A Daily Seven?

[steven c newman]

Go out to the shop, pick out the seven most used planes, line them up on your bench, and take a picture or two.

Mainly the daily users, the ones you use every time in the shop.....then post a little bit about them. Just seven planes, everyday users.

Something like this...
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There is a No. 0-7 for the jointer stuff..
There is a #5 for the jack plane stuff
There is a junior jack plane, for the smaller jobs
There is a #4 smooth plane for...well, smoothing things out
There is a Combo plane, for when things need to get "groovy", or wear some "beads"
There is a 60-1/2 Low angle block for block plane chores...

There are others...but these are my users. others will fill in as needed, but these are the "core group" in this shop...

How about yours?

[steven c newman]

"Come now, don't be shy....step into the light.." as Smoag the Terrible would say....

Just clear a space, and set out the 7 planes you use the most......Doesn't matter who made what.....all that matters is that they are your users, the ones you reach for on each job. Simple as that. Maybe a blurb about each, as to what they are....?

Note: There was even a scene in the Hobbit, showing a fellow using his plane......another was looking at buying a saw......

[Mike Kreinhop]

I don't have seven planes, and those I have aren't used every day, or even every month.

[Pat Barry]

I have a something similar to a Stanley #3, then two Stanley #5s (one a Great Neck), and an LV BUS. One of the #5's is configured as a sort of scrub plane with a fairly aggressive camber. I could count more than 7 but most of them just gather dust including a knockoff number 8, a couple more #5's including a transitional, and a handful of block planes.

[steven c newman]

Pictures? Or, did not happen.....;)

[Robert Hazelwood]

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From left to right:

-Old Sargent transitional, used as a jack plane.
-English try plane. For flattening faces of boards.
-Type 6 #8. Used as an edge jointer, and sometimes as a giant smoother.
-LN #4. Main smoothing plane.
-LN 60-1\2 block plane. Mostly for shooting ends of small parts.
-Veritas medium shoulder plane. Not really a "daily" plane, but indenspensible when it is called for.
-Tsunesaburo chamfer plane. This plane touches nearly every part I make...terrific tool.

[James Pallas]

Here is my seven Steven or eight depending on how you count the toothing iron.
Jim

[Bob Leistner]

Mr Koepke has described me to a T.
I have perhaps 30 old planes. Instead of attempting to make them do a particular job, I've learned to use them as they are.
Any one of them will take a nice shaving , but certain ones seem to take to the rougher work better than others.
I am attempting to make useful objects from wood, not marvel at shavings and sharpenings. So, I guess that I am really not able to say how many or what plane I may use on a given day. I try to use them all. I do enjoy my woodworking very much and easily spend 30 hours a week at it.

[steven c newman]

Last headcount I took in my shop....36 planes....I think

If I need to joint an edge....5-1/2.....6....7....8? sometimes a 5-1/4 will do.....

Jack planes......have five of them, last count.....depends on how close one is to my hand...
#4 planes? have 6 of them......again, which ever is close at hand....
#3 planes? I even use those.....
Block planes? have 11 to choose from....plus a few specialty planes......maybe I should count that Stanley #45 as "seven" planes?

I try to size the planes used to the size of the work being done. Just that some planes will get used more often than the others...

Meant to be a fun post....maybe a way to show some of the "newbies" what the old timers here use. As they always want to know what planes they need to get...

Of course, there are some who would rather not share, "Don't have the spare time for such frivolities" Fine....this fun post is not for them...

