#7 vs #8?

[Bill Franklin]

I am looking to add a larger plane to what I currently have. I have been trying to read up on these planes but I often find them referred to "almost" interchangeably. As in #7 or #8. The largest plane I currently have is a low angle jack. I know that the #7 is a jointer plane but would like input as to whether one is more versatile than the other to cover as many bases as possible. I won't be buying both anytime soon, so I want to make a wise purchase. I would be using it to plane table and workbench tops and panels, and in time I would try my hand at jointing with a hand plane.

Thanks for you input.

Bill

[Justin Green]

Here's a picture of the two Stanley's I've found around town. I'm not sure how the size of other makers' jointer planes vary, but to give you an idea. Others can comment on how they perform. The 8 has more mass, so once you get it going, theoretically it's momentum helps, but it also wears you out faster. I'm not sure if my 7 has the right lever cap, but here they are:

[Roy Wall]

Bill,

The advantage of a #7 is it takes the same width blades as a 5.5 or 4.5 planes and it will really excel at flattening boards.....leaving you to use a #4 or #4.5 for final finish smoothing if you wish. I feel it is heavy enough as the #8 is quite the bruiser of a plane.

Keep your Low Angle Jack and build a shooting board for jointing edges..that would be an ideal plane for jointing and end grain squaring.

[Jim Koepke]

My jointer is a #7, type 11. A #8 is not only 2 inches longer, it is a quarter inch wider and more than a pound and a half heavier.

Pushing a #7 around is a chore, even with my "extra" body mass.

It is my experience that taking a lot of thin shavings is less effort than trying to take off a lot of wood all at once. Today I was making shavings off of some 2X4, 2X6 and 1X4. The #7 was even getting to me after awhile. Since this was just for some saw horse kind of supports I ended up switching down a size to a #6.

Now, if your are going to get into making very large items, then maybe the #8 would be your best choice. But I was doing OK at getting straight edges on some 8 foot boards with a #6.

jim

If you are buying on the used market, then a #7 is likely to cost a little less.

[Jim Koepke]

Bill,
The advantage of a #7 is it takes the same width blades as a 5.5 or 4.5 planes and it will really excel at flattening boards.....leaving you to use a #4 or #4.5 for final finish smoothing if you wish. I feel it is heavy enough as the #8 is quite the bruiser of a plane.

The #6 also takes the 2-3/8 blade.

The early 5-1/2s (before 1939) take a 2-1/4 blade.

jim

[Greg Crawford]

The truth according to Patrick Leach;

"#8 Jointer, 24"L, 2 5/8"W, 9 3/4lbs, 1869-1961.

The jointer for those who are into bull work. This is a heavy animal, but once you learn planing, it's a great one to use. Its weight works to your advantage - a plane in motion wants to stay in motion - when running into a change in grain or a knot. If your first name is 'Patrick', like the norm-symp chucklehead (odeen@concentric.net or http://www.concentric.net/~odeen/oldtools to send hatemail) in the image here (note that he isn't even breaking a sweat as he deftly holds it), you are compelled to own one of these planes, and not its wussy brother, the #7.

#8C Jointer, 24"L, 2 5/8"W, 9 3/4lbs, 1898-1961.

The corrugated version of the #8, and far less common than the #7C."

Even though my first name isn't Patrick, I was compelled, and skipped the "wussy brother" and went straight to the #8C (old, old Stanley type 5). It's a monster, but it will do some work. I can now also change tires on my pickup without a jack.

[Archie England]

Some how I amassed several #7s--really, without trying. I fettled each and have had delightful results with each of them: Stanley-Bailey, Craftsman, and Ohio Tools (oh, plus one barnyard [literally] special that's got so much patina I can't read anything on it [still not cleaned up]). Well, compelled to buy an 8, I'm now the proud ower of a type 6 (c/b 4,5,or 6). It's a smasher of a brute!!!! But I don't get any better results than with a #7; and, it's a pain more to make/buy another jig for the 2 5/8 blade that's the only one of its kind since no other plane uses it.

Now, I'd rather encourage you to save another #8 from the store wall or paint brush, or scrap heap--but, the results might not justify the cost, unless of course you don't already have a 24" winding stick. Then, two should do just fine. It never teeters when laid on its side! Oh, very good weight for holding down stuff, too.

[Mark Roderick]

This isn't exactly responsive to your question, but I own a #7 and it is an extremely useful plane. In fact, I use it all the time, more than I use my low-angle jack or my #4. Not sure why. Maybe because the #7 is, by definition, both flattening and smoothing with every cut. Also, I like the feel of the heavy plane, which takes shavings with its own momentum, without feeling as if I am "pushing" through every cut.

[Douglas Brummett]

I exchanged some discussion with a member of another forum a while back. I brought up that I actually prefer my No8, but I am 6'3" and a fair shake over 200lb. He being 5'6" and closer to 150lb decided that a No7 would be the better tool for him proportionally. So, IMO, physiology should definitely enter the picture when discussing these 2 planes.

Form and function is almost interchangeable. The extra length does little. The blade width will allow edge joining of thicker stock, but it comes at the price of more resistance to forward motion. As mentioned, once it is in motion it is a thing of beauty though.

