I get it now

[Michael Ray Smith]

My collection of bench planes has grown so that I now have Nos. 2-8 (either Stanley or the Millers Falls equivalent), but the only "fractional" plane I have had was a 5 1/4, which I sold because I didn't see any particular need for it. (Truth be told, I now realize I don't need all the others, and I'll probably weed some out before long. The junior jack plane was just the first one that I got rid of for that reason.) I had avoided Nos. 4 1/2 and 5 1/2 because they typically command a bit more money, and I didn't see the point in them. But, having completed my set of integers greater than one, a few weeks ago I picked up a Millers Falls equivalent of a 4 1/2 (No. 10 in the MF numbering system). I already had a Hock blade to fit that I had never used, so I pulled it out, honed it (not to start another debate on sharpening, but I did this one without a jig -- convex bevel with a little extra pressure on both sides to ease back the corners), and put it in the plane.

Sweet!! Now that's the way I thought a smoothing plane was supposed to work!

[Hilton Ralphs]

So do you use the #2 and #8? Just wondering why you would pull out the #7 over the #8 and vice versa.

[Michael Ray Smith]

So do you use the #2 and #8? Just wondering why you would pull out the #7 over the #8 and vice versa.

I love to use the No. 2 as a small smooth plane. When it comes to smoothing, some argue the smaller the better. I think that's probably right when it comes to repairing areas of tear out and such, but not so much for smoothing the entire face of a board. If I based it solely on my personal preferences, I'd keep the #2 and sell the #3, but the #2 is worth a lot more on the market so I might keep the #3 instead. Or I might get rid of both of them and use my LV low-angle block plane, equipped with the knob and tote. Dunno yet.

For a jointer, I'll keep the #8 and sell the #7. I like the additional weight and length.

And now I'll probably sell my #4 (actually a MF #9) and keep the MF #10.

I'm not sure I need a #6 at all. I sometimes use it for jointing the edges of shorter boards, but I don't know that I couldn't manage the same thing with either a #5 or a true jointer.

For jack planes, I'll probably keep both a #5 and my LV bevel-up. I'm sure I could get along just fine with only one of them, but I tend to use them for different things. For example, I might leave a cambered blade in the #5 all the time. Despite my pleasure with the MF #10, I doubt I'll try a 5 1/2.

It's the specialty planes where I'm finding that I need (or at least want) more and more variety -- rabbet, shoulder, scrub, routing, side rabbet, plow, etc. I bought a Record 405 a couple of years ago, but it's not in usable condition, and I've never found the time to fix it.

[Dave Parkis]

Try the 6 as a shooter before you decide to sell it. I think you'll like it.