Shooting Boards

[Anji12305]

The LN #62 is my suggestion.
Unlike most dedicated planes, it can be used for other tasks as well.

The catch is that it uses a single, heavy iron and getting that sharp
enough to work well isn't trivial.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/tool-guid...t-all.aspx

[Smoothjazz077]

Thanks. I am going to sharpen my #5 and #6 and work with them to get going. Great suggestions everyone! Thanks.

[Pat Zabrocki]

6s are usually pretty cheap so you could cut one of those down to the length you like and not worry about spending some $$$$
pat

[AHill]

Sounds like your budget won't accommodate a new plane, so LV LAJ or LN #62 are out of the running. It will be exceedingly difficult to find either of those used planes for sale at much below retail as well. I'd use your No. 5 as a shooter and seriously consider saving up for a dedicated shooter. I prefer a low angle shooting plane, simply because most of the time I'm shooting end grain. The Stanley No. 9, the LN Shooting Plane, and the Veritas Shooting Plane are also all low angle planes, the latter two also being skewed 20 degrees to allow for a slicing cut. If you choose not to save up for a new one, I'd use a Stanley No. 5 and hone that blade really sharp to handle the end grain. I'd even consider upgrading the blade on my No. 5 to a Hock O1 blade with a Hock chipbreaker.

[RB61]

Aram said:

---

Lie-Nielsen 62. Hot-dogged. Razor-honed.

---

+1

[Smoothjazz077]

I sharpened up the #5 and #6, and found the #6 to be more comfortable to use, especially on end grain. I do agree that a heavy plane does help. I am saving up for a more dedicated shooting plane. Leaning towards the LV Low Angle Jack Plane. I do see that LV has a dedicated plane just for shooting, however can the plane be used for other tasks? Anyway, for now, the #6 seems to be doing the job well.

[Window Guy]

I use a #6 with good results, not to heavy or to light.

Steve

[Smoothjazz077]

Since I made the shooting board, I have been using the #6, however yesterday I was making a frame with 45 degree miters, and I also made a miter shooting board. I found that on the miter shooting board, a #5 works better. Maybe I am over thinking this too much, but I like to keep trying different planes, until I find what works best. The #6 definetley worked better shooting end grain, but I like a #5 for miters. I was watching a Schwarz video on shooting boards, and he was using a LN #51 Board Shooter, and WOW!! It just glided through the end grain like nothing. Nice part is it rides in a track. Steep price at $500, but as Schwarz said in an article, it was the best money he has spent on a plane. I am dropping the subtle hints to my wife what might make a good Christmas gift. I would go with the LV shooting plane, which is a couple of bucks less, and I have always had great results with all LV planes.

[Mike Brady]

Quote:

---

The catch is that it uses a single, heavy iron and getting that sharp
enough to work well isn't trivial.

---

If you use a microbevel, then the thickness of the blade is inconsequential. The fact that the blade is A-2 would have more bearing on the difficulty to achieve sharpness, compared to steels such as O-1. I have an iron from the an early, pre-A-2 #62 Lie Nielsen plane. For me it is easier to get as keen edge on it than my identical A-2 iron, but not because of anything related to dimension. Or am I missing your point?

[AHill]

Mike Brady said:

---

[blockquote]Quote:

---

The catch is that it uses a single, heavy iron and getting that sharp
enough to work well isn't trivial.

---

If you use a microbevel, then the thickness of the blade is inconsequential. The fact that the blade is A-2 would have more bearing on the difficulty to achieve sharpness, compared to steels such as O-1. I have an iron from the an early, pre-A-2 #62 Lie Nielsen plane. For me it is easier to get as keen edge on it than my identical A-2 iron, but not because of anything related to dimension. Or am I missing your point?

---

[/blockquote]

+1. I've had no problems getting any of my A2 or PM-V11 blades sharp enough to slice end grain easily. It's not that much more work than O1, and as Mike says, using a secondary bevel makes short work of it. If you use oil stones, and want to hone the entire bevel, the exotic steels will take a bit longer, but that's really only a consideration the first time you need to hone. After that, maintaining a really sharp edge only takes a few strokes stropping after each session. Frequent stropping is the key.