Hello from a beginner! Some tool advice please…
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I agree with Mike I — a #5 as your first plane is an excellent choice, and dont try to flatten the wooden plane soles just yet, as Mike I said, wait until you’ve got some skill. The #5 is half again as long as a #4, which makes the #5 much better at flattening and jointing. When you get some skill, flatten the 17″ wooden plane and set it up as your roughing plane. When you get really, really good, flatten the 22″ and use it as your jointer plane.
There are videos and articles on the web about how a #5 is a great all-around plane, and with a few blades setup for different purposes, a single #5 can serve as the only plane you need to take wood from rough to finished, which is very economical and saves space, too. One hand-tool-only woodworker who has a Youtube channel has a video dedicated to this exact concept.
A Veritas or LN #5, with one blade set up for smoothing, one for roughing (very cambered blade) and one left alone for flattening / jointing / shooting, will do every task you might ask of a planer, and do it very well. And for SOJ, yes, Clifton’s too. Can’t go wrong!
[quote quote=311313]I agree with Mike I — a #5 as your first plane is an excellent choice, and dont try to flatten the wooden plane soles just yet, as Mike I said, wait until you’ve got some skill. The #5 is half again as long as a #4, which makes the #5 much better at flattening and jointing. When you get some skill, flatten the 17″ wooden plane and set it up as your roughing plane. When you get really, really good, flatten the 22″ and use it as your jointer plane.
There are videos and articles on the web about how a #5 is a great all-around plane, and with a few blades setup for different purposes, a single #5 can serve as the only plane you need to take wood from rough to finished, which is very economical and saves space, too. One hand-tool-only woodworker who has a Youtube channel has a video dedicated to this exact concept.
A Veritas or LN #5, with one blade set up for smoothing, one for roughing (very cambered blade) and one left alone for flattening / jointing / shooting, will do every task you might ask of a planer, and do it very well. And for SOJ, yes, Clifton’s too. Can’t go wrong!
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Thanks, good info for me on the different blade set ups for different tasks, which I was vaguely aware of but hadn’t considered too closely. Makes me feel better about going for a higher end, new plane, knowing that I can purchase other blades for different tasks – when I have the skill that requires those options of course.
I have been reading up a little more on the subject tonight and, with the feedback here as well, I am leaning very much towards a no.5 as the first brand new plane purchase.
Not ruling out a 4 or 4 1/2 either though – I will look into the second hand market for those after reading Paul’s blog entries above, and, If the price is right, may end up with one of those to accompany the 5 anyway!
[quote quote=311315]Makes me feel better about going for a higher end, new plane, knowing that I can purchase other blades for different tasks – when I have the skill that requires those options of course.[/quote]
In the interest of completeness, there’s nothing stopping you from buying different blades and using them in a restored #4, either. This is essentially what Paul does, except he has different blade types and many #4 planes, too. 🙂
As for having the skill, well, the different blades just make the task (of going from rough lumber to finished woodworking project) easier, they don’t increase or decrease the skill level required to accomplish any task.
A good video to watch on flattening stock, and how / when to use different planes / different blade types is Chris Shwarz’s : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_96gNMMc_g You’d be doing the same thing as him, except you’ll be using the same plane in all the different steps, just changing blades.
[quote quote=311316][quote quote=311315]
A good video to watch on flattening stock, and how / when to use different planes / different blade types is Chris Shwarz’s : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_96gNMMc_g You’d be doing the same thing as him, except you’ll be using the same plane in all the different steps, just changing blades.
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Just got around to watching your link. Excellent video, learnt a lot thanks.
25 April 2017 at 9:28 am #311388Good day Mk
For what it’s worth. At 66, I’ve recently started WOODWORKING as I acquired a couple of Disstons and wooden planes of my grandfather’s and I can’t afford new tools. In Australia, we don’t seem to have the number of used tools at markets as appears to be available in U.K. or USA and not as cheaply either -at least that’s been my experience – but I have recently acquired 2 Stanley #4’s ($30 & $0) that were in quite poor condition and have fettled them both somewhat to be able to produce very acceptable and fine shavings. Admittedly, I’d have had no idea what to do were it not for Paul’s videos and it did take me a couple of days to get the job done but my confidence has been buoyed by the results and recommend you go that route. As deanbecker said you will gain an intimate knowledge of the tool. I have found that to be invaluable to me in the operation and adjusting of the tool. I’ve just (almost) finished a bed that cost $60 in pine framing timber and looking forward to my next project.
Good luck with whatever you decide
DaveAttachments:
You must be logged in to view attached files.[quote quote=311388]Good day Mk
For what it’s worth. At 66, I’ve recently started WOODWORKING as I acquired a couple of Disstons and wooden planes of my grandfather’s and I can’t afford new tools. In Australia, we don’t seem to have the number of used tools at markets as appears to be available in U.K. or USA and not as cheaply either -at least that’s been my experience – but I have recently acquired 2 Stanley #4’s ($30 & $0) that were in quite poor condition and have fettled them both somewhat to be able to produce very acceptable and fine shavings. Admittedly, I’d have had no idea what to do were it not for Paul’s videos and it did take me a couple of days to get the job done but my confidence has been buoyed by the results and recommend you go that route. As deanbecker said you will gain an intimate knowledge of the tool. I have found that to be invaluable to me in the operation and adjusting of the tool. I’ve just (almost) finished a bed that cost $60 in pine framing timber and looking forward to my next project.
Good luck with whatever you decide
Dave[/quote]
Thanks, I am now looking at the second hand market also, for anything that looks good.
Awesome bed! I’m just hoping to make a box and not cut myself in the process! I would like to make a bed for my son some day, but thats a little bit on the future…
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