Low angle, 5 or 5 ½ jack plane for a beginner?

[Silly_Billy]

I’m increasingly confused about whether/which jack plane to buy :?

I’m finding hand planes enjoyable to use but confusing to buy! I’ve been shown how to use hand planes and sharpen them. I’ve a low angle block and a No. 4, but nothing else to remove material, straighten and true the surface. A Neanderthal, I’m only using hand tools for reasons of noise, storage space and enjoyment. I’m making smaller stuff like boxes, small shelves, etc – and read that a jack plane can work as a jointer for small sized work.

Do I need a jack plane ahead of a jointer? If I only buy a jack plane, would 5 ½ or 5 be better? Would a low angle jack be more versatile? I’ve read that a low angle jack's a good idea, because it’s more versatile and easier for beginners to set up. (But is it harder to sharpen, if the blade’s thicker than a 5 or 5 ½?)

Confusion reigns. Can anyone shed some light?

 

[AndyT]

When I got started, my first plane was a no 4, which could cope with most of my needs. When I wanted to make a 6 foot high bookcase I was lucky enough to get a no 7 for a very reasonable price. It made planing long pieces so much easier that it felt like a real game changer.
Since then, I have bought a 5 1/2 and it's become my default iron jack plane. I rarely need the no 7 and could probably manage without it.
So, in my experience, it would be a good all round useful next plane.

In the spirit of disclosure I should add that I have one or two wooden jacks too, which I do use, and a low angle jack which I rarely use. I don't have a 5.

 

[MikeG.]

I’m increasingly confused about whether/which jack plane to buy :?

I’m finding hand planes enjoyable to use but confusing to buy! I’ve been shown how to use hand planes and sharpen them. I’ve a low angle block and a No. 4,.............

You've got enough planes already, then, particularly if you are only making small stuff. Get a 6 and have everything covered, if you really want to.......but you don't need to.

 

[custard]

A good low angle jack is a lovely plane to use, but it has some shortcomings that you should know about,

1. The very thick iron means sharpening can be a long and tedious business without a power grinder to handle the majority of the metal removal.

2. The geometry of the iron makes forming and finessing a camber quite a bit harder. Getting a camber just how you want it, and then keeping it there, is one of the most important aspects of plane work. It's not impossible with a low angle jack, but it is much more of a challenge.

3. You can't use a closely set cap iron to control tear out, and the high angle iron you use with your low angle jack may not be high enough to get the job done.

4. There's not much lateral adjustment possible.

You already have a low angle block plane and a number 04, for the small scale projects you're working on that's pretty much all you need. If you're determined to spend your money then a 5 1/2 might find a role, or indeed a 06, or a wooden jack, but they're by no means essential.

 

[Silly_Billy]

Thanks everyone - very helpful advice.

I'd rather avoid spending money, but have found it tricky to take out twist with my No. 4 plane. Do I just need more practice?

If a 5 ½ or 6 would be useful, then some of the prices on Tooltique and The Old Tool Store aren't too salty. Lie-Nielsen money is out of the question!

 

[Ttrees]

I would look for a nice oldish Stanley 5 1/2 with a thick sole
It wont make any difference regarding taking twist out of a board though, other than to achieve a nicer result faster.
If you can find an old fire door to plane on, I wouldn't be without a a suitable bench, and I cant think of a better
start than a fire door for loads of reasons.
The bench will make things clearer quicker, regardless if you decide to use it for reference after you get the hang of things.

Tom

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Hi SB

For a beginner to hand planes, the easiest planes to get excellent (not just good) results with are the BU planes. Two stand out: the Veritas LA Jack, and the Veritas BU Smoother. With these two planes plus a couple of extra blades, you will be King (or Queen, if that is your way).

Use the LAJ as a short jointer and shooting plane. The BUS is simply outstanding with a high cutting angle.

Cambering is important and is indeed a more complex issue than with BD planes. However, luckily, there is a simple remedy. Just read this short article for the how to: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTe ... lades.html

Once you are more comfortable with these, and feeling more adventurous, get a couple of Stanley planes, such as a #4 and #7, and practice using the chipbreaker. That will take you up to another level.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Tasky]

some of the prices on Tooltique and The Old Tool Store aren't too salty.

What? £45 for one vice, or buy two for just £100??
Absolute bargain!!!!! :lol:

 

[thetyreman]

nout wrong with a regular plane at 45 degrees

 

[DBT85]

Thanks everyone - very helpful advice.

