Bench Plane Opinions?

[glenn bradley]

Once upon a time I got a LV medium shoulder plane; what a blessing. Then I got a LV low angle block plane with a couple different irons; very handy. I added the front knob and tote and mostly use this guy like a #3 as I have LV's little apron plane for smaller stuff. I have the LV LA Jack for shooting but it has been getting use elsewhere too. I am not the type to flatten a wide board or joint table apron parts by hand but, I do find myself using the accessorized block plane and the low angle jack for things like raising the edges of a small door panel and so forth.Possibly due to my ham-handedness, I like the longer nose on the 5-1/4 for better registration. Does this seem like a logical choice for a general use bench plane or does something a little smaller or larger make more sense in anyone's humble opinion? Thanks in advance for the discussion.

[Archie England]

Once upon a time I got a LV medium shoulder plane; what a blessing. Then I got a LV low angle block plane with a couple different irons; very handy. I added the front knob and tote and mostly use this guy like a #3 as I have LV's little apron plane for smaller stuff. I have the LV LA Jack for shooting but it has been getting use elsewhere too. I am not the type to flatten a wide board or joint table apron parts by hand but, I do find myself using the accessorized block plane and the low angle jack for things like raising the edges of a small door panel and so forth.Possibly due to my ham-handedness, I like the longer nose on the 5-1/4 for better registration. Does this seem like a logical choice for a general use bench plane or does something a little smaller or larger make more sense in anyone's humble opinion? Thanks in advance for the discussion.

Wow! Welcome! Along with congrats for the discovery and condolences for the slide down the hand tool slope :D.

Ah, preferences. Yours are as good as anyone else!!!!!

Personally I love the #3 and the 5 1/4. I like them for different purposes, however. Also, my favorite plane is the #6, because I can use it as the first plane (fore), as jointer (try), and as a smoother. It's the most versatile plane (for ME). But, I've restored nearly all major vintage makers in many of the various makes (it's addicting but I can stop anytime!). It sounds a little like you need a moving fillister plane (aka skew rebate) and a plow plane, too, for making specialty joints (if I correctly understand that you're a blended tool user).

Thanks for allowing the community to chime in, but I highly suggest that you visit some local woodworkers who own these various styles and use them!!!!! It's hard to suggest what fits you when it's taken me so long to figure out what fits me. But, it has been a blast getting here:).

[Russell Sansom]

I find the #6 is the bench plane for me. It has the mass I want for shooting and it stands in for a jointer for smaller jobs. Besides cabinet making, I do some restoration of turn of the century San Francisco buildings. The #6 and a couple block planes are the only planes I generally need for shooting work pieces square and finishing off cross cuts. The slightly out-of-the-box reason I like the #6 in my remote basement shop is I can maintain one just one simple set of 3 #6 plane irons...I don't have to fiddle with several different sizes plus backups ( never know when an iron is going to pick up a nick in carpentry restoration).

[Chris Griggs]

I too love 6s, but since you already have a LA jack it seems like you're covered in the mid size bench plane range. The 5 1/4W that LV sells would probably make a nice general purpose plane/large smoother, but again I wonder how much it would offer you that your LAJ can't do. I'm more inclined to recommend a No. 4 sized smoother plane, be it a 4, 4 1/2, or one of the LA/BU smoothers. The LA block with add ons is really more of a No. 2 than a no. 3 sized plane. I think a more standard/larger smoother is really more of where you should go for at this point for "general purpose" work. And of course, a No. 4 sized plane makes a great final smoother as well.

[Zach Dillinger]

Although I prefer wooden planes, I tend to agree with Chris Griggs on this one. You are already covered on mid-range planes with what you have i.e. the low angle jack. Since you aren't looking to process stock by hand (therefore eliminating the need for a fore / try / jointer plane), I'd agree that a good smoothing plane would be a nice addition. The #4 makes perfect sense.

[David Weaver]

If you're going to use a plane to surface rough lumber, I would stick with a 5 or 5 1/2 for a general all-use plane.