[James Pallas]

Two years ago I had 45 planes including the ones shown above. I went on a plane diet and now I'm down to 20.They all went to a good home, SIL. I still have in addition to the ones shown 2 number 4, 2# 5, 1#6, 1 #45, 1 #78, 4 more block planes, an LN medium shoulder plane, an LN large router, an LN small router, an LV Jack rabbet, and an LV jointer. They all get used but I'm partial to the LV planes because of the lower pushing angle and a bad back. My favorite of all to use is the #6 as a long Jack for larger work. The post is fun Steven.
Jim

[Jim Koepke]

My counting of planes stopped a few years ago after about 60. They still seem to multiply.

jtk

[Derek Cohen]

Steven, if I counted correctly, you only posted 6 planes .. where is the 7th? :)

Tool choice changes according to need. Bench planes come out when dimensioning. A smoother is a smoother, and a jointer is a jointer. I have a few of each. Sometimes the sharpest blade wins. Then it is time for joinery planes. I did not see any joinery planes among your pile. Do you nail the parts together? :) Shoulder planes are great for tidying up rebates and mouldings. Router planes tune tenon cheeks and shape hinge mortices. Block planes bevel. Shooting planes fit drawer fronts.

I've never counted the planes I own. I just know what I have and where they are when needed.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Robert Hazelwood]

Odd the way this thread has gone.

I think seven is a reasonable number for "daily" use, it allows for the usual set of 3-4 bench planes plus a few extras like joinery planes. I have other planes as well, including some that I really like, some that are really expensive, and some that are redundant. But the seven I showed are definitely used more and all of them will likely be used on any given project, which is not true of my side rabbet plane, for example.

At any rate it's not deadly serious, no need to agonize :). If you absolutely can't narrow it down to 7 then I'm sure nobody will be too offended if you include an 8th plane :D

[Al Launier]

I don't have seven planes, and those I have aren't used every day, or even every month.

Same here!

[steven c newman]

Might look a bit closer....that Stanley #45 is my "joinery" plane.....

I do have a large, wood bodied shoulder plane...by Auburn Tool Co. 1.25" width, skewed iron.

maybe look a wee bit closer at a few of my build-alongs, you might discover a few things.....besides the LACK of nails being used.

Shooting plane? I use whatever is handy,,,,sometimes, I might even set up the shooting jig (tends to get in the way on the bench...)Usually just a #60-1/2 Stanley.

6 planes...7 planes....70 planes...does not really matter, as long as they are the ones you actually use.

[Pat Barry]

Might look a bit closer....that Stanley #45 is my "joinery" plane......
I never bothered counting the planes in your picture til Derk's post - I also see only 6 (on top of the bench), so, you it seems, count a combo plane as 2 to get to the total of 7? LOL

[maximillian arango]

Its taken me 3 years to get started and put wood together but I finally am, I only use 2 planes a number 3 (https://photos.app.goo.gl/s32UPO6x4hFz9QxC2) and a 9 1/4 (https://photos.app.goo.gl/CIlx6xj0fI2af2ay1)


I do have a Sargent 4 size, 2 stanley #5s, 2 7s(one keen kutter and one stanley), and one stanley 6 that don't see any use because I started my first project a small box which is about 1 foot long I hope to put the others in rotation very soon.

[steven c newman]

I never bothered counting the planes in your picture til Derk's post - I also see only 6 (on top of the bench), so, you it seems, count a combo plane as 2 to get to the total of 7? LOL


The Stanley 45 was know as 7 planes in one....after all..LOL

[steven c newman]

Works for me:D

[Pat Barry]

Here are my most used handplanes

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[Phil Mueller]

I just know what I have and where they are when needed.

Regards from Perth

Derek


This in itself is very commendable!

[Alan Schwabacher]

The seven I probably use most are:

1,2 Smoothing: Stanley #3, #405
3,4 Roughing:#5 significant camber, V&B 905 extreme camber
5 Trying and jointing: Stanley #7
6,7 Block Plane: Stanley 60 1/2, Craftsman 3732 knuckle cap larger block

If you count a spokeshave as a plane, a Veritas would displace the craftsman blockplane, moving a new tool onto the most-used list.

I use a lot of others too.

[Prashun Patel]

As if I need to say this: Steven's request for pictures is an invitation not a mandate. Around these parts, that phrase has always been used to convey genuine interest not to judge.

