Rex, I appreciate the fact that you decline to shill for tool companies, and you don’t accept gifts from them. I feel that it keeps your reviews and recommendations honest.
@@g.pblack507 Yes, he meant NOT "literally" but figuratively. And beyond all that, he was simply making a light-hearted joke...the literal opposite of pretentiousness. o:)
Great video as always Rex. I would like to mention the two blade centring screws on the Veritas so it always feeds the blade straight with no twist when adjusting depth of cut. Incidentally, the Veritas low angle plane was the first brand new plane I ever purchased and I cried twice. Once for the cost, and then it was tears of joy when I first used it. I ran upstairs to show my wife the ultra thin shaving I made, like I was coming home from school with an A+ in math...
Y'know, if you have a drill press you could always drill & tap the sides of the Stanley for hex socket set screws that will do exactly what the ones on the Veritas do. Just have them long enough to do the job, but not long enough to stick out above the surfaces of the sides when applying pressure so you can still use it on its side on a shooting board. Don't know what size set screws Veritas uses, but I'm sure you can figure it out.
The Veritas Low Angle Plane is the king of all planes. It is absolutely perfect in its design and versatility. Dopes like Rob Cosman might change their tune about low angle Jacks if they actually used the LV Low Angle Jack.
I purchased the Veritas 62 over a year ago and it is just a joy to use every time I pick it up. Yes, it's on the pricey side but well worth it. I don't regret spending the money for one moment.
Breakfast time, watching the vid. I get up to make a tea and my two year old in the background bellows " look daddy, a fairy! " made her morning Rex. Thank you for the great content
I have the Veritas 62 1/2 LA Jack . It is an amazing piece of kit . Used it for 5 years now . it is practically my goto plane .Especially the PMV11 blade.
I really appreciate your objective, no punches pulled reviews. I used to buy old Stanleys and tune them as users. When I got my first veritas plane, the low angle jack, I had the same reservations as you, worrying I’d scratch it if I looked at it sideways. That quickly gave way to it being the first plane I reached for even when I didn’t need a plane... Non of the Stanleys I own are as much a joy to use, or perform as well. They are slowly getting replaced one by one with veritas planes because imho that extra price is worth it. Just my 2 cents.
Similar story in my small workshop. I had planes from Dictum which are a good start into handtool woodworking. After I could use a friends No. 7 low angel from Veritas I started to replace my planes from Dictum. As Rex and you said, at the beginning I'm very carefully with the Veritas planes, but after some time I use them without thinking about the price. ;-)
I own a Veritas low angle jack plane and I absolutely love it. I salt money away, then try to make my big-dollar purchases at a show, when they offer a little bit of a discount. I have not so much as a moment's regret about spending the money.
I just wanna say, in my research phase of setting up my first dedicated workspace I've circled back to a number of your vids multiple times. There's enough info in them that I am still picking up things on the subsequent rewatches. Also your brand of humor & blunt delivery helps.
I picked up the Stanley SW No. 62 from Home Depot online for $113 shipping and tax included. Ordered Jan 1, received on Jan 3. Just tried it out. This plane is great. It bears repeating - this plane is great. Thank you Rex!
Rex, Thank you for the great video.....as a beginner woodworker, I appreciate the detailed information you consistently provide on your channel. I needed to get an additional, larger plane for larger projects (I only have one other plane, a TayTools low angle block plane) so I purchased the Stanley Low angle Jackplane that was part of your review, keeping my fingers crossed it would work well for my needs and I wouldn't be sorry I did not purchased the Veritas. The Sweetheart plane was not especially flat, but about 10 minutes of work on my diamond stones and it became "more flat" than it was before. LOL. I intentionally did not look at the edge on the really thick blade, because my OCD would have required me to sharpen it using my Veritas Jig. I made some cursory adjustments to the blade depth and straightness, then shoved it down a 1.5" piece of Birch and then a 1" thick scrap of Padouk. The ease and quality of the cut was much better than I had hoped for. The sound when planning was like a sheet of computer paper being sliced by a plane blade or chisel when I am drinking beer showing my friends, wife or anyone that will listen, how sharp my hand tools are. That sound was and continues to be, music to my ears. Anyway, thank you for pointing out how good this plane is.....especially for the money. Keep up the good work sir. Mark Nicholson Former, US Army - EFMB, Combat Medical Specialist 1/94 FA MLRS
WOW! I was ready to send my Veritas back because it didn't play music! I'm glad you told us about the shop fairies! I can't say positively, but there are several blades available for the Veritas with different angles. It probable that one of those blades might have solved the tear out problem you had. The blades, of course, are not free. Veritas did another smart thing when they made their low angle smoothing plane in that they made it big enough to use all the same blades they make for their LA jackplane. Thanks for the video.
Ditto I have a collection of Veritas planes love em. Have no trouble plaining against the grain even in Western Australia Tuart with the correct blade angle that is sharp and throat closed to about 1/32 ". Tuart is notorious difficult to work.
@@murraypotts924 I'll take your word for the Tuart. I'd never even heard of it before. I think the Veritas L A jack is the only Veritas plane I own. In conventional planes, most of mine are made by Millers Falls. They are, for the most part, copies of Stanley planes although they have a better lever cap. Some, but not all have aftermarket blades. Lately. the plane I reach for first is the Miller's Falls No. 15 which is fifteen inches long and comparable to the Stanley no. 5 1/2. Millers Falls went out of business in the mid 1960s. I don't know if they were ever sold outside of the U.S. and Canada.
I have a Taytools plane, it was my very first one. If I would’ve known when first starting out, that precision is just about EVERYTHING, I would’ve thought a little harder on that purchase. Don’t get me wrong, it works just fine. But everything about it is off. The sole wasn’t flat, sides not 90*, frog is crooked (drove me crazy until I figured out it was that and not my blade)... It’s good for roughing and stock removal. But getting everything true and flat and straight on that plane is wayyyyy more effort that what it’s worth. Honestly, you’ll thank yourself by buying more expensive tools. Don’t think you can get away with cheap, you’ll drive yourself friggin nuts.
I finally bought sweetheart low angle jack plane last week, and sharpened the blade over the weekend. I am in love with this plane. When I glued up my bench top, I did not pay attention to grain direction, and they are all over the place. This plane eats it as breakfast.
1. As stated in another comment, you get a new blade and hone it at a higher angle and you, essentially, have a new plane. Don't buy the higher angle blades. Just get the standard 25 degree blade and hone it at 33 for an effective 45 degree angle. Get another and hone it at 45 for a high angle (52). Get one of the toothed blades for really difficult grain. 2. Veritas has a set of low angle planes: jack, jointer and smoother. They all use the same blades, so get the whole set. Set up each of the three blades at different angles (low, standard, high) and you really have nine planes. 3. You never talked about the side set screws. I use them to make super fine adjustments to the side to side angle of the blade. It's much finer than using the Norris adjuster, so you can get the blade perfectly parallel to the mouth. And then it keeps it from moving, which is really important when skewing the plane. 4. Get the PMV blades! 5. Seriously? You're afraid to use an expensive tool? What's up with that? An extra $100 over the course of 10 years is $10 a year. That's seat cushion money. The old woodworker saying is, "Get your second tool first because you're going to get it anyway." Get the most expensive tool you can afford. You won't regret it.
