Buying hand planes

[LarryG]

But as and when that happens, if I could buy just one more plane - should I go for the #4, or for the LA jack?

I can't tell if you're directing that question specifically to Tom, but I would say definitely the LA #5. It's longer than a smoother (#4 or #4-1/2) but will handle that job adequately. It's shorter than a jointer (#7) but, again, will suffice for that job in a pinch.

On the "Which first?" variant, I think I'd give the same answer, especially if it will be a while before you got a #4 and whatever else. I don't know for certain why the #5 size is called a "jack plane" but I suspect it may have something to do with "jack of all trades."

Chris Schwarz, of both Popular Woodworking and Woodworking Magazines, writes as sensibly about hand planes and their usage as anyone I know. (He helped me decide on the left-handed edge plane, vs. the RH version.) He wrote a concise but extremely informative analysis entitled Understanding Bench Planes. It's well worth reading, especially for those standing at the brink of this particularly slippery slope....

[Tom Miller]

Dagnabbit, Miller, you just had to go and mention this plane again, didn't you?

Heh heh, my work here is done.


Regards,
Tom
p.s. If you look really close at the picture of the LA Jack in the catalog, you can almost make out the name "Larry" on the rear tote. Well, maybe you have to see it in person.

[Tom Miller]

Ok, to make it easier, which should be first?

Oh yeah, and I concur with Larry about getting the #5 first, since it can do a reasonable job of smoothing, while doing all the other stuff, too. (Yep, "Jack of all trades".) And, you can get blades with higher bevel angles for troublesome grain. Can't do that easily with a #4.

One other point, then I'll shut up: I use my LA Jack with a shooting board a lot, to clean up or trim cross cuts, and to trim miters. The low angle makes it really good on end grain, and the heft carries it through the cut quite well.

Regards,
Tom

[krogers]

Which blade?

For those of you buying Veritas planes, which blade A2 or O1 are you selecting? Why one versus the other?

[drumpriest]

I'm in the very situation that Tom was talking about. I have a Stanley block and #4 smoother. The block plane was in pretty good shape out of the box, just needed a little lapping, and it cuts great, after I spend 5 minutes swearing at the thing trying to get the iron in exactly the right position. The clamp tends to move the iron on the frog, and the little nib that is supposed to hold the iron in alignment, well...doesnt. It's a royal pain in the rear to setup!

I've all but given up on the smoother, taking FOREVER to lap it, and it's going to have the same setup problems as the block plane. I was thinking of getting a low angle smoother, but if you all think the Jack will be more versatile, maybe I should lean that way. Eventually I'll pick up a nicer low angle block plane as well. Honestly I hardly ever "need" a smoother or jointer plane, given the power tools I have, but it'd be a nice addition, and I can't live without my block plane.

[Tom Miller]

For those of you buying Veritas planes, which blade A2 or O1 are you selecting? Why one versus the other?

I chose A2, and though I can't compare side-by-side, I've been very happy. One critical element is that Veritas blades now come lapped from the factory. If not, I'd hate to imagine the work involved flattening such hard steel. But, since I only have to provide the slightest micro bevel, the blades are ready to go in short order. (My microbevel only adds a few degrees, so I don't lose much "low angle".) And the edge really lasts a long time, even when whacking end grain on the shooting board.

Supposedly you can get a sharper edge on the softer O1, but I'm extremely pleased with the edges I get on A2.

Regards,
Tom