content go to This Week in Wood. See This Week in Wood Legal Information Page for specific usage rights.

Lie-Nielsen Toolworks Hand Tool Event