If you could only have one hand plane...

[Tim Dorcas]

I have a planer (DW734) that I love and benchtop jointer that I hate. And by definition I am a "Power Tools" guy. However, last year during the Calgary Woodworking Show, I saw Rob Cosman do his 'dovetail' thing and thought, "There's no way I can do that with a power tool." So off I went on yet another buying spree. I bought some Grotz hand planes. I bought a gentlemen's dovetail saw and fret saw. And a sharpening system to keep everything nice and sharp.

My experience with the Grotz planes was to be expected. The planes work but mark up the wood and seem to give inconsistent results when planing. I bought Rob's Hand Planing video and he recommeded 4 planes from Lie-Nielson. They are gorgeous planes but at $300CAN a pop, I can't afford one so they were off the table.

I started doing some research on the web with the basic question of "If you could only get one hand plane ,which one would you get?" Surprisingly (or maybe not so surprisingly) Lee Valley's Low Angle Jack Plane came up in several places. So off to LV I went with money in hand.

What an amazing difference this plane makes. The LV LA JP is an incredible joy to use. Who knew you could plane something without marking up the wood. I have also tried the LV LA Block Plane and I believe I will be adding this to my collection soon as well.

So while I have already answered this question myself I'd be interested to know what someone else would have chosen and why.

Thanks!

Tim

[glenn bradley]

I have the same planer (which I love) and probably the same bench top jointer (which is OK for 3 foot long pieces and under). My wish list includes my first 'real' plane to add to my Groz plane; Lee Valley medium shoulder plane.

Bearing in mind that this is a decision made purely from my own inexperience and book-research. Like you I am primarily an electron burner and envision the plane for cleaning up tenons and the like. I'll be watching this thread with interest for those who can correct my path or confirm it.

[Andrew Williams]

Depends on what you are doing with it. If all you want to do is face joint a board before running it through the planer, then I would use an old lightweight wooden jointer to rough out the board. Probably best bet would be a decent jointer plane, then you could do that too, and then joint the edge.

I have about 10 planes and use 9 of them. number 10 is a "new" stanley.

[Dennis Peacock]

Yup....the LV planes are pretty hard to beat for quality and usability. I love the ones that I've tried so far. I even have one in my collection of "users". :D

[Alex Berkovsky]

Tim,
I remember asking a similar question and IIRC the answer was LA block plane.

[Doug Shepard]

The 2 you already have listed would be on the top of my list - probably in the same order too.

[Jules Dominguez]

I have a set of old Record planes - block, smoother, jack and jointer. In the last year or so I've acquired the Lee Valley low angle block, smoother and jack. I use all of the LV's and still use the Record jointer regularly, but the other Records are semi-retired (to provide a frame of reference for this post I couldn't qualify as a Neanderthal based either on the number of planes I own or on my skill in using them).

The LV LA jack is the most useful all-around plane for me, but it can't do what a block plane can do, so I'd say you can't really get by with just one plane. My vote for the "most useful" two would be a good low angle Jack and a good low angle block, of any good make. You'd want at least two irons for the jack, one with the standard angle and one with a steeper bevel. The Veritas Mk II is very nice for honing.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I have three real planes, 4 if you count a cheap little thumb plane I rarely use.
The three are a Bailey and two Stanleys they are a jointing plane a jack plane and a little hand block plane.
The plane I most often use is my hand block plane.

I used to use the other two but then I got a jointer and a planer and don't hardly ever pick 'em up any more.

So I guess it'd be the little block plane. I use it for champhering corners mostly.

[Fred Gross]

Only have one plane????????????????
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y213/usmcbombboy/Woodworking/Planes.jpg

[Dan Forman]

Fortunately I'm not limited to one, but if I was it would be the LV LA jack.

Dan

[Bob Marino]

I'd also vote for the Jack and block planes, if only two.

Bob

[Tim Dorcas]

I decided to get the Lee Valley Low Angle Block Plane too! For now those will have to do.

[Gary Keedwell]

I decided to get the Lee Valley Low Angle Block Plane too! For now those will have to do.
Don't mean to steal the thread, but I am curious as to which blade you are going to order with your plane. I have been torn between the A2 or O1 blade. Does anybody have a preference and if they do, why? Thanks:)
Gary K.

[Don Morris]

No way I could get by with just one. I have a couple LN's, Baileys, and Stanleys. Go years without using a lot of them because I too mostly now do it with electrons. But then all of the sudden, a situation comes up when all I have to do is reach in and pull out the hand plane and whalla within a few minutes the task is accomplished rather than set up some complicated jig or other manipulation. But if I didn't have that particular plane I'd have been out of luck. Also, why aren't we discussing this on the Neanderthal thread? Those are the guys who probably would have the most experienced and wisened replys.