[steven c newman]

Thought for a minute.....that people would be proud enough of their planes that they use the most, that they would be willing to share a picture.....wasn't trying to get "State Secrets" out of them. Guess it doesn't matter, anyway.......they can keep their secrets....

[Jim Koepke]

No secrets, haven't determined which are my seven and have also been busy of late.

Since the bench was cleared off earlier, maybe now would be a good time to go out to the shop and take a picture.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Well Steven, it wasn't possible for me to narrow it down to seven. As it is my Record #778 rabbet plane was left out.

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Starting with the bottom row left to right are two combination planes a Stanley #45 & #50. Usually when they are used the #98 & #99 side rabbet planes are used to enlarge a slot or to clean up a rough side if needed. Last on the bottom row is a #65-1/2 block plane. It is only one of five low angle block planes to be used regularly. The others are a #65 knuckle joint and three variations on the #60.

It is not easy deciding which smoother to use at any one time but most of the time it is either a #3 or a #4. These are just the representatives for the smoother group. Two of my #3 size planes are type 13 Stanley/Bailey planes and one is a Dunlap by Millers Falls. Two of my #4 planes are type 6 and one of them is somewhat of a franken plane on a type 11corrugated body.

Then there are the jack planes depending on the job either a #5-1/4 gets the work or a #5 is used. Not sure of the type on the #5-1/4 as it is actually marked Stanley in the casting and doesn't follow the type chart for the Bailey planes. The #5 is a type 9 but there are three others on hand including 2 type 11s with smooth and corrugated soles and a type 16.

The Low Angle Jack (LN #62) gets used on almost every project to shoot the end grain. Sometimes it is also used to shoot the edges of smaller pieces.

The #6 is a type 9 and takes turns with a type 4. This is the plane used as my jointer most of the time. If a long piece is being worked then the #8 come to the party.

Finally the hollows and rounds represent the molding planes that are used often to round corners or produce decorative edges on projects.

Wow, this looks like a lucky thirteen.

jtk

[Mike Holbrook]

I am in the process of moving. My planes are spread between two locations and some are packed. I guess I could show the traveling set, which is where I am....
Having a little problem with my photo, not use to using the iPad to do this. My laptop is having issues. I am recently oriented more towards rough work as my plane suggestion may make obvious. I have been working from logs and rough lumber, which is becoming a theme for me.

Hitting the right number was largely luck. As Derek mentions I am more & more project centric. LV skew block plane, LV router plane, LV #4, LV #5, LV #5 1/2, LV Miter plane, ECE Scrub.

[steven c newman]

One of the questions asked by new neanderthal woodwrokers is "What hand planes do I need to ....."

View this as a "Show & Tell" so others will get an idea what to get for their own, NEW woodshop.

By showing them what others actually USE in their own woodshops, maybe as to what type of plane........

[Prashun Patel]

Can't get to the shop to take photos. Will do later. My 7 are:

Veritas Low Angle Jointer - Low center of gravity. Joints effortlessly.
Veritas Low Angle Jack - I go back and forth with this one, but it really fills in many gaps (jointing small things; smoothing large things, taking it on the road when I need a utility player)
Lie Nielsen #4 Smooth - If I had to make a list of only 1, this would be it.
Veritas Small Bevel up Smooth - Great for smoothing very small items - like loose tenons
Veritas Apron - I never got into the 60 1/2 style; if I have to use a block, I like it to be as small as possible. I still think it's the best tool for fairing large, gradual curves.
Veritas Large Shoulder
Veritas Shooting Plane - This is like a meat slicer for wood. Perfectly square, smooth, and accurate edges.

I am not great at finding and fettling vintage things back to top quality. For me (no disrespect to collectors or people who love using many) my shop space and time has been better spent investing in a small number of planes that I use every day.

These days, I'm spending less time milling. Machines just do a better job than me at jointing, flattening, and ripping operations.

I prefer hand planes (and saws) for some joinery and smoothing. I find they are faster (less set up), more versatile, and less dusty.

