# plane attempt



## jodiemeglio (Jan 2, 2007)

I don't really know anything about hand planes but I have 2 laying around the shop and I thought I'd try them out today. I started to get the hang of it when I was about to quit. I'd like to get a longer plane for the rough cut lumber I think that would make it go a little bit quicker.


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## Rob (Oct 31, 2006)

There's a ton of info on the web about hand planes. One thing I do to practice is to plane down aromatic cedar boards. I keep a feel for the planes and I get a nice supply of cedar shavings. I use these to put in packages that I mail for padding. People love opening the box and I get practice in.
Keep the sole waxed to make life alot easier.


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## kenneth cooke (Feb 2, 2007)

*Plane sizes*



jodiemeglio said:


> I don't really know anything about hand planes but I have 2 laying around the shop and I thought I'd try them out today. I started to get the hang of it when I was about to quit. I'd like to get a longer plane for the rough cut lumber I think that would make it go a little bit quicker.


IMHO the main plane size for general everyday use are a No4 smoothing plane , a No5 Jack Plane and a No7 jointer. Having said that I would tend to look for a No4. 1/2 which is the same lenght as a No4 but wth a 2. 3/8" iron as opposed to a 2" on the No4. This would handle all of you finish work. I would add to that a No7 jointer plane with it's 22" length and an iron same as the No4. 1/2 this is regarded as the king of bench planes and should be the first plane to reach for when truing edges. If you require a plane to remove vast amounts of timber buy an old No5 jack plane then file the frog edge of the mouth very carefully to enlarge it then sharpen the iron with a pronounced radius. This will then make a very good scrub plane but expect tearout. The brands worth searching out are USA Stanley and English Record both old and if funds allow, Lie Neilsen New.I hope this helps


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## jodiemeglio (Jan 2, 2007)

Thanks for the info, I'll add those planes to my to find list.


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## Mitch Cholewinski (Mar 11, 2007)

*jodiemeglio*

The planes you want to use for that job of leveling out the floor would be a number six Stanley and then a number seven Stanley to clean up the marks from the 6. Round the corners off a little on each corner of the blades to lessen chance of deep gouges on each stroke. When your finished you could always true them up again but why? If you don't have a number six use a scrub plane. Forget about trying to make a scrub plane Veritas sells the sweetest scrub plane you can imagine. I use these a lot. Keep the blades shart so as not work yourself to death. Good Luck Mitch


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## kenneth cooke (Feb 2, 2007)

*On Scrb Planes*



Mitch Cholewinski said:


> The planes you want to use for that job of leveling out the floor would be a number six Stanley and then a number seven Stanley to clean up the marks from the 6. Round the corners off a little on each corner of the blades to lessen chance of deep gouges on each stroke. When your finished you could always true them up again but why? If you don't have a number six use a scrub plane. Forget about trying to make a scrub plane Veritas sells the sweetest scrub plane you can imagine. I use these a lot. Keep the blades shart so as not work yourself to death. Good Luck Mitch


Why spend money on a scub plane when the mouth of an old jack plane can be enlarged, and the blade radi,d. In fact, if you have a large amount of timber removal to do, consider more accurate marking out and cutting, I never need to use a scub. IMHO a No 6 is pointless but don't hog with a No7


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## Mitch Cholewinski (Mar 11, 2007)

*Scrub planes*

Why spend money on a scrub plane Ken? Buy one to use if your serious about hogging off a bunch of wood in no time flat. Making your own will usually turn out in a dismal failure and you waste your time. Time is money and a Veritas scrub plane will run rings around any scrub plane you make. If you don't have the heavy blade , again your wasting your time. I know you read the #6 is worthless but again you need to be using it in it's appropriate application. First cut with the scrub plane then, smooth out the ridgeswith the #6 skewing your plane then flatten your workpiece with a long #7. I make a living with these planes and I am telling you, your wrong. If I need to flatten out a smaller piece of stock, I can do it faster with these planes than setting up the table saw and cutting. Mitch:thumbdown:


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## Derek Cohen (Aug 14, 2007)

The Veritas scrub plane is indeed a best buy:

http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib/dCohen/z_art/LVScrubPlane/index.asp


Here is another, the Veritas LA Jack (planing Cherry across the grain)....


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