Plane advice

[Shaun]

As time has gone by I have started adding hand tools to my work, but most have been joinery related(router, shoulder plane etc.)

I have a new project coming up with some wider boards I'd rather not rip down to fit my joiner.  My plan is a sled for my planer, but feel like a hand plane to take the high spots off first will make mounting the boards to the sled significantly easier/better.

Which brings me to my question.  Which plane would be best for this?   I am guessing a 5 1/2 jack, but would like some input and advice if anyone feels up to it?   Also how to pick one out wouldn't hurt my feelings either, I scan through e-bay and get lost on what is good for a user at a reasonable price and what isn't. 

Thank you in advance!

[jppierson]

Usually the first plane used is a scrub plane, 9.5" long and narrow (1-3/4"). Basically a No3 width blade with a heavy camber and wide open mouth. and the length of a No4. This plane is generally used across the grain then once the major high spots are removed a No 6 try plane follows. Sounds like you intend to use your planer as the try plane. You could save some cash by picking up a less than perfect No3 heavily camber the blade (9" radius or so) open the throat and have at it. This work-around is less than perfect since the tote on a 3 is small, whereas the scrub's tote is larger. A scrub can be used one-handed, the No3 might be a tight fit for an adult male. The No 5 or 5-1/2 is 14 inches long so it might be less efficient and removing the high spots since it registers over a longer length. A 5-1/2 jack has a much wider blade and is a lot heavier than the 40 or 3, so the camber would want to hog off a lot more material thus requiring greater effort.

If you are looking at purchasing a set of planes, look at using the 4-1/2, 5-1/2, 6 and 7 with matched width blades (2-3/8). That way you can have various cambers, back bevels useable by all your bench planes.

Hope this helps and doesn't add to the confusion.

[Admiral]

I've done what you want to do quite often, and you really don't need a sled.  You'll need a #5 with an extra iron (one of these will do just fine https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-12-313-Be...350&sr=8-9,) and either a #6 or #7.  Take one of the #5 irons and camber it to use as a scrub to hog off the high spots, then switch to the straight #5 iron for an initial flattening, then the 6 or 7 to true it up.  Thing is it doesn't have to be totally perfect, it can have low spots, just so the board does not rock and gives you a reference face for the planer.  Then plane the rough side a bit, and start alternating sides.  This has worked for me many times.

That being said, if you are going through the trouble of building a sled, just go that route.  But if you want an excuse to get some planes........ :-)

[ajkoontz]

As time has gone by I have started adding hand tools to my work, but most have been joinery related(router, shoulder plane etc.)

I have a new project coming up with some wider boards I'd rather not rip down to fit my joiner.  My plan is a sled for my planer, but feel like a hand plane to take the high spots off first will make mounting the boards to the sled significantly easier/better.

Which brings me to my question.  Which plane would be best for this?   I am guessing a 5 1/2 jack, but would like some input and advice if anyone feels up to it?   Also how to pick one out wouldn't hurt my feelings either, I scan through e-bay and get lost on what is good for a user at a reasonable price and what isn't.   

Thank you in advance!

Chris Schwarz recommends a #5 jack plane with a camber on the blade. Long story short, he turns a #5 into a scrub plane. Not having done a lot of this myself, I won't try to argue with his advice. I will tell you that getting into hand planes is a slippery slope, at least IMO due to the need to learn to sharpen a blade to get ANY plane to work properly. If you're already set-up for sharpening chisels & whatnot then a plane blade is not really much different. If you're not set-up for sharpening, that's a whole nother story. So, back to the task at hand- if I didn't have any planes and wanted to do what you want to do I would buy a #5, probably vintage from this forum, or as back-up buy a quality new one (LN, LV, Woodriver?).  Vintage #5's are much easier to come by, and in a pinch can be used for other tasks (jointing, smoothing, flattening), so that's where I would start. I started out buying vintage on ebay and flea markets, which is fun and I learned a lot along the way, but if I was needing to get some work done I would start right off with an already tuned up vintage or quality new plane. At this point (for me) tuning up old planes is too time consuming and not really something I enjoy, YMMV. There are so many methods/ planes/ etc.  to accomplish what you're trying to do that you probably can't go too wrong no matter what you do, but I do strongly recommend that you don't start out acquiring planes from e-bay. Save that for when you know more about planes and the differences between the good ones and the bad ones.

[Derek Cohen]

Shaun, take each board on its own merits, and determine how much, and where from, waste needs to be removed. A straight edge is your friend here. At that point you can decide which plane is needed. Sometimes a #5, sometimes a #7.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Bill_Houghton]

Find - at your local library, or online not too expensive - "The Hand Plane Book."  Read it.

[bandit571]

The Woodwright's Shop, pbs.org......Hand Plane Essentials....

[Bruce Haugen]

As time has gone by I have started adding hand tools to my work, but most have been joinery related(router, shoulder plane etc.)

I have a new project coming up with some wider boards I'd rather not rip down to fit my joiner.  My plan is a sled for my planer, but feel like a hand plane to take the high spots off first will make mounting the boards to the sled significantly easier/better.

Which brings me to my question.  Which plane would be best for this?   I am guessing a 5 1/2 jack, but would like some input and advice if anyone feels up to it?   Also how to pick one out wouldn't hurt my feelings either, I scan through e-bay and get lost on what is good for a user at a reasonable price and what isn't.   

Thank you in advance!

I have a dog-meat, post-war Stanley #5 that I use as a scrub.  A #4 would work well, too.  I put a decent camber on the blade and it works very well.  Remember to plane across the grain.  I use a planer sled quite a bit and find it a very useful jig.  Don’t get hung up about which plane to use if you’re just knocking off a few high spots.  You can even take your favorite plane and tilt the blade so only one corner is projecting.  It will do the job.  This is not a finish cut, so don’t overthink the operation, just do it.

[Shaun]

Usually the first plane used is a scrub plane I wondered, but the whole idea of sharpening a cambered blade worries me.  I feel reasonably confident in my sharpening, but the curve causes me concern.

If you are looking at purchasing a set of planes, look at using the 4-1/2, 5-1/2, 6 and 7 with matched width blades (2-3/8).  That way you can have various cambers, back bevels useable by all your bench planes.  This is great advice I had not considered!

You'll need a #5 with an extra iron Take one of the #5 irons and camber it to use as a scrub to hog off the high spots.  Also great advice, and something I can fiddle with and know the iron is easy to replace if I mess it up completely.

But if you want an excuse to get some planes........ :-)  If I am 100% honest.......this has as much merit as anything

So, back to the task at hand- if I didn't have any planes and wanted to do what you want to do I would buy a #5, probably vintage from this forum, or as back-up buy a quality new one   I think that's where I am

I do strongly recommend that you don't start out acquiring planes from e-bay. Save that for when you know more about planes and the differences between the good ones and the bad ones. Agree, I ended up not knowing what I should spend money on or why I shouldn't spend money on it.

Shaun, take each board on its own merits, and determine how much, and where from, waste needs to be removed. A straight edge is your friend here. At that point you can decide which plane is needed. Sometimes a #5, sometimes a #7.   Tis the plan

Once again thank you to everyone, and now I am on the lookout for a good #5

[jstraw]

You’re on the right track. I did not own a power jointer for over 20 years. So to get one side flat enough for the planer, I have several #5 planes at the ready, all with noticeable camber. Make yourself a couple of winding sticks to help occasionally check for twist while you work. You will be amazed at how quick you can get a board flat enough to run through the planer.

For sharpening, I found the inexpensive eclipse jig has such a narrow wheel, that you can easily rock it from side to side as you hone the cambered bevel.