I go back and forth with the bevel up planes. I use them primarily because of ergonomics and ease of resharpening. I keep them all ground at 25 degrees and if they tear out, I use the #4 or sandpaper.

[John Schtrumpf]

I mainly build smaller things.
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1) jack rabbet - jointing, try plane, beveled/angle edges, possible large rabbets, possible panel raising

2) 5¼ w jack - scrubbing, try plane, jointing, general trimming/flushing, possible large smoother

3) miter plane - shooting, possible miter jack usage

4) #3 smoother - smoothing, general trimming/flushing, possible toothing, possible scrub

5) left skew block - rabbets (goto for cross grain), bevel/chamfer edges, shooting, trim tennons, panel raising, general trimming/flushing

6) plow plane - grooves, rabbets, tongues, thin stock cutoff, possible beading

7) shoulder plane - trim rabbets, trim shoulders

8) router plane - trim dado/indent bottoms, trim tennons, possible stopped grooves

[Mike Holbrook]

I am in the process of moving. My planes are spread between two locations and some are packed. I guess I could show the traveling set, which is where I am....
Having a little problem with my photo, not use to using the iPad to do this. My laptop is having issues. I am recently oriented more towards rough work as my plane selection may make obvious. I have been working from logs and rough lumber, which is becoming a theme for me.

Hitting the right number was largely luck. As Derek mentions I am more & more project centric. LV skew block plane, LV router plane, LV #4, LV #5, LV #5 1/2, LV Miter plane, ECE Scrub.

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Moderator, I tried to delete the previus post, but it does not seem to want to delete, feel free......Sorry I am learning to work from an iPad with system 11, which changes EVERYTHING!

[steven c newman]

Ok, since some merely show the entire stable.....Planes....just...planes
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"Special Planes"
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I treat spokeshaves as planes
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Thatred one is a scrub-jack....
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Long planes, used as the need arises....No.14 used as a smoother...
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The "Main Group" No. 7 down to a few #3s, and a few block planes...
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Includes three low angle block planes...that little blue item is also a plane.
There were a few on the shelf under the bench.....extra #4s and #3...that may just go up for sale.....whenever I get around to it.

Since I may do anything between a small box up to a kitchen pantry.....the "seven" may change in the sizes of the planes.

[Jim Koepke]

Ok, since some merely show the entire stable.....

Entire stable moi?

Here is an image for most of the stable:

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On top left is a wooden plow that doesn't get used and on the top right is a #113 that gets used when needed. Most of the others come out to play regularly.

Here is a partial shot of the bench where my oilstones reside:

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Most of these planes are used regularly. There are 10 planes in that area even though the #113 is behind the box on the right.

There are 2 - #3 size planes, 2 - #5 planes, 2 - #5-1/4 planes with one set up as a scrub and a #4. There is a Record #778 and a Stanley #55.

Then there is the "scratch & dent" area:

373596

This is one of the places where broken tools or those unscheduled for restoration are lying in wait. Besides the boxes of molding planes are a Sargent transitional jointer and a Stanley/Bailey #8.

This doesn't show the drawer with a few block planes or the small block plane kept near the wood stove to make shavings for starting a fire.

jtk

[Andrew Zetts]

One man's stable is another man's hitching post...

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LN Rabbet Block Plane, LN 62, Clifton #7 (cheaper than a gym membership), Stanley#4, LV Router, LN Medium Shoulder Plane, LV Small Plow w/ Imperial blades, T&G, beads.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

Not daily, but here are seven. The coffin smoother gets the least use. The others all get used on most projects. The 40 less so since I got the jack. That thing can hog when you need it to.

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[Dave Cullen]

Only 6 get regular use in my shop.

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A no-name block plane that I inherited from my dad. Sees service as a glue scraper. Probably very old but I have no idea who made it.
Stanley 60-1/2P for end grain and general cleanup. Even James Krenov appreciated these.
Footprint #4 smoother with corrugated sole. Razor sharp, paper thin shavings.
Two Type 11 Baileys. The No. 5 is ground as a scrub, the 6C is my go-to jointer for short boards. Both were my grandfather's and I believe they were purchased new. 100 years in the family and counting.
A Millers Falls No. 7 jointer. Big and heavy but it does what it was designed to do. Got this one from an old contractor friend.