I bought my stanley 62 a year ago after the same analysis and comparison with the premiums. A year ago you were saying that bevel up planes were luxury, and that bailey styles planes could do the same thing. Only the dumb one won't change his mind. Thank you for all your work and honest opinions. I never miss a video. Salutations from France
That's an excellent point Lap Joint. The other thing you get with Veritas (and Lie-Nielsen) is their legendary customer service. I've had Lee Valley send me out replacements parts for things that "I" broke for free - they even picked up the shipping. I was prepared to purchase them and they just sent them out gratas. Also, there are no better people on the planet to work with on the phone. I also had a LN No. 9 Miter plane that I loved and used it on a utility bench I was making. I went to town planing down a leg and thought I was encountering a little too much resistance with a knot hole. It turns out I wasn't. It was actually the tip of a screw that had protruded above the leg surface and I put about 4 or 5 DEEP scratches along the length of the sole of the plane before I realize my idiocy. I almost fainted when I turned it over. I contacted Lie Nielsen to see if I could pay them to surface grind the sole for me. They said no problem. Two weeks later got an email from them saying that the scratches were too deep and regrinding would weaken its structural integrity. They also said they replaced the whole plane (for FREE) and I should be receiving it UPS within a day or two. I couldn't believe it 1) because of their generosity and 2) because by that time they had stopped making that plane. They must have pulled it out of the private reserve or something. So there are some advantages to paying more and patronizing those companies.
@@yoyopg123 nice story Paul, I do also think good tools are worth investing in. I don't think the hassle of setup and the constant setup is worth some cheap tools
@@yoyopg123 I had a similar experience with the customer service folks at Stanley. I bought one of their SW No. 4 smoothing planes and it came with a chip breaker that wasn't up to par. I called them and they sent me out a whole new blade set at no charge. The big boys aren't always the only ones with good service. Just sayin'...
About tear out. The beaty of a bevel up plane is that you can grind the bevel to a steeper angle that better handles irregular wood. Better yet, get another blade so you can have both. And off course, Veritas sells blades that comms pre ground at different angles. And as always, an entertaining an educational video Rex!
Stefan Eriksson And while you are screwing around with different bevels, setting etc, I just readjust the cap iron on my bevel down Stanley and continue on.
I'm pretty sure Rex covered the use of blades ground at different angles in a previous video. It's an interesting way to get more use out of a tool, and I can see how the rigidity of the plane could make a difference in how well that works.
@@ardvarkkkkk1 the whole point of this argument is that technically you don't need to buy an additional smoothing plane if you have the low angle jack and instead just get a second blade, to do the job of both planes at a lot less cost.
@@ardvarkkkkk1 except if you need a bigger plane for jointing, or if you need a plane for shooting, or if you want and even smoother finish with less tear out than you get from 45°, because you can just aswell get an attack angle of over 50° on a bevel up.
I don't have the time or desire to rebuild old stuff and try to make it work again so dragging and old Stanly or whatever out of the trash and make it work is out of the question for me. That said I tried the Veritas at the Woodworkers Show 3 or 4 times and never got to use one that some kid hadn't tried to plane the concrete floor and twisted every adjustment on it to the point that they were like the Stanly in the trash pile. I did get to a hand tool event last spring to see the Lie-Nielsen. Everything was sharp, set up and there was someone there who was a woodworker (not someone from accounting) to help you try anything. I fell in love with the Lie-Nelsen 62 and bought it on the spot. When it was delivered I pulled it out of the box and wiped off the excess oil, flattened the back of the blades ( less than 60 seconds each) honed a primary bevel on a blade, put it in the plane and it was working as beautifly in my shop as it did at the show. that's worth the extra money to me.
I finally put in some OT at my day-job (actually night shift) and sprang for the Veritas. The price is comparable to Wood River or Lie Nielsen, but there are a variety of blades available, upon which to blow even more money. I haven't bought any extra blades, yet, but the plane itself has been a joy to use. I still want to buy a 5 1/2, someday, but this will serve nicely, for now, and I think it's versatility will be valuable even after I have all the bench planes I desire.
I've heard that a low angle jack plane can actually be more universal with a few extra irons. One with a steeper bevel can be used for smoothing, one with an arc bevel can be used scrubbing, and one with a square edge and a bur can be used for scraping. I think, this could make an interesting topic. Are these effective solutions? How do they compare to dedicated tools? What are the compromises and are there any issues?
Your comment is from a year ago, but better late than never. Anyone with these questions will want to check out the Popular Woodworking article, “Bench Planes: The System of Three,” for more details, but the answer some of your question in brief, changing the angle of the bevel will indeed have an effect, with higher angles decreasing chances of tear-out-if you have a honing guide that allows for it, you can even increase the effective angle of your bevel down planes by adding a small back bevel. The cutting action will be the same, regardless of using the jack vs dedicated scrub, but the performance limitation is going to be the dimensions of your plane and the blade itself. I recommend a web search for the article I mentioned since it includes illustrations, but the basic idea is that your wood is a wavy surface with hills and valleys, and the longer your plane is, the more it will gently flow over them. Ditto for width of the plane, since we also consider the third dimension.
a veritas/lee valley loving new sub here! after decades of struggling with soso antiques, i broke down and bought a couple of veritas planes. angles sang and the earth moved. joking aside, one thing to remember is that veritas and lie nielson are both made in north america, L N in the us and veritas are made in canada. that is a big deal to me
Great video and I appreciate your realist view of wood working. Many of your peers just use all the fancy tools we can’t afford or don’t have space for in our shop.
I own the Veritas low angle jack plane and it was worth the money. Guaranteed perfection out of the box. I read so many reviews on Stanley that say that the sole was not square to the sides or that the sole was not flat. I don't want to pay for money for something that isn't guaranteed perfect.
Thank you for sharing. This is my first time even see one used. Looks like I should go for a Stanley. $150 will take sometime to get though. Thanks for sharing.
If I buy a shirt for work, I can't wear it to work because I'm afraid of messing it up. Even if it cost $5 at a big box. Because my job gives me access to highly-figured wood at cost, I got talked into getting a Lie-Nielsen #5 with a 55* pitch. I've got no anxiety about it at all. For an extra hundred bucks... Christopher Schwarz, in one of his blogs, said that he worked for years with nothing but a #5 -- roughing, jointing, and smoothing. I'm still a hand-tool newbie, but if I had a time machine, I'd just have a premium jack plane and a card scraper. FWIW...which ain't much.
Your approach to not buying expensive planes is the same as my approach to not buying expensive guitars. If my guitars can't get dinged a bit, I don't really want to take them out and play them. My most "expensive" one is $1100, and came the way I wanted it to (plus setup, of course). The rest of them were 300-500, and I didn't feel bad throwing a bunch of customization on top, and even doing some myself.
The shop fairies bit was priceless. LOL. Gotta admit that the first video of yours I watched was about a year or so ago. Didn't like your presentation back then, and it was a while before I bothered watching another one. I've definitely changed my mind, though. You kind of grew on me. :-) You have a very honest style that is very refreshing. Keep up the good work. I have the Veritas LA jack and love it. One very nice feature you didn't touch on was the tiny little screws at the front of the blade that keep that end of the blade able to go back in exactly the same side-to-side position when you put it back after sharpening. It's a small thing, but darn convenient and a genius move on their part. Great job comparing the planes, covering pretty much all the pertinent issues. I was surprised to see the Taytools was so bad. Always thought their stuff was supposed to be good.
I use to do basic carpentry and wood working years ago, find your vids very entertaining, easy to watch and I have learnt afew things to, keep up the good work!
