Planes - but not boats and trains

[Grahamshed]

Sorry, every time I say planes I think of that bl@@dy song.

I think I need a plane but never actually had one before so......
Block planes.
Jack planes
Smoothing planes.
etc
etc.
What does what ?
Which do I need ?
And there is no point asking what I am going to do with it coz the answer would only be 'plane with it'
Is there such a thing as a general use plane ?

 

[Racers]

Hi, Graham

A Stanley/Record No5 is a good genral purpose plane and a Stanley/Record 60 1/2 block plane is good for smaller jobs and end grain.
Ebay is a good hunting ground, the older the better, unless you have deep pockets then Lie Neilsen, Veritas etc will be a big performance upgrade.
I would recomend the LN 60 1/2 I have one and its a cracking plane well worth the money.

Pete

 

[GazPal]

Although my first recommendation actually follows suit with Peter's regarding investing in a #5 (With two blades) and #60.5, as they're both excellent all rounders. Buying a second blade for the #5 will allow you to be able to keep one to the side for roughing-in and the other for smoothing operations.

 

[speeder1987]

I agree with the above, I got a Stanley no. 5 off eBay, although I only have one blade, I bought a Clifton cap iron which made it significantly better.

Also very promptly got a low angle block plane for the end grain.

Since then I have bought a no. 4 and a no. 7 but hardly use them compared to how much I use the no. 5

Regards
John

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Saint Simon]

I agree with the above about 5 or 5 1/2 but would throw in a 4 1/2 too for smoothing. And if you can afford a new one or can find a secondhand one with a high angle frog, 50 or 55 degrees it makes working difficult grain and knots so much easier.
Simon

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I've got 'em from a 3 to an 8, amongst others, but if someone said I could use only one from now on, it'd have to be the 5 1/2.
If someone said I was only allowed two, they'd be the 4 and the 6.

 

[jimi43]

Another vote for a No.5 1/2 and a 60 1/2 or one of the variants.

There are a number of threads debating the first "all rounders" and you can search for these in the wonderful search engine.

I'm all for seeking out planes at bootfairs and FleaBay but if you want to start straight away check out Matthews site at WORKSHOP HEAVEN like this low angle block:



It may seem expensive at first but will serve you well and is adaptable with three irons of differing pitches on their primary bevels means that you can use the same plane for a wide variety of jobs.

I will leave the "jack" plane for open discussion but if it were me and I were buying new I would go for a low angled jack such as the No.62



Again...this comes with three irons and so the initial cost is outweighed by the versatility of the tool.

I don't have a QS plane...but I do have one of the T10 irons now in my "jack" or "panel" plane and it is a superb piece of kit.

I use this plane every day now so it is indeed a "jack" of all trades!

Jim

 

[Grahamshed]

I use this plane every day now so it is indeed a "jack" of all trades!

Jim

So is that what 'Jack' actually refers to ?
And is the only difference between different planes the angle of the blade ?
I note that some are short and others much longer.....

 

[jhwbigley]

You can do a lot with a Stanley number 4.

Number 5 also very useful, use mine a lot for hand dimension stock too short to safely thickness.

JH

 

[jimi43]

I use this plane every day now so it is indeed a "jack" of all trades!

Jim

So is that what 'Jack' actually refers to ?
And is the only difference between different planes the angle of the blade ?
I note that some are short and others much longer.....

Indeed.

And the angle of the bevel (because these are bevel up irons) increases the effective pitch (angle of attacking the wood)...easily. With a bevel down plane to do this you have to change the frog (bed) angle of the iron.

Therefore with a bevel up plane you can easily change the plane from one which will shave tame wood (low bevel) to one that will attack wild wood (high bevel) by simply changing the iron for another.

Since these both come with a full selection of irons you have quite a lot of options.

There are many discussions on the subject in the forum and advocates of both types of plane so you have to appreciate that beyond that...it really is a matter of taste and what works for you.

For me...the only bevel up planes I have are block planes for end grain and the likes...such as this ancient chariot with an Isaac Greaves bevel up iron....

This one is probably early to mid 1800s so you can see that it is much loved and works better than any block plane I have used.

No doubt someone will be along soon to extol the virtues of the larger bevel up planes...for now I will stick with my infills.