The benefit of a 5 being that it shares irons with a 4, and the benefit of a 5 1/2 (as long as it's new enough) being that it will share an iron with 4 1/2s, 6s and 7s

If you are always just cleaning up wide belt sanded or machine planed finished lumber, then it really doesn't matter what plane you get - you'll be able to make all of them work.

[Jon Toebbe]

With a Low-angle Jack, you're pretty well set. Maybe just grab another iron or two and experiment with different secondary bevel angles? I keep a 45 deg iron sharpened straight across for shooting and edge jointing and a 50 deg iron with a touch of camber for smoothing. Do you like to work with exotics? A higher bevel might be necessary... a new iron makes a whole new plane. It's cheaper that way, or at least that's what I tell SWMBO. :)

BTW, when I say 45 deg that's the total included angle presented to the wood (including the angle of the bed). Simpler to keep straight than constantly adding/subtracting to bed angle.

[Jim Koepke]

Once upon a time I got a LV medium shoulder plane; what a blessing. Then I got a LV low angle block plane with a couple different irons; very handy. I added the front knob and tote and mostly use this guy like a #3 as I have LV's little apron plane for smaller stuff. I have the LV LA Jack for shooting but it has been getting use elsewhere too. I am not the type to flatten a wide board or joint table apron parts by hand but, I do find myself using the accessorized block plane and the low angle jack for things like raising the edges of a small door panel and so forth.Possibly due to my ham-handedness, I like the longer nose on the 5-1/4 for better registration. Does this seem like a logical choice for a general use bench plane or does something a little smaller or larger make more sense in anyone's humble opinion? Thanks in advance for the discussion.

My whole answer was going to be based on the Stanley #5-1/4. Then someone mentioned the #5-1/4W which is the LV version of a "junior jack."

You do point out one of the advantages of such a plane being the longer nose.

If you were thinking of the Stanley #5-1/4, then there are a few things to watch for if you are buying a used plane. Many of these were used in high school shop classes and were beat to heck and back by kids.

For your stated purposes of raising panels, you may want to consider something in a rabbet plane like the Stanley #10 Carriage Maker's rebate plane.

It really all comes down to how you are going to use the plane and your personal preferences.

I could never decide, so it was easier to just buy one of everything.

For a long time my Stanley #5-1/4 didn't see much use. Now it is used all the time mostly like a scrub plane, but sometimes for other chores. That likely has to do with my using more rough wood, (read fire wood) for my projects.

One option might be to pick up an old Stanley #4 and see if you like it for size and if being a little longer is what you want.

jtk

[George Beck]

I like the lie nelson 4 1/2 as a large heavy smoother (mine has a 50 degree frog). I use hand made wooden planes as polishing planes. I like the fact that the blades swap between 6 and 7 so a spare sharpened blade is always at hand. Plus 2 3/8 is about as wide as I care to sharpen free hand. It's a handy size.

[Rob Lee]

Hi Glenn -

I'll echo what others have said here - I'd try and talk you out of another mid-size plane. You already have the basics covered... if you're itching to expand your range, you should identify functions you don't have well covered with what you have now.

You mention door panels - if you do a lot of panel work - I'd look at a plow before another bench plane. Or even a router plane might be more useful.

Cheers -

Rob

[James Owen]

Nice to see another fan of the #6!!!! :D

[paul cottingham]

You would be well served by a smoother, I think. I would check out a low angle smoother (one that can share blades with your jack.). Failing that, a shoulder plane either a medium or large...I lean towards preferring the large... Is very useful as well. Welcome to the vortex by the way, there is no escape!

[glenn bradley]

Thanks to all. I went with the BU smoother that shares irons with my LAJ. I already have 25* and 50* irons for the jack so the 38* iron that comes with the smoother should add some versatility. I know a lot of folks camber their smoothers so I will have to see about the trade off of iron swapping versus camber and so forth as I go along.

[Chris Griggs]

Thanks to all. I went with the BU smoother that shares irons with my LAJ. I already have 25* and 50* irons for the jack so the 38* iron that comes with the smoother should add some versatility. I know a lot of folks camber their smoothers so I will have to see about the trade off of iron swapping versus camber and so forth as I go along.

Seems like a solid well thought out decision to me! Congrats - enjoy your new tool/toy!