Part of the selling point to making, upgrading, and restoring tools to me is the fearlessness I could have spent 120 euros on a new set of Spear and Jackson saws, but I know I wouldn't have done the set up on them because I'd be scared. I just bought those same three saws at auction for 12 euros in a crusty gross state, and with a little set-up they're cutting better than any saw I've ever handled!
Lie Nielsen #62 low angle jack plane is the top of the heap. I'm from Canada, and Veritas is a Canadian company, so it saddens me to say that an American tool company is superior, but the truth of the matter is that it is.
First video of yours I’ve seen. Interesting. If I was a professional woodworker, I’d buy the best. But being a weekend warrior, my Stanley Sweat heart collection of planes and chisels suits me well...no complaints.
I am a 'wood worker' for over 30 years and have built all different types of projects.. the first tools I bought was from Lee Valley.. there planes are the model called Veritas and they are the best.. over the time I worked in different shop and I also used there models of planes and the Veritas is better than any other version.. the Veritas planes were more money but they are still perfect after over 30 years so the cost is worth it !!
The Veritas. It's a great plane and if you want the best it's well priced. Of course you can get by with something else, I've got an ancient stanley no5 that I got 35 years ago with a samurai japanese plane iron which is well set up and nearly as good but I instinctivly go for the veritas even for small jobs, it just feels right and works great. I'll have to check which iron i've got in it because it keeps it's edge and doesn't need regular sharpening (i'll get back on this as i bought a few different blades to see which one worked best for me)
I just got my factory seconds veritas LA Jack...was SUPER disappointed until I realized I wasn't shooting, but then Jones it to the York bevel and absolutely love it. 11/10. Great video as always!
@@alext8828 over a year ago I got my veritas low angle jack plane and was initially unsatisfied until I *honed* it to a 38° "York" bevel and it's worked wonderfully ever since.
If all woodworking channels were filled with bad dad humor and not the super stupid humble brag "oh wait here's my new $2500 domino joiner and my literal f***ing handheld CNC woodworking mill and also BTW I have a literal different pair of Nike Jordans' in every single shot" More people would be into this hobby. Rex is so criminally underrated. He even makes my wife laugh sometimes and she absolutely does not give a damn about woodworking beyond the fact that I'm refinishing our dining table.
As I understand it, you can get a high bevel angle blade for the Veritas that makes it perform better at dealing with highly figured woods. I'm thinking about buying the Veritas with two blades, a high bevel and a standard bevel.
Thanks for this review, Rex. I love the comparison methodology and I feel I can trust your independence and your track record in using hand tools. Based on your video, I just purchased the Stanley via your affiliate Home Depot link. This will be my first proper venture into hand planing!
My only Taytools plane is a small router, and it pretty well persuaded me not to buy any more Taytools planes. But, I love doing business with them for almost anything else. Well, you know, sometimes Harbor Freight is good enough. But Taylor sells a lot of things--machinists' squares, straight edges, calipers and such that are just fine at a really good price, and some things, like Wood Owl auger bits and Narex chisels that are excellent.
Thanks Rex. I was looking for a low angle and you helped me the most. I come to your site because I know you will give me the information I need straight up.
07:23 *No* Rex - there's no way turning off that heavenly music: *veritas* [second to *Lie-Nielsen* of course] is *the* best manufacturer. 15:07 Can't believe your own plane is no match against the veritas & stanley - it looks pretty darn good.
Well 80% of a match. I plan to get a Stanley whenever I can. I see the Veritas the choice for hobbyist with a very good paying job, or a master craftsman that works on has clientele that demands the best. Like when your the hedge fund manager drives a Porsche, because you expect them to. For my money just get an ETF call it a day.
The trick to the low angle, bevel up format is to have two or more irons: one ground to the standard 25° and another ground to a higher angle for difficult grain. I have my high angle ground to about 35°.
Also! Heard about folks getting Stanley’s that were out of square…. So I bought 3 to return 2. 2 of these 3 happened to be out of square. (I’m assuming I just got unlucky with these 3 …or, barely lucky enough) …super happy with the 3rd!! … possibly a useful approach. Cheers!!
I've got the stanley sweetheart low angle jack and a veritas low angle smoother and I'd agree with both assessments of the the tools. Obviously the veritas smoother is slightly different from the jack, not so good for edging boards for example, but still everything else holds up.
You know you could throw down some rolled vinyl flooring, and those foam puzzle piece things or standing mats to "soften" your concrete. Once you do it you'll wonder why it took so long to figure it out, and your feet and your tools will love you.
Rex, outstanding job. Thank you so much for the great, very well presented content. Ordered the Stanley from your link. I had been waiting and this video was the clincher for me. So, Thank You so much for your time and effort in putting out your content. Watched several and subscribed. Looking forward to following you moving forward. Thanks again and God Bless.
I really enjoy your plane videos. I have been a woodworker all my life and have a large collection of planes. Still a few gaps that I want to fill including a low angle jack
Such a great comment about being scared to use your tools. I am retired, and just recently getting serious about building things for my home. I have some of the basic tools like squares, and drills and such but I really want some good hand planes and other tools. I have considered buying some of the Woodpecker squares, but I have a bad habit: Once I have one of the squares, I end up wanting them all. I would really like one of their T squares. They look beautiful hanging on the wall in their display holders. Problem is, is that I would be scared to death of dropping one or having them stolen. They are made of aluminum and if you dropped it once, well the game would be over for that tool. I want stuff that is functional and works really well, but I don't want to treat it like I am holding the 1st Edition of the Gutenberg bible or something.
Hey Gregg, I hear you on that Woodpeckers addiction, but to be honest, if you have something of that caliber in your shop, you sort of develop a protective instinct that makes you treat that tool with more care than say a hammer where precision performance isn't an issue. I've had Woodpeckers stuff for years but I take care of it all. I do pay attention to laying that stuff down in a safe place where it won't /can't fall or get fallen on. I don't regret a single purchase, but enjoy immensely the investment from the money well spent. Treat yourself!
Having decided to get a low-angle jack plane, I did as much research as I could online and narrowed it down to the Veritas and the Lie-Nielsen. It was a very close contest and, without one iota of regret, I went for the Lie-Nielson. This has become my favourite hand tool ever - and that's a very long time! I would be interested to see your conclusions if you put them head-to-head?
I had a feeling that Stanley might come out ahead. Somebody at Stanley was definitely on their game designing that thing, it is an excellent "built to a price, but built well" tool. And I agree, Veritas has some really cool stuff, but the fact that they want $50 for a simple cast iron chisel plane (NOT including the chisel!) feels less like buying a tool and more like buying a collectible... Keep up the good work Rex!
No doubt about the Veritas, the Cadillac of all LA jack planes, you also forgot to mention, it’s the only plane with 2.25” wide blade and interrchangeble angle blades for figured hard wood. Now, if you would send me back that plane, it would be nice...lol...
Can we get any more information about that grizzly plane? I'm probably just being cheap, but its only $40 or less on their website; give us the rundown on your thoughts of it!
Rex, I absolutely love your videos! Thanks for making them. But I'm really surprised you made it without atleast mentioning the lie-Nielsen low angle 62. I watched a video that popular woodworking put out, hosted be none other than Ann of all trades, She called the 62 the most versatile plane in the shop. And she touted lie-nielsen and the veritas model as a work of art. But she ultimately chose the lie-nielsen because of the weight. You should watch it. And the price difference between the lie-nielsen and the veritas is minimal. I understand what your channel is about and I love the frugalness of your ideas. But I believe I'm gonna buy the lie-nielsen no.62 because of its versatility and the warranty they offer. Thank you for your videos. And please don't take this comment as me ragging on you.
