Hand planes

[Dennis Tebo]

I recently picked up a LN 4 ½ smoothing plane and I’m looking to get a larger plane for flattening, either a 6 or 7. I noticed those two as well as the 5 ½ all share the same size blade. This made me wonder about the purpose or capabilities of these particular planes. We all know the longer planes are better for flattening and that makes a 7 better than a 4 ½ for the task. Now seeing that they all share the same blade, and ignoring the weight difference, would a 7 work just as well as a 4 ½ for smoothing?
The point I’m trying to get at here is a buying strategy for planes. Would It be best to go ahead with the 7, then get an addition blade(s) and chipbreaker(s) and put a higher bevel on the blade? This way it could be put in either the 4 ½ or the 7. What about a higher angle frog for tough grain? I assume a higher angle bevel or frog would be necessary for tough grain, but not both? Are the frogs interchangeable between the 4 ½, 5 ½, 6 and 7? When would I want the 5 ½ instead of the 4 ½? When would I want the 6 instead of the 7?
My adventure into hand planes is just beginning and I want to make sure I have a good understanding of the planes before I rush off and pick something else up. Current block/bench planes right now, all LN, AM block plane, LAJ plane and the 4 ½.
Dennis
Edit: got to love the formatting it does with the fractions!

[Jim Koepke]

Howdy Dennis and a belated welcome to the Creek. At first your post was giving me a bit of trouble to read. Not sure what OS you are using but your 4-1/2 to me reads 4 &frac12. Something similar happens when other members use an apostrophe. It may be they are using something like "smart quotes."

There are many sources to help you better understand how each plane is used for it specific tasks. A simple answer is if you get an acceptable surface with a #7 then yes, it is possible for it to work fine as a smoother.

There are a few posts on hand planes in the Neanderthal wisdom/FAQs:

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

Here is another site to help explain even more planes:

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

And if you want to know when a Stanley plane was made check out this site:

http://www.rexmill.com/planes101/typing/typing.htm

The longer answer is a plane like a #5 or similar plane with a cambered blade is used to clean up saw marks and twist on a workpiece. This plane would be set to take a thick shaving to remove material quickly for clean up and dimensioning. The cambered blade leaves an undulating texture that is then removed with a longer plane like a #7. This would usually be set to take a medium shaving. Once the surface is mostly flat, a smoother is used to remove any tear out, bumps or rough spots. A smoother is usually set to take very thin shavings and only to get to a finished surface. This is why smoothers are usually short and narrow allowing them to get in to smaller areas.

Paul Sellers makes a claim that you can do all of your planing with a #4. This isn't untrue, however, it is a lot easier to edge joint a long board with a longer plane.

Before you purchase a lot of gear for modifying your planes you may want to do a web search for David Weaver's post on setting the cap iron.

Search > setting the cap iron < due to the terms of service we are not allowed to post links to other forums. Since David's post is on Wood Central a link can not be put in this post.

My understanding is if the LN planes have the same sized frogs, then they are interchangeable. The higher angle frogs are harder to push. If you work with some exotic woods it may be worth investing in a high angle frog.

Asking me about which plane to get may not return the best answer. To me the rabbit hole led to a slippery slop and now my accumulation of bench planes has at least one of each of the sizes from #1 to #8 and some sizes have as many as four in the shop.

jtk

[John Schtrumpf]

Edit: got to love the formatting it does with the fractions!
How do you enter fractions like 4½, 5½, 5¼ ?

I copy and paste them from this list:

™¡¢£¤¥¦§¨©ª«¬*®¯°±²³´µ¶·¸¹º»¼½¾¿

[Dennis Tebo]

Jim,
Thanks for the link, I'll go through them and read up some.
I'm on Windows 7, this is the only forum site I've ever had that has this weird formatting. I've seen it in other individuals posts too.
John,
4 space 1 slash 2. Then that gets butchered and turned into 4 ampersandfrac12. Even the overall formatting is weird, for instance when I preveiw my post it looks ok, but it changes the formatting in the area where you edit! It's ashame, because a lot of people won't even bother to try and read it due to that formatting and the way it squished it together. Then it quickly turns into a post about improper formatting! lol
Dennis

[Mike Kreinhop]

I'm on Windows 7, this is the only forum site I've ever had that has this weird formatting. I've seen it in other individuals posts too.

This is related to the "https://" version of this website. When I am ready to post, like now, I use the "http://" version by deleting the "s" in the URL.

[lowell holmes]

When I was taking classes from Paul Sellers at Homestead Heritage 15 years ago, he had a 4 1/2 Baily(?) that was a short wide plane.
He could take wide, translucent shaving with it. I have always wanted one, but never got one.

[Jim Koepke]

Here is an article that eluded my search a few days ago explaining bench planes and how they work together:

https://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/bench-planes-the-system-of-three

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

Here is an article that eluded my search a few days ago explaining bench planes and how they work together:

https://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/bench-planes-the-system-of-three

jtk

That's a good overview article Jim! Thank you for posting it.
Fred

[steven c newman]

"Hand Plane Essentials" The Woodwright's Shop. Roy Underhill and Chris Schwarz. pbs.org

[Dennis Tebo]

Jim,

Great article, thanks for posting it.

I can see getting the 5½ and 7 to go with the 4½, then maybe getting a high angle frog and a spare blade or two for different bevels/cambers and have everything interchangeable between the 3 planes.

Dennis

[Jim Koepke]

Jim,

Great article, thanks for posting it.

I can see getting the 5½ and 7 to go with the 4½, then maybe getting a high angle frog and a spare blade or two for different bevels/cambers and have everything interchangeable between the 3 planes.

Dennis

You are welcome, sounds like you have a plan.

The Woodwrights Shop episode Steven posted is also worth a watch:

http://www.pbs.org/video/hand-plane-essentials-with-chris-schwarz-9qkzzm/

Even on things I am up on, an article in a magazine or a program on TV might have some new bit of information.

jtk