Favorite shooting plane?
Dave Thompson
>What do you use for your favorite shooting plane? #5, #6, #9, T5, 51/52, disk sander?
I've been using a LN#62 [that's a BU jack, Derek ;-) ]. I didn't buy it for this purpose, but I usually go for the low angle on end grain. It feels to me like it has less resistance than a standard angle jack.
Then I thought, why would they make those #9 and T5's, and why aren't they low angle planes? Trying to answer the question for myself (though never used the above planes), I'm guessing a #9 has good registration with it's large side, and the pictures I've seen of a T5 make it look like a pretty hefty plane which I would think the extra mass/momentum would help cutting the end grain. Not sure though if or how much either theory holds water.
Putting a square to some older planes I have, tells me that using just a standard jack for shooting may not have necessarily been in the design, thus justifying buying a specialty shooting plane, back in the day. Else one might be lucky, or maybe I'm just unlucky. My Stanley's and derivatives in this general size are slightly off square, though the two Sargent VBM's I have are dead on.
Sargent 414 (#5) in 1911 list for $2.70. Stanley #9 in 1923 list for $10.10. Stick a hotdog on the side of a Sargent and someone back then might be in business ;-)
Thanks. I'm looking forward to hearing your preferences and theories.
Dave
