Opinions About Which Shooting Plane to Get

[Doug_H]

Hello All,

I am trying to decide between the LV/Veritas shooting plane and the LV/Veritas miter plane. If you use either, please share your impressions with me. I'd also like links to reviews of these two. The shooting plane is about 6" longer and about 2 lb heavier than the miter plane, and has a skewed bed. Both are low angle bevel up planes. I like the skewed bed on the shooting plane but 16" seems a bit long.

I make furniture, mostly. I work in domestic hardwoods and occasionally softwood. I have no table saw. I use a hand saw and a good miter box. Initial cuts are done with a carpenter's (circular) saw with a cutting guide or a band saw. I find that I often need a couple of passes with a plane on my homemade shooting board to square up drawer parts, mitered edge banding, etc. A 12" deep drawer is about as large as I ever make.

Until now I have used a modified a Stanley #4 with a hot dog and low-angle block planes. I want a new plane because I am convinced that a plane that combines low bed angle and mass will be easier to use. At five pounds the miter plane seems heavy enough for my work, but I won't know until I get one.

Mid-$300 is a lot of money to me. I'd like to get just one plane, and I'd like it to be the "right" one.

All suggestions welcome.

(I also posted this on SMC so if you see it there its no coincidence!)

Doug

[DaveParkis]

I have the LV shooting plane and I like it a lot. I had been using a #6 and it was okay, but the LV shooting plane is MUCH better IMO. I like having the added mass. It is a lot of money, but it is a great plane.

[KlausK.]

While the shooting plane is a dedicated shooter that will be used on Shooting boards only, the mitre plane is a little bit more versatile. As LV shows in this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW_28VR5y0I

the mitre plane is useful on mitre jacks as well.

So it depends on your needs. If you do the shooting work only on the shooting board, the shooter might be the better choice. Aside of it's heft it has the additional advantage that only a skew bladed shooter can offer. A shearing cut that allows the shooting with less effort and better performance on very hard woods.

Klaus

[Pat Zabrocki]

I have the LN and love it. However, given the economics you've described, I would get an old Stanley No. 6. Its plenty heavy and could be had for $50 or less. It would make a much better shooter than your 4 and would keep some dollars in your pocket.
pat

[Arlin Eastman]

Doug

Why be fussy get them all.

Arlin

[JR1]

I've had a chance to play with both. For end grain in tough wood (Ipê) the shooting plane does a better job much easier. The miter plane is a compromise. You sound like you have other planes and don't need the miter plane function. Unless you do, the shooting plane is a no-brainer. I was saving up to get one but blew the money on a camera with a built in smart phone. (Panasonic Lumix DMC-CM1P) as it does 4k video and it was a bit less than ½ normal retail.)

I've been using a No6 and if your shooting board is long enough it's a good length unless you do a lot of small stuff—< ~4".

[Admiral]

JR1 said:

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I've had a chance to play with both. For end grain in tough wood (Ipê) the shooting plane does a better job much easier. The miter plane is a compromise. You sound like you have other planes and don't need the miter plane function. Unless you do, the shooting plane is a no-brainer.

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^^^^This.

[Strokes77]

For Pine, Oak, Cherry, Ash... I have no trouble just using a #6... I'll tell you this. I stole a trick from rob cosman, and I just slip a padded glove on real quick if I have a lot of shooting to do... Call me a sissy if you want to, but, well... I reckon I am.

I would take one of them fancy ones if someone gave me one though.

[rwe2156]

Its a lot of money to spend on a special purpose plane.

In my mind hard to justify expense but to each his own I know the people who have them love them (they better at $500 a pop or whatever).

I'm with the poster above ^ I used a #6 for a while worked fine enough for me. Now I'm using a LN BU jack w/hotdog.

Like so many other things in this hobby, sometimes we get a tool for the tool's sake if we could be objective, the advantage it gives us is not really worth the $$.

So to answer the OP: Neither. Spend the $500 on some really nice lumber.

[Doug_H]

Sincere thanks to each of you -- it looks like the shooter will suit me best. The length is a bit much for me but I value the skewed blade bed. You have to fly with the plane that is available.
.

Just for the record, I have an adequate set of hand planes including bench, block, & specialty; BU & BD, LA, etc. Since I mostly work with hand tools, the little things begin to matter after a while. It's not that the price of this plane will break the bank. But I am frugal in my marrow bones and $300 will buy a lot of other cool stuff. I have thought about this for months, which is why I put a hotdog on my #4.

Time to act. WW is still cheaper (and more satisfying) than drinking or golf -- and I get to keep/sell the results. So, no worries.

Happy New Year to all

Doug