I think all these videos of varying perspectives offer a wealth of insight and information. I'm amazed at how much I can watch but still continue to learn although it's the same topic. Good planes aren't cheap, so it's great to gather as much savvy possible before making a choice and draining the bank 😂
I have the Veritas and will be selling it. It is great, mind, but I find I have to use water stones and a jig to sharpen the blades, which I find annoying. Mostly, though, it is my left-handed ness combined with the adjustable mouth: the twist of my wrist opens it up all the time. Without the stop screw, I’d be sharpening even more! Again, works great, but not for me.
I have a Lie-Nielson and am happy with it, but I must admit that I do the big work with big old wooden-bodied jack planes picked up at the flea market for peanuts and fixed up.
Wow what a great and thoughtful review. Rex, you’re an ally to woodworkers with less of a budget! If I spring for any tools I’ll be sure to try and go through any affiliate links you might have. Thanks again!
for a plane at about the price range of the Stanley, that also has the T-shaped lever cap, look at the Dictum range. I don't know how easy they are to get in the US but in Europe I would totally recommend it. I've had one for a while and am completely satisfied. The first one I got had a little ding on the mouthplate but they replaced the whole plane without an issue. Though to be fair, I don't find that comination adjuster that easy to use. It's quite hard to adjust the depth of cut without getting the lateral adjustment screwed up. But maybe that's just me...
Halfway watching the video and I was struggling to finish the video first and then give my compliments!! Gret video, and one of the best reviews I have seen on TH-cam! To the point, comprehensive, professional, and unbiased!! Thanks a lot! I also enjoyed the singing fairies! I have tried maybe 6-7 different new Stanley planes, and I think the bevel up is by far the best. I agree that it cannot be the only plane, and one plane cannot do it all, but you can have extra blades to handle the tricky tasks: one for scrubbing and another with a secondary (very) high angle to do surfacing might make this an only plane. Just a thought. The casting on the other plane can be milled again, to turn it into a Norris adjuster, but why go to the trouble if you can return it!
There is a fix to try on short handles...(None of those shaped handles fit my palm) the flea market fix, a friend says just hit the top of the handle with a hammer and break the jabby part off :- ) looks ugly but better fit to a larger hand. The German ones with unicorn handle in front and my block plane (no handle) don't have that problem. Love my little cheap Stanley block plane. Nice job on your home made the low angle jack plane - cool, will look for that video. Thinking a shaving horse, Roman work bench with vise & a wood lathe could be combined into a good traveling workbench.
My only complaint (annoyance really) is that my front knob tends to loosen up with use. Probably just the way I plane but still I have to be careful. And yes, it is my go to plane for about 90% of my work.
I did pick up one of the Bridge City planes, and I would say it is a low angle plane. While a lot of it is pretty nice, it drives me nuts trying to figure it out. It just doesn't work the same way most other planes do. I will figure it out eventually.
I'd be curious to know how the Axminster Rider series planes handle - like you I'm honestly not comfortable throwing down Veritas money but I think the Axminster Rider type of price is something I could justify. That said - I use old Bailey #4's most often and to be honest I haven't ever felt that these old planes are lacking. I love nice woodworking tools and I can appreciate a nice tool but I wonder if I even need a low angle plane.
AFAIK the axminster is made by soba. Most of Rex's criticisms of the tay (is that how it's spelt?) apply here, although my axminster isn't quite as bad as what Rex describes. I've owned mine for a couple of years so have had plenty of time to evaluate it and I certainly wouldn't recommend it.
Okay... for what it's worth... I'd recommend picking up a "box plane"... one of those low angled deals that fits in a pocket, or pouch of the tool belt... The point being a lenient angle to smooth out the roughest spots with a few glib rubs of the thing... ya' know? A box plane does about everything you need it to do for smoothing up the wood... shooting boards and all... and it's not a ghastly expense... I think even Rex has done a vid' on that matter. Otherwise, unless you just want the convenience of a low angle plane... there isn't a whole lot of point or pressure to buying in... and certainly not to the tune of a Veritas... there's a lot of tool snobs, but I'm not one for that... I luck into a few things once in a while, AND I'm only too happy to publicize how lucky I've been... but that's the end of it. You can jubilate with me or tell me to f*** myself... as long as I know I've gotten a "rise" out of someone, I'm prob'ly happy enough,. Hopefully this helps... ;o)
A fun amd honest review. I have never usrd s low angle plane once , but i watched the whole review because it was SO WATCHABLE! Don't think i will buy one though!
Get the veritas. It costs the earth, but you have it for life. Invest in a nice grip mat for your floor, easy on your feet, easy on your tools, easy to clean.
You forgot to mention that the Veritas has a 2.25” wide blade and for those who are craving for a Veritas, you can purchase separate and different angles blades that will work on “high”figure woods that are hard to cut on the “regular “ blade, you’ll just get in love again all over...in the tool ofcourse....
Good point ... but it's easy (and cheaper) to grind competitors' spare blades to these same angles. Veritas doesn't have any kind of special comparative advantage here.
Rex, I appreciate the fact that you decline to shill for tool companies, and you don’t accept gifts from them. I feel that it keeps your reviews and recommendations honest.
Thank you! I appreciate that!
That's literally his trademark
@@oliverdelica2289 I do not think "literally" means what you think it means.
@@RainDog222222 Dont be pretentious. He was just complimenting Rex's channels honesty. You knew what he meant.
@@g.pblack507 Yes, he meant NOT "literally" but figuratively. And beyond all that, he was simply making a light-hearted joke...the literal opposite of pretentiousness. o:)
Great video as always Rex. I would like to mention the two blade centring screws on the Veritas so it always feeds the blade straight with no twist when adjusting depth of cut. Incidentally, the Veritas low angle plane was the first brand new plane I ever purchased and I cried twice. Once for the cost, and then it was tears of joy when I first used it. I ran upstairs to show my wife the ultra thin shaving I made, like I was coming home from school with an A+ in math...
Y'know, if you have a drill press you could always drill & tap the sides of the Stanley for hex socket set screws that will do exactly what the ones on the Veritas do. Just have them long enough to do the job, but not long enough to stick out above the surfaces of the sides when applying pressure so you can still use it on its side on a shooting board. Don't know what size set screws Veritas uses, but I'm sure you can figure it out.
The Veritas Low Angle Plane is the king of all planes. It is absolutely perfect in its design and versatility. Dopes like Rob Cosman might change their tune about low angle Jacks if they actually used the LV Low Angle Jack.
Saved me the time buying the Taytools I appreciate that! Good humor in this video too!
I purchased the Veritas 62 over a year ago and it is just a joy to use every time I pick it up. Yes, it's on the pricey side but well worth it. I don't regret spending the money for one moment.
SO LT how bout the tool fairies? Aren't they a nuisance?
Breakfast time, watching the vid. I get up to make a tea and my two year old in the background bellows " look daddy, a fairy! " made her morning Rex. Thank you for the great content
I have the Veritas 62 1/2 LA Jack . It is an amazing piece of kit . Used it for 5 years now . it is practically my goto plane .Especially the PMV11 blade.
I really appreciate your objective, no punches pulled reviews. I used to buy old Stanleys and tune them as users. When I got my first veritas plane, the low angle jack, I had the same reservations as you, worrying I’d scratch it if I looked at it sideways. That quickly gave way to it being the first plane I reached for even when I didn’t need a plane... Non of the Stanleys I own are as much a joy to use, or perform as well. They are slowly getting replaced one by one with veritas planes because imho that extra price is worth it. Just my 2 cents.
