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Choosing Your First Hand Plane

April 1, 2015 By Richard Maguire 16 Comments

 

Which Hand Plane Should I Buy First?

That’s a question I get asked a lot.
If you’re getting in to woodworking by hand then I can’t recommend the No 5, or equivalent jack plane length of plane enough. It’s the most versatile plane and can cover all of your needs of a bench plane.

Even when I have a choice, I can go through a full project build using only my Stanley No 5.

Watch the video to learn why, if I could only have one plane, it would have to be this.

 

Related:

A Dedicated Smoothing Plane – If I could have a second plane to go alongside my No 5, then I’d have to go nice and small. A short length ensures that is can excel at the tasks that a smoothing plane is used for.

Stop Struggling With Tear Out – Learn to set your Cap Irons & Smooth Beautifully, Even With A Cheap Hand Plane.

Buying New Without Breaking The Bank – ECE Hand Plane Review. Is Their Jack Plane The Answer?

Plane Build Video Series

Filed Under: Buying Hand Tools, Woodworking Hand Tools

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About Richard Maguire

As a professional hand tool woodworker, Richard found hand tools to be the far more efficient solution for a one man workshop.
Richard runs 'The English Woodworker' as an online resource and video education for those looking for a fuss free approach to building fine furniture by hand.
Learn More About Richard & The English Woodworker.

« Hand Plane Guide – With VIDEO
Blood In The Workshop »

Comments

  1. Ken Haygarth says

    April 1, 2015 at 2:53 pm

    Thanks Richard, great video and great advice.

    Reply
    • Richard says

      April 1, 2015 at 6:28 pm

      Cheers Ken 🙂

      Reply
  2. Ian M. Stewart says

    April 1, 2015 at 4:58 pm

    Thanks for that Richard.

    I truly had not considered your point about the ‘reference surface’ ahead of the mouth. I learned my woodworking at secondary school in the 1960’s, and naturally chose the No.4 I had used there for my first plane. I now use a 4-1/2 for my scrub and a No.6 for jointing/trueing. Still love the No.4 for smoothing and general joinery, although I also have a lovely old heavy infill plane, double iron, with a very tight mouth and true sole, about the size of a Jack. This is my plane for acheiving perfection, but I rarely resort to it as it takes a bit of faffing to get it set right after sharpening. it would handle that hard oak beautifully, I’m sure.

    I don’t have room to add a No.5 on top of all those.

    Reply
    • Richard says

      April 1, 2015 at 6:33 pm

      Thanks Ian, It sounds like you’ve got everything covered there, and a lovely plane collection. My collection is lacking an infill plane, something which I’d like to venture in to one day. I used one for the first time last year (shocking… I’ve been woodworking all my life!) I thought the weight would be a hindrance, but found it quite the opposite.

      Reply
  3. Barry says

    April 1, 2015 at 6:35 pm

    Many thanks Richard. Very helpful advice.

    Reply
  4. Paul Chapman says

    April 1, 2015 at 8:12 pm

    Excellent video, Richard, particularly the piece about a second blade. I think having the blade shaped to suit the work in hand is even more important than the size of the plane – although I agree a #5 is probably best if you only have one.

    Reply
  5. Lenard Burgess says

    April 1, 2015 at 10:06 pm

    Love your videos, thank you for posting them

    Reply
  6. Chris Buckingham says

    April 2, 2015 at 7:11 am

    Excellent video, I think it is you first stumbling steps into woodworking that form your preferences in later life, if your teacher let you use his old infill plane you never quite feel the same about the Stanley you are expected to use yourself, the Stanley works OK on the bland Pine that we tend to use when we start our first projects, but when more “fancy” exotic woods are used it tends to be sadly lacking, it is then that we remember that heavy old infill plane that we used all those years ago, unfortunately the only way to have one for most of us is to make one, which I did, I also like my Record 4 1/2, and that is the one I probably use the most.

    Reply
  7. Patrick Murphy says

    April 2, 2015 at 7:35 am

    Just what the Doctor ordered! I’m a woodworking beginner who’s spent a small fortune on cheap tools over the years for general DIY, car and bike repairs, etc, and being somewhat strapped for cash, I’m now a firm believer in buy once, buy right so this video is very useful.

    Can I ask if you’ll be making videos in the future on sharpening your plane blades and chisels?

    Reply
  8. Ian M. Stewart says

    April 2, 2015 at 8:45 am

    Hi Patrick, glad to hear you are taking up the craft.
    Your best source of quality tools is likely to be pre 1980 ones from an online auction – you know the one – but don’t limit yourself to Stanley. The Record planes are just as good, provided they are not the modern versions, and tend to go for a bit less. Avoid anything later, they are not made in Sheffield, and don’t work as well. No4’s are abundant, the No.5 rarely appears, but can be found.
    Otherwise, if you buy new, then pay as much as you can afford for a known brand.

    Reply
  9. Paul says

    April 2, 2015 at 2:47 pm

    Another excellent and informative video. Richard I find all your information really helpful particularly for a beginner to hand woodworking. Look forward to more videos.

    Reply
  10. Pete Aron says

    April 25, 2015 at 12:59 am

    I’d concur. I’m fortunate to have been given several planes from forefathers, four of them #5’s which is the size that seems to fit my hand best and so has become my favorite. I have one equipped with a straight blade and another with an 8″ radius. I love the texture left on wood with the radius’d blade when planing across the grain, rather than with it, and when you have to remove a lot of material quickly there isn’t much that can beat it.

    Reply
  11. pierre rousseau says

    May 4, 2015 at 9:20 pm

    Hi Richard and Helen, i really like the look of the new site ! I especially like the videos that you make , and watching them, I notice that on your wooden jack plane ( the one that looks like it is new ) . I assume it is from Philly planes …the tote on it is way off center why is that

    Thanks

    Reply
  12. Nadav Rudnik says

    December 5, 2015 at 8:34 pm

    Hi Richard
    What is the verotas plane you at
    Are using in this first plane video?
    Thank you for the awesome videos

    Reply
    • Richard Maguire says

      December 7, 2015 at 9:30 pm

      Thanks Nadav, this is the Veritas bevel-up Jack plane. I bought it with the intension for shooting with the low angle but it’s turned out to be a real gem and I use it more than I ever anticipated.

      Reply
  13. Stacy says

    January 9, 2016 at 8:16 pm

    Thank for the great info!

    I picked up a WWII era #3 and am having a tough time getting it to work well. Bevel down, cap iron back 1 – 2mm. It doesn’t really shave. Anything special about setting these up? The #5 I got at the same time works pretty well.

    Reply

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