What Plane do I need?

[Dan Kirkland]

I have a slab of Pecan wood that I'd like to turn into a coffee table, it's my first furniture project.

I need to level it but I'm kind of at a loss as to which plane would best help me accomplish this, I know a bit about the different sizes and numbers of the Stanley ones, I have a few nice block planes but I just need something I can level with easier. Power tools are out of the question due to my apartment.

I'm on a pretty tight budget being in grad school, so I'd need to find something under 50$ (tall order I know). Any advice?

[steven c newman]

Good place to start would be a Stanley #5 Jack plane. They are plentiful, and fairly cheap.
342187
The one in the back is a little larger, a #5-1/2

Without knowing the size of the board you are working on......However, when you get above the #5s...price shoots right up there. Like for a #7 ( $80 and up!!)

Get an older Stanley or Millers Falls Jack plane for starting out. Be careful though, these tend to get addictive...
342189
A very slippery slope, indeed.....heheheheheheh..

[Dan Kirkland]

I did forget to put up the size of the project. It's a 4'L 16"W slab. Thanks for the information steven

[Normand Leblanc]

Just like Steven I think a no. 5 would do the job. A longer plane would be better but with your budget... I do hope that you have what it takes to sharpen the blade.

Good luck!

Normand

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Dan,

Are there any pawn shops in the DFW area?

You might be able to find a #6 in good condition for a reasonable price.

I mention pawn shops because they are often willing to make a deal to move a piece. Take a screw driver with you to take apart the blade and chip breaker to make sure the blade isn't all pitted.

In such cases if they do not want me to take apart the plane or they do not want to deal, unless they already have a very low price, I will smile and say thank you and walk away.

I might come back a week later and see if it is still in the shop and see if they are ready to deal.

jtk

[Nicholas Lawrence]

I am a big fan of hand tools, but tackling a pecan slab that size is a large project if this is your first foray into planes. Do you have a decent bench? A local shop might be willing to run it through a drum sander for you.

[Prashun Patel]

I hate to sound glib but:

Take the slab to a mill and pay them $25-$50 to flatten both sides for you.

You don't need to spend $400, but you will need at least a good used plane with a good blade, and a good way to sharpen. Finding this on a budget may take some time.
pp

[Patrick Chase]

I hate to sound glib but:

Take the slab to a mill and pay them $25-$50 to flatten both sides for you.

You don't need to spend $400, but you will need at least a good used plane with a good blade, and a good way to sharpen. Finding this on a budget may take some time.
pp

I've been holding back because I didn't want to spoil the party, but I agree with Prashun : A unique workpiece that you're targeting to a specific/immediate purpose probably isn't the right place to learn a new way of woodworking.

As Prashun says sharpening will probably be the most immediate barrier. Any plane you can buy on that sort of budget will need tuning before it can be used to good effect on your Pecan slab, so if you're not set up to do that then you're going to have A Bad Time (tm).

[Skip Helms]

Since you are in school, see if you have privileges or connections to a campus woodworking shop. Some schools teach industrial arts and most have facilities to make or repair all the cabinets. You're looking for a wide-belt sander -- failing that, a wide planer. It might be worth it even it you only find a place to make sawdust.

If all else fails, a #5 plane is the first one you need for almost any project. Get a scraper too -- especially if you can't sand. sh

[lowell holmes]

The 5 1/2 is wider and longer than a #5. At least mine is. The 5 1/2 makes a pretty good shooting plane.

[Patrick Chase]

The 5 1/2 is wider and longer than a #5. At least mine is. The 5 1/2 makes a pretty good shooting plane.

Yep.

The 5-1/2 has the same 2-3/8" wide blade as the 4-1/2, 6, and 7. The 5 has the same 2" wide blade as the 4, so that accounts for the difference in width.

The classic Stanley 5-1/2 is also 1" longer than the 5, at 15" vs 14".

[Jim Koepke]

The 5-1/2 has the same 2-3/8" wide blade as the 4-1/2, 6, and 7.

Unless it was made before 1939. The early #5-1/2 planes used a 2-1/4" blade.

jtk

[Patrick Chase]

Unless it was made before 1939. The early #5-1/2 planes used a 2-1/4" blade.

jtk

You're right, as usual.

My 5-1/2 is modern, and I'd forgotten that the original version used an oddball width. The interesting thing is that the 4-1/2 came out before the 5-1/2 but used the same 2-3/8" blade as the 6 and 7 from day one. Maybe Stanley believed the 4-1/2 was unwieldy and was trying to split the difference?

[Jim Koepke]

You're right, as usual.

My 5-1/2 is modern, and I'd forgotten that the original version used an oddball width. The interesting thing is that the 4-1/2 came out before the 5-1/2 but used the same 2-3/8" blade as the 6 and 7 from day one. Maybe Stanley believed the 4-1/2 was unwieldy and was trying to split the difference?

If you look at the specs for the #27-1/2 transitional jack you will see what likely happened.

jtk

[Jason Dean]

Dan, I am working some pecan right now using a #5 for all the grunt work. You are going to need a pretty stout work holding setup to keep it still unless you take really light cuts. Once you have it held down it goes pretty easily. As was already mentioned, your $50 price point means you are going to have to shop around for a good candidate for restoration.

[John T Barker]

I've been holding back because I didn't want to spoil the party, but I agree with Prashun : A unique workpiece that you're targeting to a specific/immediate purpose probably isn't the right place to learn a new way of woodworking.

As Prashun says sharpening will probably be the most immediate barrier. Any plane you can buy on that sort of budget will need tuning before it can be used to good effect on your Pecan slab, so if you're not set up to do that then you're going to have A Bad Time (tm).

