Do I need a No. 5 Jack Plane?

[DuncanA]

This is something I keep coming back to (usually when looking for an excuse to buy new tools).

In the way of bench planes I've currently got Nos. 3, 4, 6 and 7 - the No.4 is a older (green) Clifton, and the No.6 is a beautiful Record which I dated as being from the mid-30s (if I remember correctly!) and they do the majority of my work. The No.3 gets saved mostly for smaller pieces and the No.7 for, as you'd expect, truing up longer pieces and jointing.

As the No.5 is quite literally the jack-of-all-trades, should I be keeping an eye out for a nice one to add to the collection? I tend to use a 17" Wooden Jack for my rough stock prep (it's got a slightly more cambered blade than my No.6, which would be my second choice), would a No.5 add another string to my bow? I am curious to try the shorter length - is it worth the investment?

Just looking for your 2 pennies!

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

With all those other planes, no you don't need one, unless you just want one. The fact that you are asking, probably means you want one!

Mike.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I have your sizes plus a 4 1/2, 2 x 5 1/2s and an 8. Someone gave me No.5 and I passed it on as I didn't use it. I have since bought (for a fiver) a lovely old Woden No.5 ground as a scrub, though. Funny, really, the one many people start with came last. You don't need one, but obviously want one. Buy one.

 

[custard]

If your objective is to actually make furniture then you've already got too many planes. The workshop where I apprenticed used one single bench plane for everything, it happened to be a number 7 but it could equally have been almost anything. If you're spreading your limited hobbyist hours across loads of different tools you'll never gain the familiarity to get the best out of any of them.

On the other hand if you're actually a tool collector then obviously the more the merrier.

It's your time and your money so you do whatever gives you the most pleasure and satisfaction. But it helps to be honest with yourself, and the hard fact is that too many overlapping tools is a severe hindrance when it comes to actually getting stuff made.

 

[undergroundhunter]

I agree with custard, I'm a hobbyist and I have far too many planes (4x no4, 2x no5, no7, 3 wooden jacks, 2 wooden smoothers and a wooden joiner and these are only the bench planes) the planes I use the most are a type 11 no4 and a common post war 5. The 5 has 2 blades a heavily cambered and a straight with the corners off while the 4 is just a smother. If you are happy with the planes you have then you dont need a 5 on the other hand if you want one then go ahead and buy one. If I had to have just one plane it would be a 5 with two blades.

Matt

 

[Woody2Shoes]

"My name's Woody and I'm a plane-aholic".....

I fear that by Custard's (very sensible) reckoning I've got far too many planes - but I'm OK with that!

Assuming you're still set on acquiring another plane, I wonder if you might find a 4 1/2 or a 5 1/2 more useful than a 5, maybe?

Cheers, W2S

PS do tell/show us what you get, so we can all get our jollies...

 

[Jacob]

Depends what you do so it can be useful to have a range, but nobody needs them all!
I find 6, 7, virtually indistinguishable. Ditto, 5 1/2 and 6. But 5 is somehow more different from 4 or 5 1/2 and I use it quite a bit. Starting again I'd have 4, 5, 5 1/2, 8.

 

[ED65]

Expecting the question to be somewhat different I was going to say do you need a jack? Yes. Do you need a no. 5? No.

Given your current situation I would advise strongly resisting the urge to get a no. 5, u-n-l-e-s-s one falls into your lap for silly money in which case it would be churlish to refuse :-D Once you have a 5 you might well find the 6 is surplus to requirements (many people do who have a 5 and a 7) but given it's a good 'un and so old I imagine it would be hard to part with it.

 

[D_W]

If you have a good functioning wooden jack plane, a 5 would be a step down for stock preparation.

if you're not doing stock preparation, then you have more than you need already.

 

[thetyreman]

I only use an old stanley 5 1/2 and 4 1/2 for everything, you can use your no6 like a no5 or 5 1/2, I doubt you will need one

 

[lurker]

Going by my own experience convince yourself you don't need one and within a few weeks later one will fall on your lap for silly money

 

[DuncanA]

Thanks for the advice guys, certainly sounds like I can do without. I will continue resisting the urges (unless I come across a bargain obviously )!

If you're spreading your limited hobbyist hours across loads of different tools you'll never gain the familiarity to get the best out of any of them... too many overlapping tools is a severe hindrance when it comes to actually getting stuff made.

This is a major point I hadn't thought of. Whenever I pick up the No. 3 or 7 there's always a little bit more time required as I can't remember when I last used/sharpened them or what they were set up for. To spend more time working wood, keeping just the 4 and 6 in fine fettle will certainly make life easier and more productive.

 

[deema]

If you want one, you will use it, if you don't use it you'll convince yourself you will use it. You will enjoy having it, finding it and buying it. If you needed it you wouldn't want it...life's about indulgences

I have a 8,6,51/2,41/2 and three 4's, a scrub a large scraper.....shoulder, bull nose.....rebate, 405......the list goes on. All are vital to my well being. I also have a P/T so practically only really need a 4 bench plane!

I would highly recommend a proper scrub, that gets an awful lot of use. Most stuff such as oak for doors etc that's twisted and in big section gets the scrub treatment, I find it faster and easier than lugging stuff over the P/T

 

[Vann]

When it comes to 5 vrs 5½, personally I get on better with the narrower No.5. However I would have thought your wooden jack would fulfill the role of the No.5/5½ adequately (and some say better than a metal plane - though I haven't mastered setting woodie irons yet).

Of course, if you get a No.5, you'll then have to look out for a No.1, a No.2 and a No.8 - so better to resist the temptation :mrgreen: .

Cheers, Vann.

 

[bugbear]

For quite a lot of small work, I use my Record #5, with flattened sole, as a smaller than usual panel plane.

On normal size pieces, stock removal is done with a 17", strongly cambered wooden jack (or wooden scrub, if needed).

Other plane are available to me

BugBear

 

[n0legs]

Yes, you need one of each.
They're an investment, it's what I tell the good woman :lol:

 

[custard]

I've looked at your web site Duncan, you're clearly pretty serious about woodworking. With your skills and potential it would be a real shame if you fell into the tool hoarding rabbit hole rather than actually making furniture. Anyone can buy stuff, but making stuff? Not so common unfortunately.

In particular I like what you're doing with letter carving. When I trained as a cabinet maker basic letter carving was mandatory, at the time it was a pain but with hindsight it was a great skill to acquire. Apply letter carving to even quite simple items of furniture and you've suddenly got something that's completely different from anything available on the high street. So it's very saleable and even if it's for the family it will be treasured for generations.

Get making stuff Duncan, because you're in that rare 10% that's actually got the determination to see projects through to completion!

=D>