I have others but these cover the basic needs in my shop.

[Phil Mueller]

Probably the most used seven.

A type 11 Stanley 5C with slightly cambered iron
A left hand LV shooting plane (yes, I’m left handed)
A LV #4
A “Columbia” #3 (smoother for smaller pieces...handed down from my dad)
A LV medium shoulder plane (love this thing for all sorts of tasks)
A Stanley 50’s block plane (small camber)
A LN block plane (straight edge)

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When working with larger/longer pieces a 5 1/2, and a jointer comes out. Drawers get an added plough plane, and I try to find every excuse to use the LV router plane.

[ken hatch]

Ok, I'll play, but along the lines of Derek and Jim. First a couple of overviews of the tool storage around the main workbench.

Tool area behind the main workbench, this is where most of the daily users are stored.

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The roll around chest also behind the bench hold many of the wood stock planes.

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The tool area to the left of the main workbench and above the sharpening bench.

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The storage area to the right of the main bench.

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That's all for this post. Photos of the planes to follow.

ken

[ken hatch]

Because I have and use machines for stock prep, planes above #5 sized get little love in day to day work. The metal #6, #7, and #8 are mostly dust collectors. When there is a need for a plane longer than a #5 I will usually reach for one of the wood stock fore or joiner planes. The woodies are a pleasure to use because of the feel of wood on wood and their light weight. Light weight is a recurring theme in my chose of planes for use.


Here is a photo of a number of my #5 planes:

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The three planes on the left are the most used ones. the right three get little to no use and mostly set in the plane till or on one of the shelfs away from the main workbench. The reason the left three are the users mostly comes down to the weight of the planes. The LN and the Wood River are very heavy, the third plane is a Stanley Bedrock. The Bailey design is a better plane than the Bedrock (YMMV).


The three users have different shaped cutters, one with a straight edge and only a slight relief of the corners. The other two have cambered irons, one with what I call a "jack plane" camber and the other about half way between the jack camber and straight. I find the mid camber very useful for squaring the edges of boards. If I were culling the herd the six planes could be replaced with just one with three cutters with little loss of utility. It ain't going to happen but it could be done :).


The three #5 Bailey's are type 13 or older and are the most used planes in the shop. One is a type 9 with a low knob and is my personal favorite. I can not think of a project one or all of them has not touched.


The smoothers tomorrow.

ken

[ken hatch]

Moving on to the #4 sized planes:

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Like the photo of the #5 planes the daily users are on the left, the shelf sitters are on the right. There are more factors than weight differences between the users vs. the others in this group although weight is a factor.

The three users all have different makes of cutters, from left to right is a Hock O-1, a Japanese laminated HC, and a PM-v11. Of the three, the one I'm most attached to is the Record #4 in the middle. The Record was one of the first planes I bought from Garrett-Wade back in the late 70's. Fine Woodworking had been out for a couple of years, I can't remember where I found my first copy but it changed my life.


At that time there were no stores in Houston with quality wood working tools and only one small hardwood seller. All my early tools were ordered from the Garrett-Wade catalog, most I still have and some will star in later posts.


Of the ones I do not use often, two because of weight, the other two because of the Norris adjuster and complexity. For some reason Norris adjusters and I do not work together well. I've really tried to love both of the LV smoothers as they are very nice and well made planes but for whatever reason (Norris adjuster) the chemistry isn't there, they always seem to be doing the Cotton-eyed Joe when I just want to do the Texas Two Step. Which is a shame because they are really nice planes, maybe I'll make another run around around the dance floor with 'em soon.

ken

[Jim Koepke]

Of the ones I do not use often, two because of weight, the other two because of the Norris adjuster and complexity. For some reason Norris adjusters and I do not work together well.

