# veritas low angle jack plane vs jointer



## charlo489 (Oct 14, 2015)

Hello ! Planning to build my first real woodworking bench soon, based on the nicholson design. I will need a plane to flatten the top and wanted to know your opinion about which plane to get at lee valley. I was looking a the basic planes set, which comes with the low angle jack plane or maybe getting the veritas jointer plane but it,s quite expensive.


Am I gonna be able to get the top flat with a jack plane ?


This set includes the low angle jack plane I'm talking about : 

http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=74187&cat=1,41182

Here's the jointer plane : http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=52414&cat=1,41182,52515


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## Terry Q (Jul 28, 2016)

The longer the plane, the less chance to get dips and valleys in your work top. It still requires use of winding sticks and good technique.

A jointer will help with your top, but if you are asking between choosing between a jointer or a set consisting of a block, a smoother, and a jack plane the decision is easy, buy the set of three. A jointer has limited uses (large projects) and is harder to master then the other three planes. Large projects require you to move forward while maintaining even pressure and contact. Smaller projects and planes can be planed standing still, using upper body movement. 

A block plane is the most commonly used plane, a smoother the second commonly used, followed by the jack plane. I’d try to learn how to flatten using your jack plane. If, in the future, you are unhappy with the results you can get a jointer and re-work the top, something that some woodworkers do on a regular basis anyways.


In woodworking there is always more then one way to accomplish something.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

For a workbench top I would grab my old joiner plane I purchased used about 15 years ago. 
I’ve never been overly concerned with brand names.


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## charlo489 (Oct 14, 2015)

Yeah I'm currently reading Scharwz's book on hand planes, very interesting. Learning the proper technique does look a bit intimidating but I will try.


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