Similar story in my small workshop. I had planes from Dictum which are a good start into handtool woodworking. After I could use a friends No. 7 low angel from Veritas I started to replace my planes from Dictum. As Rex and you said, at the beginning I'm very carefully with the Veritas planes, but after some time I use them without thinking about the price. ;-)
I hit almost complete set of old Stanley bench plane and I love it every single one
I own a Veritas low angle jack plane and I absolutely love it. I salt money away, then try to make my big-dollar purchases at a show, when they offer a little bit of a discount. I have not so much as a moment's regret about spending the money.
I just wanna say, in my research phase of setting up my first dedicated workspace I've circled back to a number of your vids multiple times. There's enough info in them that I am still picking up things on the subsequent rewatches. Also your brand of humor & blunt delivery helps.
I picked up the Stanley SW No. 62 from Home Depot online for $113 shipping and tax included. Ordered Jan 1, received on Jan 3.
Just tried it out. This plane is great. It bears repeating - this plane is great. Thank you Rex!
Rex,
Thank you for the great video.....as a beginner woodworker, I appreciate the detailed information you consistently provide on your channel.
I needed to get an additional, larger plane for larger projects (I only have one other plane, a TayTools low angle block plane) so I purchased the Stanley Low angle Jackplane that was part of your review, keeping my fingers crossed it would work well for my needs and I wouldn't be sorry I did not purchased the Veritas.
The Sweetheart plane was not especially flat, but about 10 minutes of work on my diamond stones and it became "more flat" than it was before. LOL. I intentionally did not look at the edge on the really thick blade, because my OCD would have required me to sharpen it using my Veritas Jig. I made some cursory adjustments to the blade depth and straightness, then shoved it down a 1.5" piece of Birch and then a 1" thick scrap of Padouk.
The ease and quality of the cut was much better than I had hoped for. The sound when planning was like a sheet of computer paper being sliced by a plane blade or chisel when I am drinking beer showing my friends, wife or anyone that will listen, how sharp my hand tools are. That sound was and continues to be, music to my ears.
Anyway, thank you for pointing out how good this plane is.....especially for the money.
Keep up the good work sir.
Mark Nicholson
Former, US Army - EFMB,
Combat Medical Specialist
1/94 FA MLRS
WOW! I was ready to send my Veritas back because it didn't play music! I'm glad you told us about the shop fairies! I can't say positively, but there are several blades available for the Veritas with different angles. It probable that one of those blades might have solved the tear out problem you had. The blades, of course, are not free. Veritas did another smart thing when they made their low angle smoothing plane in that they made it big enough to use all the same blades they make for their LA jackplane. Thanks for the video.
Ditto I have a collection of Veritas planes love em. Have no trouble plaining against the grain even in Western Australia Tuart with the correct blade angle that is sharp and throat closed to about 1/32 ". Tuart is notorious difficult to work.
@@murraypotts924 I'll take your word for the Tuart. I'd never even heard of it before. I think the Veritas L A jack is the only Veritas plane I own. In conventional planes, most of mine are made by Millers Falls. They are, for the most part, copies of Stanley planes although they have a better lever cap. Some, but not all have aftermarket blades. Lately. the plane I reach for first is the Miller's Falls No. 15 which is fifteen inches long and comparable to the Stanley no. 5 1/2. Millers Falls went out of business in the mid 1960s. I don't know if they were ever sold outside of the U.S. and Canada.
I have a Taytools plane, it was my very first one. If I would’ve known when first starting out, that precision is just about EVERYTHING, I would’ve thought a little harder on that purchase.
Don’t get me wrong, it works just fine. But everything about it is off. The sole wasn’t flat, sides not 90*, frog is crooked (drove me crazy until I figured out it was that and not my blade)... It’s good for roughing and stock removal.
But getting everything true and flat and straight on that plane is wayyyyy more effort that what it’s worth. Honestly, you’ll thank yourself by buying more expensive tools. Don’t think you can get away with cheap, you’ll drive yourself friggin nuts.
I finally bought sweetheart low angle jack plane last week, and sharpened the blade over the weekend. I am in love with this plane. When I glued up my bench top, I did not pay attention to grain direction, and they are all over the place. This plane eats it as breakfast.
1. As stated in another comment, you get a new blade and hone it at a higher angle and you, essentially, have a new plane. Don't buy the higher angle blades. Just get the standard 25 degree blade and hone it at 33 for an effective 45 degree angle. Get another and hone it at 45 for a high angle (52). Get one of the toothed blades for really difficult grain.
2. Veritas has a set of low angle planes: jack, jointer and smoother. They all use the same blades, so get the whole set. Set up each of the three blades at different angles (low, standard, high) and you really have nine planes.
3. You never talked about the side set screws. I use them to make super fine adjustments to the side to side angle of the blade. It's much finer than using the Norris adjuster, so you can get the blade perfectly parallel to the mouth. And then it keeps it from moving, which is really important when skewing the plane.
4. Get the PMV blades!
5. Seriously? You're afraid to use an expensive tool? What's up with that? An extra $100 over the course of 10 years is $10 a year. That's seat cushion money.
The old woodworker saying is, "Get your second tool first because you're going to get it anyway." Get the most expensive tool you can afford. You won't regret it.
Such a true statement (2nd tool 1st)!!! Then substitute "best" for "most expensive" and you've nailed it. Most expensive is not always the best.
I bought my stanley 62 a year ago after the same analysis and comparison with the premiums. A year ago you were saying that bevel up planes were luxury, and that bailey styles planes could do the same thing. Only the dumb one won't change his mind. Thank you for all your work and honest opinions. I never miss a video. Salutations from France
I still do think they're a luxury, but they sure are nice!
13:00 The good news is that the Veritas is ductile iron, so it's even better at getting bumped into things since it won't crack. 😃
That is a good point!
Oh yes thank you! I may rest now haha
That's an excellent point Lap Joint. The other thing you get with Veritas (and Lie-Nielsen) is their legendary customer service. I've had Lee Valley send me out replacements parts for things that "I" broke for free - they even picked up the shipping. I was prepared to purchase them and they just sent them out gratas. Also, there are no better people on the planet to work with on the phone. I also had a LN No. 9 Miter plane that I loved and used it on a utility bench I was making. I went to town planing down a leg and thought I was encountering a little too much resistance with a knot hole. It turns out I wasn't. It was actually the tip of a screw that had protruded above the leg surface and I put about 4 or 5 DEEP scratches along the length of the sole of the plane before I realize my idiocy. I almost fainted when I turned it over. I contacted Lie Nielsen to see if I could pay them to surface grind the sole for me. They said no problem. Two weeks later got an email from them saying that the scratches were too deep and regrinding would weaken its structural integrity. They also said they replaced the whole plane (for FREE) and I should be receiving it UPS within a day or two. I couldn't believe it 1) because of their generosity and 2) because by that time they had stopped making that plane. They must have pulled it out of the private reserve or something. So there are some advantages to paying more and patronizing those companies.
@@yoyopg123 nice story Paul, I do also think good tools are worth investing in. I don't think the hassle of setup and the constant setup is worth some cheap tools
@@yoyopg123 I had a similar experience with the customer service folks at Stanley. I bought one of their SW No. 4 smoothing planes and it came with a chip breaker that wasn't up to par. I called them and they sent me out a whole new blade set at no charge. The big boys aren't always the only ones with good service. Just sayin'...