I like the No8, but I would recommend starting with a No7. It will do everything a No8 will. It will have a blade that is interchangeable with many other planes. It will also be more bang for the buck since there are more of them floating around.

[Justin Green]

The only reason I bought my #8c was because I found it for $22 plus tax here at an antique store. I tend to prefer the #7 so far in my short woodworking experience.

[James Owen]

I am looking to add a larger plane to what I currently have. I have been trying to read up on these planes but I often find them referred to "almost" interchangeably. As in #7 or #8. The largest plane I currently have is a low angle jack. I know that the #7 is a jointer plane but would like input as to whether one is more versatile than the other to cover as many bases as possible. I won't be buying both anytime soon, so I want to make a wise purchase. I would be using it to plane table and workbench tops and panels, and in time I would try my hand at jointing with a hand plane.

Thanks for you input.

Bill

My preference is for the #8, mainly because I like the extra length, width, and mass.

However, as several others have pointed out, the #7 has the same iron width as the #4-1/2, #5-1/2, and #6. If you decide to go with a Lie-Nielsen, this may be useful if you plane uncooperative-grained woods, since the #4-1/2 size 50 degree and 55 degree frogs will fit all four of these planes.

One other thing to keep in mind is that, as a general rule of thumb, "longer is better" for jointing and flattening.

[Richard Niemiec]

Get a #7; I had a #8 and sold it, no real value add IMHO and its just too heavy for my taste; also the blade issue mentioned above; e.g., if you have a Hock in your 4 1/2 you can move it if necessary. If you were considering both a 7 and an 8, get a 7 and a #6, I enjoy and use the 6 more than I did the 8, but tend to end up with the 7 mostly. Value is that 6s tend to sell for less ever since Patrick slammed them in B&G, wrongly in my view.

But then again, if you lust for an 8, go for it. Nothing wrong with having more tools than you need.

[David Keller NC]

Bill - Just to make sure you're completely confused :eek:, I'll add my own take: I prefer my Lie-Nielsen #8 to my Record #7. The Lie-Nielsen is heavier than the "normal" (non-bedrock) Stanley #8, which is in turn heavier than the Record #7.

While I have both, I reach for the #8 most often. Both are exceptionally tuned and functional planes (the Record has a replacement Hock blade and chip breaker), and it's not a preference for L-N's black japaning over the Record's blue.

And, in my case, it's not body mass that influences the decision - I'm 5'-10" and 156 lbs.

[Rick Erickson]

I'm in a agreement with David. I went with the 8 over the 7. I'm 5'9" 170lb. but still prefer the larger plane. I hear the blade swapping arguments but personally don't find myself doing that. The reason I would get a 7 over an 8 is if I didn't own the Jack and wasn't planning on getting one. Then your 7 becomes a multi-purpose plane. Since you do own the Jack I think the 8 is better (because you will most likely be using it for what it was designed to do).

[Narayan Nayar]

I started my plane collection with an 8 and don't regret it at all. The extra mass does help, even when you're taking light cuts, and it's awesome for things like benchtop flattening.

That said, I did feel the 8 a bit unwieldy on long, thin edges. I want to joint those edges, so the long sole is helpful, but the width makes it just a little harder to use your fingers as a fence under the plane, and the weight makes it a little too easy to tip (again, on thinner boards).

Not wanting both an 8 and a 7, just the other week at the LN event in Oakland, I ordered a 6. It has arrived but I haven't had a chance to use it yet. I think it'll fit the gap nicely between my Low Angle Jack and the 8.

[David Keller NC]

By the way, Bill - You're pretty safe from making a "wrong" decision here. Unless you make a really a bad move and pay way too much for a Stanely #8 that has lots of problems (e-bay's a great palce to make such a mistake, BTW), you can sell any #8 for just about what you paid for it, whether that be a Lie-Nielsen #8 or an antique.

[Bill Franklin]

Good Point David, rarely am I in a position to make no bad decision. I appreciate everyone's point of view on the. It is a help.

Bill

[Bill Houghton]

I ordered a 6.

The No. 6 size has been under-respected for a long time. Great size, great tool. I own two (Craftsman and, yet to be refurbished, Wards Master).

When I had the choice, some years back, between a No. 8 and a No. 7 at the same price, I chose the No. 8 (figuring I was getting more iron per dollar). While I'm 6'1" and (when at my right weight as opposed to, say, now, when I need to get back on the diet) 182 pounds, I didn't inherit my dad's upper body strength; but I find the 8 to be a fine tool, and am glad I popped for the extra size.

[Danny Burns]

The weight of the plane being too heavy, is a moot point if the weight works for you!

Since you are not going to e buying right away, I would suggest finding a way to try the two planes out, and you will know the right thing to do.
At the woodworking shows there is usually a booth or two that allow you to test drive a plane on some wood.

[Dave Spaeder]

When it comes down to it, the 7 and the 8 are interchangeable -- they both do the same thing in the same way. I always feel like I got my exercise when I use my no-name 8 even if it seems like all I have to do is get it started and then hang on 'til it stops. But my favorite plane is a #7, and it will do just about anything.

In other words, you can't go wrong with one over the other. Maybe if you look around a little, you'll find one that is such a good deal that it'll make up your mind for you.