Originally Posted by
Mike Cherry
But lets be realistic, were Neanders here. Why have two or three blades for your Jack when you can just have two or three ( or more lol) jacks!��
+1 on this.
Currently there are two #5-1/4 (Jack Jr.?) planes in my shop. One is set with a heavy camber for use as a scrub, the other has a straight blade for use as small joiner or smoother.
There are four #5 planes. I would say that is too many. I would likely do fine with only two. Due to an old shoulder injury, the smaller #5-1/4 is preferred for the rough work. Oops, almost forgot my low angle bevel up Jack.
Then there are two #6 planes that are used like a Jack plane (jumbo Jacks) and a #5-1/2 that doesn't get used a lot.
Looks like a total of ten Jack planes in my shop. Are they all needed? No. Are they all keepers, well maybe not a couple of the #5s. One of them has problems with stripped threads for the tote, the other is a WW II model that is a bit obstinate when it is time to adjust the lateral setting. They are both good users, just a few warts with which to deal.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)