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I bought one of the new Veritas bevel-down planes to get familiar with its parts – I’m quite sure I’m going to see a lot of these planes at woodworking schools and in the hands of students in the coming months.
Overall, it’s a great plane, and I have a full review coming up shortly in Popular Woodworking Magazine. One of the little difficulties I had with the plane at first was getting the cap iron position dialed in where I wanted. I followed the tool’s instructions to the letter, and I think that was what was giving me fits.
The cap iron and blade are held together via a “blade carrier,” a clever gizmo that uses two screws. One screw affixes the blade carrier to the blade. The second screw secures the cap iron to the blade carrier.
It sounds more complicated than it really is.
The basic problem was the instructions say to secure the blade carrier’s position before securing the cap iron. When I did that, the cap iron would creep all over the place when I moved the cap screw.
If you reverse the process – secure the cap iron and then the blade carrier – things work much better.
Got it?
I didn’t think so. Because there are so many new parts to this tool I made a short video that explains the parts and how to make them play nice together.
— Christopher Schwarz
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Any idea why they do not offer a low angle, bevel up option in the custom planes?
Just a heads up on the hex key. It is a pesky little item and is possible to do better.
The pattern for hex keys is the same as a torx screw. I am sure that you could find a 3/32 torx screwdriver, or screwdriver insert (as I did).
Now it is easy-peasy …
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Planes/LV%20planes/Custom%20Jointer/12_zps7825b86c.jpg
Regards from Perth
Derek
Chris,
I just finished watching your video on Veratas’ bevel down plane adjustment. Great job explaining and showing just how to understand poor language/poor instructions, which is rare for Lee Valley.
Of course, and wait for it, I have only one criticism, please loose the background music. While its a nice touch, I find it distracting and competing with your excellent voice overs.
Many thanks for a great lesson
Bruce Cohen
Get a T type Allen wrench. They don’t get lost as easily as the little L types.
This is the only time in my woodworking life that I am sincerely contemplating dumping my BedRocks on eBay and throw down for a set of Veritas customs. Yepper, that just happened.
What Veritas should have done was to make the Blade Set Screws use the same Hex key as the Blade Carrier. Slotted screw drivers are so last century.
Yeah, small parts, saw dust, and in my case, old eyes combined with someone that can’t find something he just had in his hand (especially when I have tools out) has me a little hesitant to pull the trigger. And I really want to.
Agreed on the allen wrench. I’d recommend you stock up on allen wrenches before your future classes Chris, because I think there are going to be many a student that either forgets to bring them, or sweeps them into the sawdust pile.
Hmmm, elegant looking plane. But I can’t stop to think that the tiny screw and the fact that you need a special wrench to get your blade out of the plane is going to make keeping your blade sharp that much more slow and painful.