# Planes for Edge Planing, with 90 degree fence



## ericc22 (May 10, 2012)

Greetings,

I am looking for help getting my edges to 90 degrees to the face. I have a magnetic fence I use with limited success. I want a better, firmer solution.

Veritas and Lie-Nielsen make planes for getting edges at 90 degrees. Does anyone have comments on either, or both? Preferences?

http://www.leevalley.com/US/gifts/page.aspx?p=54862&cat=1,41182,48945
http://www.lie-nielsen.com/joinery-planes/bronze-edge-plane/

All feedback is most appreciated!

Eric


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Just takes practice, no fence needed. Just check with a square often, adjust as you go.


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

I've got to agree with sawdustfactory. A couple of years ago I struggled with square edges and was determined to find an inexpensive SB #95 - thankfully that didn't happen. 

I slowed down, taking a stroke or two with the jointer and remeasured, then repeating that over and over. It is a skill, and takes a little time and practice. 

Another tip: you don't need to have perfectly square edges to join boards into a panel, adjacent edges just need to be coplanar. Plane both mating edges at the same time so you don't have to worry about them being perfectly square.


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## gmcsmoke (Feb 6, 2011)

I use an old stanley #8 with a veritas fence. Works good for me.


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

Practice helps. I ripped about a 3" width off a board, then jointed both edges. Then I ripped off another section, and jointed those, and so on. It gave me lots of practice in both jointing and ripping, and I can now get pretty close to square on my first attempt, and generally get it close enough with a few more shavings.

I have to admit, though, I wouldn't turn down an edge guide if I was offered one; I've just tried to learn without, because I don't want to spend the money.


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## railaw (Nov 15, 2011)

Edge jointing has made me pay much more attention to my lateral adjuster. If that's just a little out of whack, everything's off.


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## Greg in Maryland (Jan 6, 2011)

I disagree ..... and agree with the above.

I have the Lie-Nielsen Bronze Edge plane and I have found it to be handy and generally worth the money. With that said, it's main purpose, in my opinion, is tweaking. If I had just the tiniest a bit to take off one small portion of a edge, I would reach for this. If I had a lot of finishing to get a more perfect edge this would be the last tool I would reach for. I think it would be be a mistake to use it as the principal tool for edge jointing That's what a jointer and practice is for. 

Greg


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Practice and more practice. There is a tremendous amount of muscles memory involved with this as with many hand tool functions.

I spent 9 hrs yesterday demonstration traditional furniture building at LSU and I was jointing a couple of boards that ended up a bit off square. What I realized was that the vice on the bench there holds stock a degree or two off of the one on my main bench at my shop. I mostly FEEL a 90 deg edge from so much repetition and the so a different holding arrangement threw me off.

A jointer, winding sticks, a square and practice is what you need. Fancy / gimmicky tools are just that - fancy gimmicks.


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## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

firemedic said:


> Practice and more practice. A jointer, winding sticks, a square and practice is what you need. Fancy / gimmicky tools are just that - fancy gimmicks.


+1. To carry it to extreme, as I often do, I have been using my favorite paring chisel for cutting tenons. Shoulder planes are just another gimmick!?!


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## gideon (May 26, 2010)

I use a real old stanley bedrock 701 with a veritas fence on some boards. worked great. 

It takes practice, yes. Fully extend your iron so you can use a precision square to make sure the blade is true 90. Once you have the setup, its real easy.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Wrangler said:


> +1. To carry it to extreme, as I often do, I have been using my favorite paring chisel for cutting tenons. Shoulder planes are just another gimmick!?!


I actually do not own a shoulder plane - never saw a need. With decent sawing techniques a shoulder plane is more of a pretty paperweight. 

I'm not saying they are useless or a gimmick but they are the absolute last tool on my list. 

Before anyone says it - yes I have used them. Have a nice Steel with Rosewood infill shoulder plane sitting on a bench at LSU and I have tried to find uses for it but I just don't ever reach for it.


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## Wema826 (Jul 22, 2012)

firemedic said:


> I actually do not own a shoulder plane - never saw a need. With decent sawing techniques a shoulder plane is more of a pretty paperweight.
> 
> I'm not saying they are useless or a gimmick but they are the absolute last tool on my list.
> 
> Before anyone says it - yes I have used them. Have a nice Steel with Rosewood infill shoulder plane sitting on a bench at LSU and I have tried to find uses for it but I just don't ever reach for it.


 
Oh yes, they are very precious paperweights! lol.

My thoughts are, they are very usefull. I do not own a dado plane, rabate, or filister. I substitute and use a shoulder plane, along with accurate sawing. less tools in the tool box or too cheap to get the ones i dont have. :laughing:


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## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

Wema826 said:


> Oh yes, they are very precious paperweights! lol. My thoughts are, they are very usefull. I do not own a dado plane, rabate, or filister. I substitute and use a shoulder plane, along with accurate sawing. less tools in the tool box or too cheap to get the ones i dont have. :laughing:


Can't agree more! I have a Rabbet Plane, a Router Plane, and a few bench planes along with a nice selection of chisels. I adapt the project to use the tools I have.


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