Plane advice

Re: Plane advice

Dean J From MN

>#7 is not too long by any means, even a #8 isn't too long, the extra mass of the #8 is nice for use as a try plane. You can always make a long plane "look" shorter to the edge if you skew it...

-Dean

Re: Plane advice

Ernie Miller Topeka

>Get the #7 it's longer and about the same weight. an 8 is quite a bit heaver I'm a wimp. on the other hand #6's are dirt cheap almost cheaper than a #5 some days. You realy should have one of each just to be safe that you will have a sharp plane when you need one.

I'd get a 7...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>I use a 7 as a smoother (i.e. planel plane) all the time. Works great, not too heavy. Nice thing about getting a 7 over a 6 is it's there if you need to joint some panels or stock.

Re: Plane advice

Alan Hamilton

>Mike,

Why would you use a #7 or #8 prior to using a #5? The more usual course is to use a jack after a scrub plane, if a scrub is used, to get the stock to its proper thickness, then a jointer to get it flat, then a #3 or #4 smoother to get rid of the traces left by the jointer.

Anyway, as the others have said, the longer the better for flattening and straightening edges. A #8 is modestly longer than a #7, two inches longer, and it is wider and heavier too. A #8 feels awkward to me; and I don't much like using one.

Alan

Re: Plane advice

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>In some cases, shorter is better for smoothing. Often there are very slight indentations in the surface that a small smoother can follow with no problem; whereas if you use a very long plane, you'll have more work taking every inch down to those indentation levels.

Pam

Re: Plane advice

Steve Wargo

>If you do the bulk of the work with power tools, then I don't see why the #5 shouldn't do most of what you're wanting to do. Unless of course you're simply needing a reason for a new plane, then I'd cast my vote for a #7.

Re: Plane advice

Mike G

>Thanks for the feedback....

Mostly I'd use the plane for longer panels where a #5 may be too short. Since I do most of my milling with a jointer and planer it's not going to be a plane I use all the time. Also the second reason for it is cleaning up edges prior to glue ups. It seems the #7 is the best all round way to go.

Now let's see how I do with the auctions!

Re: Plane advice

David Linnabary

>Once you get a #7, you may be surprised at how often you reach for it to do things you wouldn't normally associate with a jointer plane.

My #7 just escaped a dear friend's antique shop just a few days before they had a fire. You just gotta put a tool like that to good use. :)

David

Re: Plane advice

Alan Hamilton

>Pam,

You're absolutely correct--as always!

A shorter plane is better for smoothing, for the reasons you gave. BUT, (the ubiquitous 'but' ) a longer plane is better for flattening. I'm sorry if that didn't come out right in my post.

Alan

Re: Plane advice

CONGER - The Irish diaspora in Munich

>Yes Pam and Alan... the confusion lies in the subtle difference between the meaning of the words 'flattening' and 'smoothing'.

-g-

Re: Plane advice

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Yep, that's exactly right. Glad we got that straight. :)

Pam

Get a HNT Gordon Try Plane

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

>Mike

I think that the best plane for panel flattening and edge planing in a #6/#7 size is the HNT Gordon Try Plane. I am sure that Steve Knight has something similar that will be the equal of this plane, if you prefer to buy 'Merican. Otherwise this Aussie plane is just amazing! Use it as a smoother if you want. In any timber you care to try. Ask Pam - I know she has one as well.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: Plane advice

CONGER - The Irish diaspora in Munich

>Har!.... that was awful!

;-))

-g-

Re: Get a HNT Gordon Try Plane

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>The HNT is an excellent plane for this job. I also use it for shooting and first smoothing on large pieces.

Pam

Re: Get a HNT Gordon Try Plane

Don Thompson - Cutler Ridge, Florida

>I have never even gotten close to an HNT. What design features, etc., do you think contribute to its superior performance?

Re: Plane advice

Charles

>A 7 is the first plane to buy. You can do anything with it - joint, smooth, flatten, etc.

Mini Review of the HNT Gordon Try Plane *LINK*

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

>"I have never even gotten close to an HNT. What design features, etc., do you think contribute to its superior performance?"

Hi Don

Firstly, all HNT Gordon planes are superbly made, and constructed out of stable, hard wearing timber. I have never heard of a dud.

I suppose their ability comes from a combination of factors. The mouth is very small and can be set to take very fine shavings. It has a 1/4" thick blade (2" wide) that is set for a 60 degree cutting angle. This means minimum tearout on the gnarliest of timbers, and it makes short work of anything else.

The plane just has a nice balance in terms of length (18"/460mm), which is the same as a Stanley #6, and weight (4lbs/1.8 kg), which is almost half that of the #6. It glides on its wooden sole, rather than relies on weight for momentum. As a result, it cuts like a big plane but feels like a smaller one.

The Try Plane is capable of performing as well as the best smoothers available. The blade is also reversable and you can use it as a scraper plane (at which it excells, I might add). Like Pam, I use it on my shooting board. It has an advantage here over almost all planes in that it comes with a side tote.

Let me end this mini-review by saying that I have four favourite planes, and that I find it impossible to reduce them below this number. These are the HNT Gordon Try Plane and HNT Gordon Smoother, and the LV LA Jack and LV LA Smoother (both the latter two with HA blade options). These planes all do such a superb job. I really like the LV planes, and I could do all my work with these two if I needed to. But the HNT Gordon planes have an emotion that must be experienced to be understood.

Regards from Perth

Derek


HNT Gordon Try Plane

Re: Mini Review of the HNT Gordon Try Plane

Don Thompson - Cutler Ridge, Florida

>Thank you for your comments and the link, Alan. I bet that the �" blade helps matters, too.

When you use it, how do you grip it?

Re: Mini Review of the HNT Gordon Try Plane

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

>Don

I mostly use the Try Plane without the handlebars (I'm not sure what to call them). When the mood takes me I use them, hooking my thumb and little finger underneath, palm on body. This is very comfortable.

I use the handlebar when in shooting board mode. See the picture below.

Regards from Perth

Derek