brooklyngohardwood Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 There are a lot of threads on buying your first bench planes and I think I've read them all. I have the basics down—I understand the Stanley numbering system, the difference between bevel-up/bevel-down, etc. I have all the basic planes I need (#4 for smoothing, #6 for rough work, #7 for jointing) but I'm starting to think about filling out my collection. I'm curious about what planes you use in your routine and which are "nice to haves"—that make your life easier, even if you don't strictly need them to get started. I've seen a lot of people's collections and I've noticed many have multiple #4s, #5s, etc. If you have a lot of bench planes what do you use them for? Or if you don't are there ones you wish you had or is it better to keep it simple? To start things off this is what I'm thinking now for my dream collection. I'd love to hear your opinions. #4 smoother set to medium cut for general planing and rough smoothing (already own) #4 smoother set superfine, probably a LN (dream plane) LV Bevel-Up Smoother for tricky grain or maybe LN #4 with 50° frog? #3 smoother for tricky small areas? or maybe LV Small Low Angle Smoother with high-angle blade to cover the small plane and low-angle categories? Wooden jack with heavy camber and very-deep cut for rough stock removal (just bought on eBay, haven't received yet) #5 with heavy camber and medium-deep cut for less-heavy stock removal LV Low Angle Jack for shooting end grain (thinking about ordering this one next) #6 with some camber for smaller jointing and flattening/smoothing larger panels (already own—Chris Schwarz talks about using a 5 1/2 for smoothing large panels, maybe I could do this with my 6?) #7 with thin cut and some camber for fine jointing (already own) #7 with deeper cut for rougher jointing tasks (already own, but need to fix up to make usable) #8 for really big work? (For simplicity sake I'm not thinking about block planes or joinery planes but feel free to add if you wish.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkirby Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 So far i have Veritas BU Jointer Woodriver Jack Wooden smoother Wooden Badger Plane Stanley/Record hybrid turned into a scrub Wooden Plow plane Stanley router plane Stanley sweet heart block plane Im going to convert the woodriver into a fore plane and eventually invest in a verities BU smoother and jack. The only other things i would add would be a dadoe plane and a moving filiister as i am crap at cutting dadoes and rabbets with a chisel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 I want to add a 5 1/2 to my collection. I own a ln 62 and to be honest im not a fan of the lack of heft. I know it gets a lot of praise here on the forum, and that being said ill never get rid of it since i like the versatility of high angle work and shooting purposes. I love love my no8 for jointing. Once you send it across a board it stops for nothing, all aboard! I want to add a no7 with middle pitch as well. I wouldnt go low angle seeing that i have no use for a plane that size with low angle capabilities. The no7 and 5 1/2 would have an interchangable 55 deg frog then for high angle work. I wouldnt mind having the la smoother as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisG Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Hmmm lets see I have.. Vintage include - Miller Falls No 8 (same size as No 3) - Miller Falls No. 9 (same size as 4) - Stanley No. 4 - Stanley 5 1/4 - Stanley 5 - A couple jack plane size transnationals - Miller Falls No 14 (same size as 5) - Miller Falls 15 (same size as 5 1/2) - Stanley No 7 - Sargent VBM 424 (same as 8) Newly bought include: - LV little victor - LV convex sole squirrel tail plane - LV Low angle block - LV Small BU smoother - LV Low Angle Jack - LV Skew Rabbet - LV small plow (and attatchments) - LV Large Router plane - LV Med Shoulder plane - Woodriver No. 6 ..maybe forgetting something, but I think that covers it. 6's are nice to have, as are small smoothers (love the LV SBUS), as is having multiple jack and trying planes (my transitional, 5 1/4, No 14, 15, and 6 all have different amounts of camber) but there is really no NEED for those or a No. 8 (I don't like 8s, and am actually trying to sell my Sargent currently) at this point given what you have. I would say add eithera shooting plane (Miter, La Jack, whatever) or start adding joinery planes. I'm a big fan of the router plane for a first joinery plane. It can assist in a lot of power tool work and also help you get started with hand cut joinery if that's of interest. A shoulder plane is also nice to have for working rabbets and such (though I don't use them on tenon shoulders though). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 This thread is boring without pictures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Youre right mel, pictures would make this thread more pornographic. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 I'll add a family picture when I get back from the wood mill Daddy needs a bench top! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Suck it mel! Im outside cutting fire rock for a boiler room, my hands are killing me from the cold weather today. I wish i was home with my woman in pajamas. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brooklyngohardwood Posted December 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 LOL, yes pictures would be sexier. I will post a picture of what I have when I get home tonight, although it's not that much right now. Part of the reason I started this thread is I want a reason to accumulate a huge till full of bench planes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brooklyngohardwood Posted December 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Thanks everyone who contributed so far! I definitely think a LA Jack will be my next purchase. I should add that I already own a #220 block, Record #043 small plow, a #78 rabbet, and a #71 router. My #71 is a really old Stanley pre-depth adjuster knob so I'll probably upgrade to a LV large router at some point, but I'm currently thinking my next joinery plane will be a LV Skew Rabbet Block, since that would give me a nicer block plane + a rabbeting plane to clean up joints. ChrisG: I see you have multiple planes in the 4 to 5 1/2 range. Do you have them set up for specialized tasks or it is more about just having backups? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 More power to you chrisj. Hand planes are just fascinating, and i think they are attractive to even non woodworkers. The more the better, for no reason at all. I could stop now and have everything i need to do my work, but i want more because i love them. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G S Haydon Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Mr Griggs, that is not a collection of planes, it's a tool dealership! Chris J, in my day job tool box I have a slightly rustly Stanley #4 and a Stanley #78 Rebate plane, nothing else. In my hobby set I have (prices are excluding postage) A Record 102 Block Plane bought second hand for £7.00 and refurbed (hardly use it) #4 Record with Stay Set Cap Iron bought second hand for £15.00 and refurbed A real Jack Plane :-), (for rapid stock removal, not a fancy #5 size item used as a panel plane), bought for £1.00 Trying plane, already had vintage #8 with a bent sole, bought a Record #7 with the same problem and I could not face flattening so much metal or spending out on a better product. A wooden plane from the storage area at work saved the day, the sole was trued in moments and it was ready to go. Having a longish plane really is a boon, sounds like you are well placed with with the #4, #6 & #7, a real backbone! A record 405 currently takes care of grooving & rebating althoug I'm going to give some wooden versions a go and see how I feel about them. I also have a badger plane, a couple of coffin smoothers, wooden rebate planes a few moulding planes and a Record router plane. I'm due to list some surplus stuff on ebay and some of them will be planes I don't use a great deal, surprisingly a #5 & a #6 will be on their way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Here are the ones I actually use. LN: LA Jointer LA Jack LA Smoother Scrub Low angle block Large router plane Medium shoulder plane Edge trimming plane Side rabbet planes Stanley: #6 #5 #45 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mds2 Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Here we go. From left to right. Craftsman fore plane. Homemade plane "the favorite" Stanlely Bedrock #5 Shopfox small router plane Stanely block plane Stanley Two-Tone #4 Homemade Homemade Stanley Spokeshave Not pictured: Stanley #78, "Veritable Cormier" t&g plane from the 1750-1780's ish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Nice hand made planes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mds2 Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Thanks! I have a few others but they don't get any use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 What a shame. Do you need my address Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChetlovesMer Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 I've actually just recently thinned my collection. Please please don't hate me for saying this, but I prefer LV planes to LN planes. I find myself reaching for my LV's all the time and find myself using my LV's for great looking backgrounds in my photos. Anyway, here's what I use. 1 - POS Stanley block plane - not a sweet classic or anything, I'm talking about a 7 dollar jobber from a big box store. It is useful for doing things you wouldn't do with planes you like. 2 - A nicer Stanley block 3 - LV LA block 4 - LV medium shoulder plane (Clearly superior to the LN medium shoulder plane ... okay that's just my opinion.) 5 - LV #7 6 - LV 4-1/2 (This bad boy is my go to plane. I used to have an LN #4 as well and would use them for different tasks, but as time went by I found I preferred just readjusting my LV 4-1/2 rather than grabbing my LN.) 7 - A small collection of specialty planes - round overs and plows etc. Nothing that impressive. Oh, yeah Mel likes photos so here's my favorite plane in living color: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 I do like photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChetlovesMer Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Oh, I forgot to mention I just purchased a wooden jack off ebay... Thanks, Graham. I also have a slick Lee Valley Fillister plane which is handier than pockets on a shirt. I find all kinds of ways to use it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G S Haydon Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Excellent! (said like Mr Burns). For those that pulled the trigger (I think it was three) we will need to have a shave off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChetlovesMer Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Okay Graham, 2 things! 1 - I assume by "shave off" you mean wood shaving, not my face or, God forbid, my legs. 2 - Shouldn't you be out tying a few on in a pub by now? It's like 4 hours until midnight (by my math) where you are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Haha chet said jack off! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChetlovesMer Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Reminds me of the last time I played poker. I thought I had a full house, but it turns out I was only a jack off. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Bench planes-I use all of them: 2 no.3s with different cambers Stanley no. 4 takes .002" Stanley 4-1/2 takes less than .001 Record like new 5 takes what a Jack is meant for- Record bought new in the '70s 2-no. 6s with different cambers Stanleys almost perfect Japanning used for flattening before 7 7 takes about a .001 NOS Record still in the box-mainly for flattening faces 8 is the only one with a straight honed blade-for edges mostly only Stanley top shape wooden scrub for cleaning boards and beams-well beat up by us Primus smoother for when I like using it Primus Jointer almost never gets used I didn't include blocks or other planes since the topic was bench planes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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