I have to take exception here. The guy wants to work wood. He wants to buy and learn to use a great woodworking tool. This is the handtool section of the forum. Put all that together and I think you should be encouraging him to sharpen carefully, practice on cheap scrap, and wish him luck on the piece.

Dan, don't forget flea markets or craigslist. Yeah prices get jacked up on some planes but it is occasionally possible to find lower priced tools. Not that you should travel up here for the plane but... http://delaware.craigslist.org/tls/5711907155.html

Or closer to home... http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/tls/5732135651.html

[Prashun Patel]

It is not that we are discouraging the use of hand tools. But just because he came to this forum it does not mean it is the best way to solve his problem.

Offering other solutions to the problem is not discouraging, just informing.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

We are all trying to encourage hand tool work, but I think there is a difference between "short term" and "long term" encouragement. A flea market Stanley, no sharpening setup, no bench, and no experience pointed at a hunk of hickory with a cheery wave is pretty likely to end up with frustration and the plane right back on Craigslist.

[Patrick Chase]

It is not that we are discouraging the use of hand tools. But just because he came to this forum it does not mean it is the best way to solve his problem.

Offering other solutions to the problem is not discouraging, just informing.

I would go further and say that part of encouraging hand woodworking is pointing out when someone appears to be set up for failure. The worst possible outcome is for somebody to come in with unrealistic expectations, have a horrendous experience, and give up on it forever.

I say "appears to be" because as always we have very limited information. Perhaps the OP is a flat razor enthusiast, in which case sharpening becomes much less of an issue. That's why I waited a while to say what I did - I wanted to see if they would reveal something along those lines.

[Dan Kirkland]

You guys have given me alot of good information. I had considered taking it to a mill to have it leveled but part of me wants to acquire the tool for future endeavors, eventually I'm going to have to get one so why not now?

and yes the 50$ price point is tough, but I will be patient and try to find one that's suitable.

Believe it or not, I am an avid straight razor user (Patrick somehow knew this ;) ), so sharpening is not an issue, it's just finding one that isn't completely destroyed that's the challenge at this point.

[Jim Koepke]

it's just finding one that isn't completely destroyed that's the challenge at this point.

Dan, take a look at this somewhat hidden jewel of the Neanderthal Haven:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?103805-Neanderthal-wisdom-FAQs

There is a lot there for anyone seeking knowledge of woodworking.

Three of my posts will likely be of help to you:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?148076-Getting-Started-With-Hand-Planes

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?116419-Planes-and-a-Few-Things-to-Look-For

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?114373-Fettling-A-Plane-from-Junker-to-Jointer

None of these is the be all end all of their subject, but they should help you get started in figuring out the use of hand planes. There are other posts by other writers which should also be of help to you.

jtk

[paul cottingham]

I am an avid hand tool guy. But I would take that piece of wood to a cabinet shop to get it levelled if I was in the OPs position. Find a nice used #5 and sharpen it up and use it to smooth the top. After practicing, of course. Best of both worlds without getting discouraged.

if you think you are going to persue this hobby, some folks buy a new jack or a properly restored one for their first plane. Then you know what you are shooting for, when buying and restoring used planes. Work(ed) for me. My hand are too screwed up now to restore planes. But, I have all the planes I need. (Said no Neander, ever. :-) )

my $.02

[Nicholas Lawrence]

Part of the advice you are getting (from me anyway) is the material. Pecan is tied with Hickory for the hardest wood in North America. It is nothing compared to some of the tropical or Australian hardwoods, but it has a well deserved reputation for being tough, durable, and difficult to work. Whatever you do, keep that in mind.

[Patrick Chase]

Believe it or not, I am an avid straight razor user (Patrick somehow knew this ;) ), so sharpening is not an issue

I had no idea that you were a razor person. I just threw that out as the most obvious example I could think of for how somebody could newly take up neander woodworking and *not* have sharpening be a serious limitation.

[Dan Kirkland]

I had no idea that you were a razor person. I just threw that out as the most obvious example I could think of for how somebody could newly take up neander woodworking and *not* have sharpening be a serious limitation.

It's all good, I just found it entertaining that that very specific hobby was what you mentioned.

Nicholas, yes the pecan is ludicrously tough, one little chip at a time. Thank you for the reminder and I will not get overzealous.

I picked up a nice Union brand no. 5 size plane locally, thanks for the tips and advice everyone.

[John T Barker]

It is not that we are discouraging the use of hand tools. But just because he came to this forum it does not mean it is the best way to solve his problem.

Offering other solutions to the problem is not discouraging, just informing.

My thought is that he came to this part of the forum for a specific reason and the question "What plane do I need?" reinforced that thought.

[John T Barker]

I would go further and say that part of encouraging hand woodworking is pointing out when someone appears to be set up for failure. The worst possible outcome is for somebody to come in with unrealistic expectations, have a horrendous experience, and give up on it forever.

I say "appears to be" because as always we have very limited information. Perhaps the OP is a flat razor enthusiast, in which case sharpening becomes much less of an issue. That's why I waited a while to say what I did - I wanted to see if they would reveal something along those lines.

I saw the information differently. He came to the hand tool section, he said he wanted a handplane, he said he had other handplanes(i.e, experience with handplanes) and asked for recommendations. Hell, if after a bit of practice he does a so-so job he can flip it over and do a better job on the top. :)

[Pat Barry]

You didnt say that you need this right away so i think you just need a number 5 plane and you need to gently camber the blade and then you need to take light passes. Keep the blade sharp and resist the urge to take deeper cuts. You can get this done. Be careful to work it diagonally with the grain as much as possible to start and then with the grain to finish it.