Fore or Jack?


Bobby Slack

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Believe it or not I don't have a Jack and I use my Lie Nielsen Nbr 8 quite a bit. Yes, A. Peters used a Joiner for everything.

I also have a smoothing plane (Nbr. 4.5) but this plane has a whole different application.

I'll be honest with you, I am the type of guy who believes bigger is better, sorry ... at least I am honest. The idea is to have everything flat, so the fore plane helps me get the surface flatter so the work with my joiner is easier.

But, I am also considering the jack to create a spring clamp for gluing up surfaces ... What about using my smoothing plane for Spring clamps?

From a priority, my inner logical self tells me get a Jack and then get the fore.

Is not a money issue because is only $ 50.00 difference between those two planes at Lie Nielsen. But, before going crazy I think of variety of tools and gain versatility at the shop.

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What about using my smoothing plane for Spring clamps?

You should be fine using the smoothing plane, or your No. 8, for that matter, for making a spring joint for edge glue ups.

As far as getting a jack plane or fore plane, I think what you mean by that is getting a No. 5 or a No. 6? Given your preferences, I'd just get a No. 6 and set it up with a moderate amount of camber. Whether you use a jack plane or a fore plane for the planing step prior to using a jointer is pretty much like trying to decide whether to get a No. 7 or a No. 8 for jointing, or a No. 3 or a No. 4 for smoothing. They both will do the job, and since you like bigger planes, the No. 6 is what I would go for.

But if that's the case, I would not use the jack/fore plane for making a spring joint. You'll take off more wood than you want for that task. Your jointer or smoother will be better suited for that.

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The idea is to have everything flat

Sometimes but not always. Sometimes you want flat, sometimes you want smooth and sometimes you want flat and smooth.

The inside of a cabinet, for example, needs to be dead flat lest the joinery be thrown off. If there's a rough patch on the inside, nobody will care except household vermin and other woodworkers. The outside, OTOH, need only be ballpark flat but must be silky smooth to the touch. If you have a rough patch on the outside, you need to smooth just that area, even if it leaves it slightly lower than the rest of the surface. Trying to do this with a jointer means that you'd have to take the entire panel down to the level of your rough patch. Shorter smoothing or coffin planes would allow you to work just the part that needs it.

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You should be fine using the smoothing plane, or your No. 8, for that matter, for making a spring joint for edge glue ups.

I don't think so. You're making a slight curved valley on the jointing edge. You want a plane with a shorter sole. Trying to make a gentle "U" shape with a #8 would only work if you're springing something eight feet long.

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