[Tim Sproul]

I have the A2 blades because when I purchased my LV planes, there was no option for O1. For a low angle, I'd opt for O1. O1 is more durable when the bevel isn't as steep. IME, and from anecdotal readings on forums, the consensus is usually around 30 degree bevel is needed in A2 for a decent edge life. That kinda defeats the purpose of low-angle. A2 works great with the bevel-up smoother....as you typically want 33+ degree bevel for that plane iron for smoothing face grains. For a low angle block or an iron dedicated for end grain use (mitering in a shooting board or trimming up dovetailed corners), I'd opt for O1 steel over A2.

[Gary Keedwell]

I have the A2 blades because when I purchased my LV planes, there was no option for O1. For a low angle, I'd opt for O1. O1 is more durable when the bevel isn't as steep. IME, and from anecdotal readings on forums, the consensus is usually around 30 degree bevel is needed in A2 for a decent edge life. That kinda defeats the purpose of low-angle. A2 works great with the bevel-up smoother....as you typically want 33+ degree bevel for that plane iron for smoothing face grains. For a low angle block or an iron dedicated for end grain use (mitering in a shooting board or trimming up dovetailed corners), I'd opt for O1 steel over A2.
Tim....I really don't think I get it. Won't you have to sharpen it more often then the A2. I heard the A2 has more chromium therefore needs less sharpening.:confused:
Gary K.

[Tim Sproul]

A2 does have more chromium than O1. Edge life depends on more than just the material.

Perhaps these examples will help 'illustrate' what I mean. Take 2 irons, one of A2 and the other of O1 and assume equal honing to both and equal use.

1. Bevels are 35 degrees. The A2 will get you 100 passes with the plane before needing rehoning while the O1 will get you 75 passes.

2. Bevels are 30 degrees. The A2 will get you 80 passes while the O1 will get you 70.

3. Bevels are 25 degrees. The A2 will get you 50 passes while the O1 will get you 60.

What this is trying to tell you is that once the bevel angle becomes obtuse enough, A2 outperforms O1 in terms of edge retention. However, on more acute bevels, O1 tends to outperform A2. This is just anecdotal observations I've made and read about on forums and with other woodworkers so if it is really true or not is unknown.

[Greg Peterson]

While I have a number of hand planes, the one that gets used with the greatest regularity is my Stanley 60 1/2. I break out my other various bench planes, but the 60 1/2 gets pressed into use on every project while the others stand by just chomping at the bit. I think they have a case of Plane Envy!

[Cliff Miller]

Fred, that photo wasn't even fair! WOW, what a beautiful collection! All I can say is WOW!

[Loren Hedahl]

I decided to get a 'decent' plane several years ago and came home with the LN skew bladed block plane.

However a short time later on a cold wintery day, I dug out a Stanley 60 1/2 that I had acquired somewhere and decided to try some plane tuning I had read about. It responded admirably and now with a new bi-metal Japanese blade is the plane I use most often.

I also have a LN No 4 that I would hate to part with.

And for hogging away the offending areas of a twisted or warped board a Makita makes dust of the offense with dispatch.

Actually the Makita can do fine work too, but that's probably something that shouldn't be addressed more than casually on a certifiable woodworker's forum.

Loren

[Don Bullock]

This is a great thread. I'm almost totally an electron burner, so haveing the thread on this forum seems to give the replys a different twist than if it was on the Neanderthal forum.

I got a chance to take a seminar on sharpening at the Woodworking Show last Friday and bought some sharpening stones (hidden gloat I guess), and I'm eager to try using some planes soon. Threads like this are very helpful to me because I have no idea where to start.

[Aaron Fleischer]

I too am a power tool woodworker and I came upon this same dilemna recently.

I decided on the Lie Nielson rabetting block plane. Great for normal block plane operations and you can also plane up to edges for top profiles (which is what I needed it for originally).

I also expected to have to do some sharpening/flattening of the sole when I got it, but Lie Nielson's worked perfectly out of the box, which I can't say the same for my crappy little Stanley block plane which I still can't get to work perfectly.

I have been avoiding hand tools for a while, but now that I have a nice plane, I can't imagine doing woodworking without it. I hate to say it, but there are some things that are just easier and quicker to do with hand tools.

At some point I am going to invest in a nice jointer plane, but those suckers are super expensive!

Aaron
Fleischer Woodworking
http://www.fleischerwoodworks.com