One of the difficulties for me with a Lie-Nielsen plane is there is almost no backlash in the blade adjustment. Funny that a 'feature' many complain about is something upon which I have become accustomed.

jtk

[ken hatch]

One of the difficulties for me with a Lie-Nielsen plane is there is almost no backlash in the blade adjustment. Funny that a 'feature' many complain about is something upon which I have become accustomed.

jtk

Jim,

If you join me in putting a thinner cutter in the LN your backlash may be waiting. The thin iron then needs the adjustment hole in the cap iron enlarged to lay flat on the frog. If you are not careful you will end up with Stanley backlash :-). BTW, I'm kinda like you the backlash is not a bother, in fact I think it may help a little with fine tuning the depth. But then my tool preferences can be a little weird.

ken

[steven c newman]

After I had shown off the "stable" of planes...someone asked IF that was all.....well...there were a few hidden away on a shelf, under the bench...
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"Be careful what you ask for.."
An Anant A4, a #3 sized Dunlap, a Stanley Defiance #3 sizedplane from the 1930s, and a No. 8 sized Craftsman ( Millers Falls size) and a Mohawk-Shelburne #4. ( later was sold as a #900)
There was also a "Jack" plane sitting around...
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Double iron. 2" wide iron. Traditional Chinese Jack Plane...
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Takes a bit of practice, to get it to raise a few shavings.
That block plane? #1248 version of a Stanley #110...

[ken hatch]

Today's smoothers are the #4 1/2's. Same story, the LN gets little love for no reason other than it weights too damn much.

It is a shame marketing has convinced the tool buying world that heaver and thicker is better. I know broken record and all that rot.

One of the Stanley's has a Ray Iles cutter the other a Japanese HC laminated iron. Both work very well in older Stanley planes. For now I'm using a Hock cap iron with the Ray Iles iron because I'm out of usable Stanley chip breakers.

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Of the smoothing planes these are the least used, although the one with the Japanese iron is a very sweet working Type 9 and it is becoming my goto plane when I want to put a final finish on a board.


ken

[Robert Eiffert]

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From the top :
#6 Now mostly used on shooting board, though it saw use in theater sets and furniture and houses in the 70s.

Union plane was dad's. It's been across the date line at least 4 times. It replaced a 70s flea market purchase of about the same vintage as the 6. It gets almost as much use as the 4

#4 is a newer acquisition. P.Sellers said I needed one. He is right.

Old candle stub.

#3 (actually, there are two, but I didn't want to cheat). Tight mouth, chipbreaker up close. I like it because even though the 4 does as well, picking up the 3 says last step. Also really nice for 5"box sides.373971

Block plane also from dad's toolbox. It replaced a magenta 70s new purchase for many reasons. Including my cackhandedness messing up the adjuster.

Record was the purchase (from a vendor recommended on this forum, so a thanks for that.) that pretty much enabled me to give away the table saw. Nice quiet grooving. No more scary molding head.

[QUOTE=steven c newman;2751562]Go out to the shop, pick out the seven most used planes, line them up on your bench, and take a picture or two.

[ken hatch]

I left the wood stock Jack and Scrub planes out of this grouping, no reason other than because. I expect in a later post they along with the wood stock Jointer and Fore plane will share the stage.


The coffin smoother on the left is from Steve Voigt. It is a wonderful plane and the most used of this group. Next to it is an older ECE coffin with a double iron, also a very good smoother. Next is a ECE single iron "Gent's" plane which is a great plane if the wood is well behaved. And the last is a newer ECE listed as a Jack plane, as best I can tell the only difference between it and their smoother is the grind of the iron. It works well and is cheap, a real bargain if you are looking for a smoother/jack plane.

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The woodie smoothers get about the same utilization as the metal smoothers. There really is no rhyme or reason one is picked up over the other. They all do the job and are are a pleasure to use, pick one.

ken

[Thomas Schneider]

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The till 😁

[Pat Barry]

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The till 😁
Why do you still have price tags on all your saws.