About tear out. The beaty of a bevel up plane is that you can grind the bevel to a steeper angle that better handles irregular wood. Better yet, get another blade so you can have both.
And off course, Veritas sells blades that comms pre ground at different angles.
And as always, an entertaining an educational video Rex!
Stefan Eriksson
And while you are screwing around with different bevels, setting etc, I just readjust the cap iron on my bevel down Stanley and continue on.
I'm pretty sure Rex covered the use of blades ground at different angles in a previous video. It's an interesting way to get more use out of a tool, and I can see how the rigidity of the plane could make a difference in how well that works.
@@ardvarkkkkk1 the whole point of this argument is that technically you don't need to buy an additional smoothing plane if you have the low angle jack and instead just get a second blade, to do the job of both planes at a lot less cost.
@@johndoe920
Point is, unless you want a different camber, there is no need to change blades on a bevel down plane.
@@ardvarkkkkk1 except if you need a bigger plane for jointing, or if you need a plane for shooting, or if you want and even smoother finish with less tear out than you get from 45°, because you can just aswell get an attack angle of over 50° on a bevel up.
Honest review, pesky fairies, and good humor. What more could a viewer want.
Nudity? Nah, probably not.
Your right
You shouldn’t get scared with the tools that you bought and not to put in display
Thank you Patreon’s! I’m not sure how many more channels I can support!
I don't have the time or desire to rebuild old stuff and try to make it work again so dragging and old Stanly or whatever out of the trash and make it work is out of the question for me. That said I tried the Veritas at the Woodworkers Show 3 or 4 times and never got to use one that some kid hadn't tried to plane the concrete floor and twisted every adjustment on it to the point that they were like the Stanly in the trash pile. I did get to a hand tool event last spring to see the Lie-Nielsen. Everything was sharp, set up and there was someone there who was a woodworker (not someone from accounting) to help you try anything. I fell in love with the Lie-Nelsen 62 and bought it on the spot. When it was delivered I pulled it out of the box and wiped off the excess oil, flattened the back of the blades ( less than 60 seconds each) honed a primary bevel on a blade, put it in the plane and it was working as beautifly in my shop as it did at the show. that's worth the extra money to me.
I finally put in some OT at my day-job (actually night shift) and sprang for the Veritas. The price is comparable to Wood River or Lie Nielsen, but there are a variety of blades available, upon which to blow even more money. I haven't bought any extra blades, yet, but the plane itself has been a joy to use. I still want to buy a 5 1/2, someday, but this will serve nicely, for now, and I think it's versatility will be valuable even after I have all the bench planes I desire.
I've heard that a low angle jack plane can actually be more universal with a few extra irons. One with a steeper bevel can be used for smoothing, one with an arc bevel can be used scrubbing, and one with a square edge and a bur can be used for scraping. I think, this could make an interesting topic. Are these effective solutions? How do they compare to dedicated tools? What are the compromises and are there any issues?
Your comment is from a year ago, but better late than never. Anyone with these questions will want to check out the Popular Woodworking article, “Bench Planes: The System of Three,” for more details, but the answer some of your question in brief, changing the angle of the bevel will indeed have an effect, with higher angles decreasing chances of tear-out-if you have a honing guide that allows for it, you can even increase the effective angle of your bevel down planes by adding a small back bevel. The cutting action will be the same, regardless of using the jack vs dedicated scrub, but the performance limitation is going to be the dimensions of your plane and the blade itself. I recommend a web search for the article I mentioned since it includes illustrations, but the basic idea is that your wood is a wavy surface with hills and valleys, and the longer your plane is, the more it will gently flow over them. Ditto for width of the plane, since we also consider the third dimension.
a veritas/lee valley loving new sub here! after decades of struggling with soso antiques, i broke down and bought a couple of veritas planes. angles sang and the earth moved.
joking aside, one thing to remember is that veritas and lie nielson are both made in north america, L N in the us and veritas are made in canada. that is a big deal to me
Great video and I appreciate your realist view of wood working. Many of your peers just use all the fancy tools we can’t afford or don’t have space for in our shop.
Great review. I love the no nonsense approach. Very well done. I am really new to hand tool wood working and this sure helps. thanks!
Hi Rex, my stanley has just been delivered today! thanks from england
I can highly recommend the Veritas #5 low angle jack plane with PMV-11 blades. Buy once, cry once.
Until your roof leaks and you have to de-rust your cast iron table tops... it was a brand new roof.
They didn't install the plumbing vent properly.
I own the Veritas low angle jack plane and it was worth the money. Guaranteed perfection out of the box.
I read so many reviews on Stanley that say that the sole was not square to the sides or that the sole was not flat. I don't want to pay for money for something that isn't guaranteed perfect.
Liam Cunningham ... you can't deal with basic English spelling. I'm very doubtful about the value of your review. Discounted.
@@davidstorer4706 is your comment suppose to mean anything to me? Do you feel special now you've posted it?
Thank you for sharing. This is my first time even see one used. Looks like I should go for a Stanley. $150 will take sometime to get though. Thanks for sharing.
It's only around 125 through amazon and less though Home Depot.
@@RexKrueger Must be on the web site for Home Depot. I will check it out. Or maybe my wife can get it for my for Christmas. Thanks.
Your handmade specimen looks "the goods", I would have expected it to be nearly as good as the Stanley. Love to know why it was so easily outclassed>
I don't know if you ever saw it but he also had a video where he compared his handmade plane to the Stanley: th-cam.com/video/tKurALHFDPI/w-d-xo.html
If I buy a shirt for work, I can't wear it to work because I'm afraid of messing it up. Even if it cost $5 at a big box. Because my job gives me access to highly-figured wood at cost, I got talked into getting a Lie-Nielsen #5 with a 55* pitch. I've got no anxiety about it at all.
For an extra hundred bucks... Christopher Schwarz, in one of his blogs, said that he worked for years with nothing but a #5 -- roughing, jointing, and smoothing. I'm still a hand-tool newbie, but if I had a time machine, I'd just have a premium jack plane and a card scraper.
FWIW...which ain't much.
Your approach to not buying expensive planes is the same as my approach to not buying expensive guitars.
If my guitars can't get dinged a bit, I don't really want to take them out and play them.
My most "expensive" one is $1100, and came the way I wanted it to (plus setup, of course). The rest of them were 300-500, and I didn't feel bad throwing a bunch of customization on top, and even doing some myself.
Veritas make some stunning tools! I love everything I've bought of theirs.
The shop fairies bit was priceless. LOL.
Gotta admit that the first video of yours I watched was about a year or so ago. Didn't like your presentation back then, and it was a while before I bothered watching another one. I've definitely changed my mind, though. You kind of grew on me. :-) You have a very honest style that is very refreshing. Keep up the good work.
I have the Veritas LA jack and love it. One very nice feature you didn't touch on was the tiny little screws at the front of the blade that keep that end of the blade able to go back in exactly the same side-to-side position when you put it back after sharpening. It's a small thing, but darn convenient and a genius move on their part.
Great job comparing the planes, covering pretty much all the pertinent issues. I was surprised to see the Taytools was so bad. Always thought their stuff was supposed to be good.
I'm glad I've converted you; I know my style isn't for everyone!
I use to do basic carpentry and wood working years ago, find your vids very entertaining, easy to watch and I have learnt afew things to, keep up the good work!
Part of the selling point to making, upgrading, and restoring tools to me is the fearlessness
I could have spent 120 euros on a new set of Spear and Jackson saws, but I know I wouldn't have done the set up on them because I'd be scared.
