Low angle, 5 or 5 ½ jack plane for a beginner?

[Silly_Billy]

Thanks again everyone. I'm a bit less confused now! Winding sticks look like the next step. Depending on that, a second hand 5 ½ doesn't look like it will break the bank.

Hi SB
For a beginner to hand planes, the easiest planes to get excellent (not just good) results with are the BU planes. Two stand out: the Veritas LA Jack, and the Veritas BU Smoother. With these two planes plus a couple of extra blades, you will be King (or Queen, if that is your way).

I'd love Derek's Veritas BU solution. But two Veritas planes would break the bank! One Quangsheng BU plane might be a possible request for Santa, but only if that's useful.

 

[David C]

No contest, 5 1/2 is a great plane.
Ignore Paul Sellers advice to go for a flimsy no 4!!

David Charlesworth

 

[Jacob]

Yep 5 1/2 perfection!

Winding sticks have to be straight obviously but also parallel top and bottom and both exactly same height. In other words identical. Otherwise you could get some misleading results depending on how you set them out,
e.g. on a flat surface - if different heights but not parallel to each other, the top edges won't be in the same plane.

 

[Racers]

Jacob

Why the same height? parallel yes.

Can't see the problem, your bench could be on a slope or your board could be thicker at one end, it will make no difference.

I have one beech one walnut with centre marks.

If you put them together plane them flat then turn one around to see if there is any difference in height, plane it off and repeat.

Pete

 

[Jacob]

Jacob

Why the same height? parallel yes.

Same height from the workpiece e.g. two 25mm laths, not one at 25 and another at 20, as suggested somewhere earlier.

 

[Racers]

Why?

Pete

 

[patrickjchase]

Why?

Pete

Because if the sticks are different heights and you don't line up exactly parallel then you'll get a "false positive" reading for twist. That doesn't happen (in theory) if they're the same height.

 

[John15]

I find a 5 1/2 a tad heavy for general use and so prefer a No.5. I do use the 5 1/2 for shooting.

John

 

[Steve Maskery]

Thanks for the advice about YouTube and winding sticks. I don't have any, but perhaps I can just use a couple of rulers.

You might find this useful:
post1013804.html#p1013804

 

[mr edd]

Also forgot to add if you camber your blade having a couple of sets of irons is useful.

I have my 5. 1/2 with one blade cambered for perfecting machine planed wood, a blade with much more camber for wood that i have have prepared with a jack plane and one straight blade for match planing and a cap iron to go with each blade.

They all fit in my No 7 as well for when i'm working on much longer bits.

Cheers

Edd

 

[Racers]

I still don’t understand why the sticks need to be the same height.
You crouch down and check the top edges line up it doesn’t matter if one is higher you just adjust your position.

Pete

 

[AndyT]

I think you are right, Pete.
But as there's no advantage in having them different heights, most people would make them match.

 

[Jacob]

I still don’t understand why the sticks need to be the same height.
You crouch down and check the top edges line up it doesn’t matter if one is higher you just adjust your position.

Pete

Try it. Two winding sticks different sizes:
If they are on a flat surface and parallel, they will align. If you turn one out of parallel they won't.

 

[Racers]

I have said they are parallel just different heights, you said they had to be the same height.

Pete

 

[Jacob]

I have said they are parallel just different heights, you said they had to be the same height.

Pete

Er, what? :roll:

 

[Racers]

Yep 5 1/2 perfection!

Winding sticks have to be straight obviously but also parallel top and bottom and both exactly same height. In other words identical. Otherwise you could get some misleading results depending on how you set them out,
e.g. on a flat surface - if different heights but not parallel to each other, the top edges won't be in the same plane.

Forgotten already?

Pete

 

[Jacob]

Yep 5 1/2 perfection!

Winding sticks have to be straight obviously but also parallel top and bottom and both exactly same height. In other words identical. Otherwise you could get some misleading results depending on how you set them out,
e.g. on a flat surface - if different heights but not parallel to each other, the top edges won't be in the same plane.

Forgotten already?

Pete

Keep working on it Pete I'm sure you will get it eventually. :lol:
Winding sticks have to be the same height when sitting on the workpiece, e.g. two 25 mm laths is good, one at 25 and another at 20 is bad.

 

[Racers]

Why?

Pete

 

[AndyT]

Now then Pete, you seem to be applying logical thought when there's no reason to. Everybody knows that a pair of winding sticks have to be the same size, else they wouldn't be a pair, would they?
And it's in all the books - you don't want to go questioning the experts, that could lead to all sorts of trouble! :wink:

 

[Jacob]

Why?

Pete

Because they won't work if they aren't the same size (unless they also happen to be precisely parallel).
Try it.