Long time, no blog. I apologise but it's hard to muse from the workbench when you haven't been near the workbench in weeks. No matter, we seem to have hit New Plane Season so I can muse without the aid of external aids.
I confess to be torn between relief and considerable chagrin when news of new Lee Valley planes hits the streets. On the one hand I can largely stop worrying about revealing something I shouldn't, which is a load off the old brain cell. But equally it's perishing annoying to be siiting here raving at the monitor going "I knew about that ages ago" and being pipped to the post in revealing it. Again. Ten perishing months I've been sitting on some of this interesting stuff, forsooth!
As it happens I took the little Router Plane along to the Mini Bash last month, and as Phil brought along his LN one we could compare and contrast. Same old same old by and large - one looks better and the other functions better. The bad news is the LN doesn't actually look that much better either - would have been a looker in bronze...
Talking of linking back, if you cast your mind back here and the last sentence, well that, my friends, was in reference to the plough. Yes, I've tried one. Well, to be more acccurate, I've tried one of those clever plastic models of one (as previously mentioned and not photographed here) before at least one change was made. I even ploughed a groove with it - very carefully, with an extremely fine cut in the softest of woods, 'cos the model's not built for much work. Obviously I wouldn't dream of commenting in public on the unfinished design but there's some novel ideas in the clamping/adjustment holding department to look forward to. And being a galoot there was something I just had to try - and yes! The depth stop fitted the 043/044. ;)
From my recollection of the brief look at the MiniBash, the Veritas small router felt a lot better in the hand than the LN one and the blade clamping arrangement was particularly good. It's encouraging that Veritas are planning to produce a plough. Plough, combination and multi planes have been sadly neglected by modern-day plane makers, so it's good to see Rob Lee and his team taking up the challenge.
ReplyDeleteCheers:)
Paul Chapman
I'm really looking forward to seeing the plough plane. The premium line of planes should be interesting as well.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you manage to keep all these secrets Alf. Knowing and not being able to tell would do my head in. Take heart from the fact that we all know you knew even though you didn't get to publish the scoop. I'm sure I speak (type) for everyone we I say that we're all rather envious.
Regards,
Ian.