I just bought those same three saws at auction for 12 euros in a crusty gross state, and with a little set-up they're cutting better than any saw I've ever handled!
Lie Nielsen #62 low angle jack plane is the top of the heap. I'm from Canada, and Veritas is a Canadian company, so it saddens me to say that an American tool company is superior, but the truth of the matter is that it is.
Jon Wınter very true. I own old Stanleys, many Veritas saws and planes, and a few Lie Nielsen tools. They win.
Thanks for the advice. Bought the Stanley and works fine.
First video of yours I’ve seen. Interesting. If I was a professional woodworker, I’d buy the best. But being a weekend warrior, my Stanley Sweat heart collection of planes and chisels suits me well...no complaints.
The Lie-Neilson is only $260 and it’s perfect out of the box.
I am a 'wood worker' for over 30 years and have built all different types of projects.. the first tools I bought was from Lee Valley.. there planes are the model called Veritas and they are the best.. over the time I worked in different shop and I also used there models of planes and the Veritas is better than any other version.. the Veritas planes were more money but they are still perfect after over 30 years so the cost is worth it !!
Recently bought the Stanley, which arrived perfect in every way.
No wonder that TayTools no longer sells a low-angle jack plane!
The Veritas. It's a great plane and if you want the best it's well priced. Of course you can get by with something else, I've got an ancient stanley no5 that I got 35 years ago with a samurai japanese plane iron which is well set up and nearly as good but I instinctivly go for the veritas even for small jobs, it just feels right and works great. I'll have to check which iron i've got in it because it keeps it's edge and doesn't need regular sharpening (i'll get back on this as i bought a few different blades to see which one worked best for me)
I just got my factory seconds veritas LA Jack...was SUPER disappointed until I realized I wasn't shooting, but then Jones it to the York bevel and absolutely love it. 11/10. Great video as always!
What are you saying and you is this Jones person?
@@alext8828 over a year ago I got my veritas low angle jack plane and was initially unsatisfied until I *honed* it to a 38° "York" bevel and it's worked wonderfully ever since.
I always learn something new watching your videos, even if its not your topic!
If all woodworking channels were filled with bad dad humor and not the super stupid humble brag "oh wait here's my new $2500 domino joiner and my literal f***ing handheld CNC woodworking mill and also BTW I have a literal different pair of Nike Jordans' in every single shot"
More people would be into this hobby.
Rex is so criminally underrated. He even makes my wife laugh sometimes and she absolutely does not give a damn about woodworking beyond the fact that I'm refinishing our dining table.
As I understand it, you can get a high bevel angle blade for the Veritas that makes it perform better at dealing with highly figured woods. I'm thinking about buying the Veritas with two blades, a high bevel and a standard bevel.
Thanks for this review, Rex. I love the comparison methodology and I feel I can trust your independence and your track record in using hand tools. Based on your video, I just purchased the Stanley via your affiliate Home Depot link. This will be my first proper venture into hand planing!
Set quirky factor to 1000! All ahead full! Love this side of Rex.
My only Taytools plane is a small router, and it pretty well persuaded me not to buy any more Taytools planes. But, I love doing business with them for almost anything else. Well, you know, sometimes Harbor Freight is good enough. But Taylor sells a lot of things--machinists' squares, straight edges, calipers and such that are just fine at a really good price, and some things, like Wood Owl auger bits and Narex chisels that are excellent.
I am just in love with your videos, they are so real and practical, thank you
Thanks Rex. I was looking for a low angle and you helped me the most. I come to your site because I know you will give me the information I need straight up.
I have learned so much from your show. Especially about planes. Thank you. I also have a shop fairy that sings.
Great, useful review. I bought the Stanley. Thanks.
07:23 *No* Rex - there's no way turning off that heavenly music: *veritas* [second to *Lie-Nielsen* of course] is *the* best manufacturer.
15:07 Can't believe your own plane is no match against the veritas & stanley - it looks pretty darn good.
Well 80% of a match. I plan to get a Stanley whenever I can. I see the Veritas the choice for hobbyist with a very good paying job, or a master craftsman that works on has clientele that demands the best. Like when your the hedge fund manager drives a Porsche, because you expect them to.
For my money just get an ETF call it a day.
The trick to the low angle, bevel up format is to have two or more irons: one ground to the standard 25° and another ground to a higher angle for difficult grain. I have my high angle ground to about 35°.
I just bought the Veritas (Nov 2021) in Canada, because it is almost the same price as the Stanley right now (was a $30 Cdn gap).
Great shootout. I think you covered the relevant range just great.
Thank you!
Also! Heard about folks getting Stanley’s that were out of square…. So I bought 3 to return 2. 2 of these 3 happened to be out of square. (I’m assuming I just got unlucky with these 3 …or, barely lucky enough) …super happy with the 3rd!!
… possibly a useful approach.
Cheers!!
I've got the stanley sweetheart low angle jack and a veritas low angle smoother and I'd agree with both assessments of the the tools. Obviously the veritas smoother is slightly different from the jack, not so good for edging boards for example, but still everything else holds up.
Very informative review on the Veritas. Have had only two Veritas planes from more than 12 years ago, now I “want” more Veritas!
You know you could throw down some rolled vinyl flooring, and those foam puzzle piece things or standing mats to "soften" your concrete. Once you do it you'll wonder why it took so long to figure it out, and your feet and your tools will love you.
Rex, outstanding job. Thank you so much for the great, very well presented content. Ordered the Stanley from your link. I had been waiting and this video was the clincher for me. So, Thank You so much for your time and effort in putting out your content. Watched several and subscribed. Looking forward to following you moving forward. Thanks again and God Bless.
Buy Canadian there is no comparison Lee Nelson is close but cost more.
I really enjoy your plane videos. I have been a woodworker all my life and have a large collection of planes. Still a few gaps that I want to fill including a low angle jack
Shop fairies, WD40... 🤣
Thank you for the very helpful review, and the laugh!
Glad to add a smile to yr day!
Such a great comment about being scared to use your tools. I am retired, and just recently getting serious about building things for my home. I have some of the basic tools like squares, and drills and such but I really want some good hand planes and other tools. I have considered buying some of the Woodpecker squares, but I have a bad habit: Once I have one of the squares, I end up wanting them all. I would really like one of their T squares. They look beautiful hanging on the wall in their display holders. Problem is, is that I would be scared to death of dropping one or having them stolen. They are made of aluminum and if you dropped it once, well the game would be over for that tool. I want stuff that is functional and works really well, but I don't want to treat it like I am holding the 1st Edition of the Gutenberg bible or something.
Hey Gregg, I hear you on that Woodpeckers addiction, but to be honest, if you have something of that caliber in your shop, you sort of develop a protective instinct that makes you treat that tool with more care than say a hammer where precision performance isn't an issue. I've had Woodpeckers stuff for years but I take care of it all. I do pay attention to laying that stuff down in a safe place where it won't /can't fall or get fallen on. I don't regret a single purchase, but enjoy immensely the investment from the money well spent. Treat yourself!
Having decided to get a low-angle jack plane, I did as much research as I could online and narrowed it down to the Veritas and the Lie-Nielsen. It was a very close contest and, without one iota of regret, I went for the Lie-Nielson. This has become my favourite hand tool ever - and that's a very long time!
I would be interested to see your conclusions if you put them head-to-head?
I enjoy the humor (and wisdom).
I had a feeling that Stanley might come out ahead. Somebody at Stanley was definitely on their game designing that thing, it is an excellent "built to a price, but built well" tool. And I agree, Veritas has some really cool stuff, but the fact that they want $50 for a simple cast iron chisel plane (NOT including the chisel!) feels less like buying a tool and more like buying a collectible...