I'd rather avoid spending money, but have found it tricky to take out twist with my No. 4 plane. Do I just need more practice?

If a 5 ½ or 6 would be useful, then some of the prices on Tooltique and The Old Tool Store aren't too salty. Lie-Nielsen money is out of the question!

Have you made yourself some serviceable winding sticks and have you looked at any of the many videos on youtube about removing twist?

 

[G S Haydon]

For the tasks you want to tackle, I would search for the best condition #5 #51/2 or #6 that fits your budget. They are really very forgiving planes and as Custard has described, are easy to set up and maintain.

I'd then add to that a wooden jack with a cambered iron and have it reserved for quick stock removal. They are very affordable and I'm sure you'd find it useful.

If you enjoy the wooden jack you might also decide to purchase a wooden try plane. It can take some time to make sure shavings don't clog and the iron is in good shape, but when those issues are sorted they are superb.

 

[Silly_Billy]

Thanks for the advice about YouTube and winding sticks. I don't have any, but perhaps I can just use a couple of rulers.

For the tasks you want to tackle, I would search for the best condition #5 #51/2 or #6 that fits your budget.

How much difference does it make between a 5, 5 ½ or 6? Would a 6 be better because I've already got a smoother? Would a 5 be more versatile? A lot of posts seem to recommend a 5 ½, so is this the best compromise?

What? £45 for one vice, or buy two for just £100??

I agree. Hence I said some of the prices were OK (not all!)

 

[MikeG.]

Thanks for the advice about YouTube and winding sticks. I don't have any, but perhaps I can just use a couple of rulers........

No, rulers won't balance on edge. But any old straight off-cuts will do. They don't have to be the same. The only thing they need to be is straight.

 

[Ttrees]

I wouldn't say the 5 1/2 is a compromise between the 6 and the 5, even though
I don't own a no.6, nor have I ever seen one.
I like the no.5 1/2 because of its length and width, so much so that I bought two of them
For me, if it were any longer, it would be too long and too heavy for a jack, as I sometimes end up holding it down by my side
while checking progress.
It may hit off something, the end of the bench or possibly the floor, if I bend down to sight something, if it were longer.

I got a no.5 because I wanted a narrow plane for narrow stock, it was only a tenner, and the fact that I find a no.4 too scoopy for my tastes.
I found in the brief amount of time I used it, to be too narrow for what I have in store for the next while, so I have allocated it to
the metal shed for plywood edges and rough work.

 

[DBT85]

Thanks for the advice about YouTube and winding sticks. I don't have any, but perhaps I can just use a couple of rulers.

No problem. Try Paul Sellers or maybe Woodwork with Wright on YouTube. Both cover it and the making of some sticks with inlays. Toma of good content for hand tool folk too.

I'm making some winding sticks out of a bit of 25mm square wood that was part of the packing for my tumble dryer. Just plane it up and cut it down its length. If you aren't going to make sure that your "top" is parallel to your "bottom" before your cut, then just make sure you mark which way around the sticks need to go to match.

ie, if your bit of wood is 25mm tall at one end and 23mm tall at the other, if you just cut it and flip one around, everything will looked twisted! So either make sure it's the same all along, or mark which way around it should go.

 

[G S Haydon]

There is a difference between them and more experienced users would have a favorite. However, when faced with wanting a longer plane for truing up, any of the three mentioned would work, especially if the projects are small.

Andy's experience sounds like a likely experience you'll encounter. Just find the best condition you can of those sizes. If you don't like it, moving it on should be no issue.

 

[thetyreman]

if you do make winding sticks, make sure you use quarter sawn air dried wood that's bone dry, or it's going to warp, regardless of how nice it looks, I use aluminium winding sticks by veritas for that reason.

 

[DBT85]

Another very cheap option if you want Ally sticks then you can get some bar from ebay dirt cheap. 25x12x600 is like £8 delivered. Put a bit of black electrical tape around the top ends of one and there's your contrast. Could go 25x6x600 for £5.24 posted each!

Just bought some 25x6x600 mm for £10.48 posted. Saves me a little time trying to make mine when I need to crack on making my bench! When I've more time I can make something wooden if I want to and I'm sure I can find a use for ally bar.

 

[AndyT]

+1 for ali strips. These are mine, from an old shower curtain rail. They are dead straight against each other or any other straight edge.

 

[mr edd]

Another vote for the 5 1/2.

I own quite a lot of planes, they all work well but i keep coming back to the 5 1/2.