Cheers

Jim

 

[Richard T]

If you can cope with the comic stylings of Roy Underhill and Chris Schwarz Graham, this:

http://www.pbs.org/woodwrightsshop/video/3100/3105.html

is a very useful lesson in what plane does what and what shape to leave the irons for which purpose.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Watched the video - nice holdfast! .......I've a pair just like that!

 

[Jelly]

If you don't know what you want if for yet, then you want a Jack Plane, what type isn't particularly important; the old metal 5's & 5½'s of the bailey style being the most affordable "normal" option.

However, A wooden jack plane IMO would certainly be no worse and you're likely to find a good user really cheap on ebay (low demand, combined with an extremely simple tough design). I personally also prefer the big 2½" and 3" cast steel plane irons that said planes were usually built around, with good edge holding properties and very thick blanks; there's also very little to faff with on them, you sharpen the iron, put it in, push the wedge in and *Plane*, that simple.

Edit: In terms of the length of plane soles; it effects how the plane rides over the surface... A big long Jointer/Try plane will ride over the highest points on a board, taking these off first until the board reaches the same flatness as the sole...; a short plane will follow the contours of the wood more closely, but is also much more controlable as it won't develop the same momentum to carry through the cut, which is why smoothing planes intended to make miniscule alteratinons to the surface are short for maximum control.

 

[AndyT]

For a first plane, I'm guessing that the main use will be to get a final ripple-free finish on machine-planed softwood, with occasional use to straighten edges on less than perfect timber. So I'd buy a no 4 by Stanley or Record, made before manufacture shifted east in the 80s. They are so common on ebay that you should be able to get a good one for the opening bid - unless Paul Sellers is buying them all up for his woodworking classes. He has written several blog posts recently explaining this and seems to be promoting the idea that it's the only plane anyone needs. That's an extreme position, I think intended as an antidote to those trying to sell tools, but there's a grain of truth in it - depending of course on what sort of woodwork you do.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

The 'bench planes' are the set used to bring rough stock to dimension. A jack plane (about 15" long, 2" iron) with the cutter ground and sharpened to a definite curve, and set up with a wide mouth, is first used aggessively across the grain to hog off waste fast. Once the wood is near flat, the try plane (about 22" long, 2 3/8" iron) with the iron ground and sharpened square across and set with a tight mouth, is used with the grain to bring the wood to final surface. (You then turn the board over, and use the same two planes to bring the wood to thickness.) The jack will rough out the edges, and the try will finish them square to the faces, and straight. The final 'bench plane' is the smoothing plane (9" long, 2" iron). This is set up with an iron grond square across and kept very sharp, and set with a very fine mouth. It's used for a final finish on a board surface or edge, and to level and finish assembled work.

Ideally, you'd have all three. Even if you use machines for stock preparation, there will be times when it's not possible to machine a board (too wide for the thicknesser, for example), and hand planing is the only answer.

For a 'general purpose' plane, Chris Schwarz advocates a jack plane with two irons, one ground to a curve, one straight across. When you need to rough out, set the plane's frog back and fit the curved iron. When you need to finish, set the frog forward again, and fit the straight-across iron. (Axminster sell a leather plane-iron wallet to store the spare iron in.) It would speed change-over if the irons each had a cap-iron fitted. However, as AndyT said above, if the bulk of your handplaning is smoothing machine-planed timber, a No 4 smoother would probably be more appropriate.

Block planes are useful one-handed trimming and fitting planes. The low-angle ones especially are good on end grain.

After that, you have the special purpose planes. Plough planes for grooves, rebate planes for - er - rebates, hand routers for cross-grain trenches, shoulder planes for trimming tenon shoulders, and so on. If you do such jobs with machines, they're not essential, though some can be handy for tidying up and trimming.

 

[Richard T]

Phil - not quite but I'm surprised that Roy chooses machine made over hand made ... I must have a word.

 

[marcus]

If it was me I would get a number 4 first, then a block, then a 5, then a 7, and leave it at that. Reason being that you can do anything with a small plane at a pinch, but the bigger ones aren't great for smoothing as they can't get into low spots.

All would be Bevel down because you don't have to keep adjusting the mouth every time you adjust the iron in or out, which I find a real pain. Having said that I do have a LV BU smoother which I use on very awkward timber, and it's useful; the mouth adjustment issue isn't a problem in this application as I'm always trying to take the thinnest possible shaving so the mouth never needs to change. But it's a luxury really, as one can always keep a spare iron for the number 4 with a back bevel to raise the cutting angle.