Keep up the good work Rex!
That used to be Stanley's DNA, hopefully they churn out some more stuff like this.
No doubt about the Veritas, the Cadillac of all LA jack planes, you also forgot to mention, it’s the only plane with 2.25” wide blade and interrchangeble angle blades for figured hard wood.
Now, if you would send me back that plane, it would be nice...lol...
Can we get any more information about that grizzly plane? I'm probably just being cheap, but its only $40 or less on their website; give us the rundown on your thoughts of it!
Many thanks. Mind you, I still really like my Marples bladed planes.
Rex,
I absolutely love your videos!
Thanks for making them.
But I'm really surprised you made it without atleast mentioning the lie-Nielsen low angle 62.
I watched a video that popular woodworking put out, hosted be none other than Ann of all trades,
She called the 62 the most versatile plane in the shop.
And she touted lie-nielsen and the veritas model as a work of art.
But she ultimately chose the lie-nielsen because of the weight.
You should watch it.
And the price difference between the lie-nielsen and the veritas is minimal.
I understand what your channel is about and I love the frugalness of your ideas.
But I believe I'm gonna buy the lie-nielsen no.62 because of its versatility and the warranty they offer.
Thank you for your videos.
And please don't take this comment as me ragging on you.
I think all these videos of varying perspectives offer a wealth of insight and information. I'm amazed at how much I can watch but still continue to learn although it's the same topic. Good planes aren't cheap, so it's great to gather as much savvy possible before making a choice and draining the bank 😂
I have the Veritas and will be selling it. It is great, mind, but I find I have to use water stones and a jig to sharpen the blades, which I find annoying. Mostly, though, it is my left-handed ness combined with the adjustable mouth: the twist of my wrist opens it up all the time. Without the stop screw, I’d be sharpening even more! Again, works great, but not for me.
I have a Lie-Nielson and am happy with it, but I must admit that I do the big work with big old wooden-bodied jack planes picked up at the flea market for peanuts and fixed up.
Best plane I've used, can so much with them.
Thanks for the thorough review. Got me off the fence.
Wow what a great and thoughtful review. Rex, you’re an ally to woodworkers with less of a budget! If I spring for any tools I’ll be sure to try and go through any affiliate links you might have. Thanks again!
Great video, I love the comedy in these videos
for a plane at about the price range of the Stanley, that also has the T-shaped lever cap, look at the Dictum range. I don't know how easy they are to get in the US but in Europe I would totally recommend it. I've had one for a while and am completely satisfied. The first one I got had a little ding on the mouthplate but they replaced the whole plane without an issue. Though to be fair, I don't find that comination adjuster that easy to use. It's quite hard to adjust the depth of cut without getting the lateral adjustment screwed up. But maybe that's just me...
There´s also the Juuma No. 62. It costs 179€, which I view as affortable and it is well made.
Halfway watching the video and I was struggling to finish the video first and then give my compliments!! Gret video, and one of the best reviews I have seen on TH-cam! To the point, comprehensive, professional, and unbiased!! Thanks a lot!
I also enjoyed the singing fairies!
I have tried maybe 6-7 different new Stanley planes, and I think the bevel up is by far the best. I agree that it cannot be the only plane, and one plane cannot do it all, but you can have extra blades to handle the tricky tasks: one for scrubbing and another with a secondary (very) high angle to do surfacing might make this an only plane. Just a thought.
The casting on the other plane can be milled again, to turn it into a Norris adjuster, but why go to the trouble if you can return it!
Again, I want to know where to get spare blade? No luck for me on the Stanley 62.
Just looked at home depot site and they list blade number, but not in stock at Stanley. I wonder if other manufacturers blade would work.
I'm really glad you enjoyed this video! I cover blade switching in a previous video.
Great and helpful review. Thanks for taking the time and effort to share this.
Thanks Rex, another fine and informative video
I have the Veritas, and I really like it. But I don't know how to use it well. The homemade one is really pretty, though!
There is a fix to try on short handles...(None of those shaped handles fit my palm) the flea market fix, a friend says just hit the top of the handle with a hammer and break the jabby part off :- ) looks ugly but better fit to a larger hand. The German ones with unicorn handle in front and my block plane (no handle) don't have that problem. Love my little cheap Stanley block plane. Nice job on your home made the low angle jack plane - cool, will look for that video. Thinking a shaving horse, Roman work bench with vise & a wood lathe could be combined into a good traveling workbench.
My only complaint (annoyance really) is that my front knob tends to loosen up with use. Probably just the way I plane but still I have to be careful. And yes, it is my go to plane for about 90% of my work.
I LOVE this video! It's one of my favorites.
I have found that woodriver makes the best bang for the buck planes.
I did pick up one of the Bridge City planes, and I would say it is a low angle plane. While a lot of it is pretty nice, it drives me nuts trying to figure it out. It just doesn't work the same way most other planes do. I will figure it out eventually.
Hey man, I've watched a TON of your videos. Thanks for making them.
@@RexKrueger Maybe some day we can do a play date!
@@robohippy, :)
I'd be curious to know how the Axminster Rider series planes handle - like you I'm honestly not comfortable throwing down Veritas money but I think the Axminster Rider type of price is something I could justify.
That said - I use old Bailey #4's most often and to be honest I haven't ever felt that these old planes are lacking. I love nice woodworking tools and I can appreciate a nice tool but I wonder if I even need a low angle plane.
AFAIK the axminster is made by soba. Most of Rex's criticisms of the tay (is that how it's spelt?) apply here, although my axminster isn't quite as bad as what Rex describes. I've owned mine for a couple of years so have had plenty of time to evaluate it and I certainly wouldn't recommend it.
Okay... for what it's worth...
I'd recommend picking up a "box plane"... one of those low angled deals that fits in a pocket, or pouch of the tool belt... The point being a lenient angle to smooth out the roughest spots with a few glib rubs of the thing... ya' know?
A box plane does about everything you need it to do for smoothing up the wood... shooting boards and all... and it's not a ghastly expense... I think even Rex has done a vid' on that matter.
Otherwise, unless you just want the convenience of a low angle plane... there isn't a whole lot of point or pressure to buying in... and certainly not to the tune of a Veritas... there's a lot of tool snobs, but I'm not one for that... I luck into a few things once in a while, AND I'm only too happy to publicize how lucky I've been... but that's the end of it. You can jubilate with me or tell me to f*** myself... as long as I know I've gotten a "rise" out of someone, I'm prob'ly happy enough,. Hopefully this helps... ;o)
eggypickle
If you want a shooting plane, buy a bevel up. Otherwise, stick with your Baileys.
A fun amd honest review. I have never usrd s low angle plane once , but i watched the whole review because it was SO WATCHABLE! Don't think i will buy one though!
Get the veritas. It costs the earth, but you have it for life. Invest in a nice grip mat for your floor, easy on your feet, easy on your tools, easy to clean.
You forgot to mention that the Veritas has a 2.25” wide blade and for those who are craving for a Veritas, you can purchase separate and different angles blades that will work on “high”figure woods that are hard to cut on the “regular “ blade, you’ll just get in love again all over...in the tool ofcourse....
Good point ... but it's easy (and cheaper) to grind competitors' spare blades to these same angles. Veritas doesn't have any kind of special comparative advantage here.
Thanks REx. Great video. Veritas makes lovely kit.
7:32 Has made multiple stools on this channel. Uses a bucket