suggestions on buying a new plane
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- This topic has 4 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 3 months ago by Philip Adams.
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Frank, It all depends on what you are planning to build and your choices of lumber. I find myself picking up my veritas #6 for most of my prep work because I generally buy 4/4 rough lumber. For the times when I get pre planed lumber my number 4 gets a lot of use.
I think for a second plane anything between a No 5 and No 6 would do you well. My No 6 gets used more than any others, but having said that I find a low angled jack plane with three blades can cover just about anything, for medium sized projects.
A good quality No 4 new or secondhand is a good one also. 😉
2 January 2014 at 12:26 pm #25047One suggestion I might have is that you could improve your low grade #4 by fettling it, if you have not already done that. There are links on how Paul recommends doing this, and on which planes he recommends getting here (sorry for the shameless blog plug!):
http://philipadamswoodwork.com/planes-where-to-start-the-no-4/
I personally bought a second hand Stanley #4, which I use most, and then got a second hand Stanley #5. I find the #5 is useful when edge jointing, and for rough stock. For rough stock I use the #4 initially as a scrub plane at 45 degrees to take off the high spots, and then a combination of the #4 & #5 to get plane the board flat and smooth. I can’t think of many things I couldn’t do with those two planes. I also recently bought a #4 1/2 which I do find useful occasionally, and is nice to have, but I would not consider essential. I think I would be likely to get a #5 1/2 next and then possibly a #6, although I’m not sure if I would use it much at all.
Hope that helps,
Phil -
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