{"id":8125,"date":"2025-09-24T15:36:26","date_gmt":"2025-09-24T19:36:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rpwoodwork.com\/blog\/?p=8125"},"modified":"2025-09-24T15:42:36","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T19:42:36","slug":"five-little-planes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rpwoodwork.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/24\/five-little-planes\/","title":{"rendered":"Five little planes"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

We turn to little planes when the regular big ones, such as the #4 smoothing, #5 jack, and #7 jointer will not do the job or are awkward. These five little planes are worth having in my shop.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Left to right in the photo above:<\/em><\/p>\n

1. Veritas Bevel-up #1<\/strong>. The blade bed is at 15\u00b0. The mouth is adjustable. I sharpen the PM-V11 steel blade at 27.5\u00b0\/32.5\u00b0. The plane is 5 13\/16\u201d long, 1 25\/32\u201d wide. The blade is 1 7\/32\u201d wide, 1\/10\u201d thick.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Lie-Nielsen #60 1\/2 block plane<\/strong>, 12\u00b0 blade bed, adjustable mouth. I sharpen the W1 blade (an early model) at 27.5\u00b0\/32.5\u00b0. Plane 6 1\/4\u201d long, 1 3\/4\u201d wide. Blade 1 3\/8\u201d wide, 1\/8\u201d thick. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Lie-Nielsen #60 1\/2 rabbet block plane<\/strong>, 12\u00b0 blade bed. I sharpen the A2 blade at 27.5\u00b0\/32.5\u00b0. Plane 6 1\/2\u201d long, 1 3\/4\u201d wide. Blade 1 3\/4\u201d wide, 1\/8\u201d thick.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Veritas Cabinetmaker\u2019s Trimming plane<\/strong>, 15\u00b0 blade bed. I sharpen the O1 blade at 25\u00b0\/30\u00b0. Plane 6 1\/2\u201d long, 1 3\/4\u201d wide. Blade 1 3\/4\u201d+ wide, 1\/8\u201d thick.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Jorgensen mini block plane<\/strong> #70700, 20\u00b0 blade bed. I sharpen O1 blade at 25\u00b0\/30\u00b0. Plane 3 1\/2\u201d long, 1 1\/4\u201d wide. Blade 7\/8\u201d wide, 1\/8\u201d thick. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The #1 plane<\/strong> functions just like the larger planes but it is handily smaller. For example, it handles very well for smoothing a narrow part of a cabinet frame, even a long one. The handles allow you to hold it and move it just as well as a #4 smoother. I think it is nearly a must. I keep it just as well sharpened as the #4.<\/p>\n

The regular block plane<\/strong> works well with one hand pushing in any direction and angle. I use it for practical fitting, trimming, and sizing parts. I think just about everyone has a regular block plane.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The rabbet block plane<\/strong> is the same idea but you can cut to the side edges. So it can fit in length or side joints where it can often out do a chisel. Not essential, but very handy.<\/p>\n

The trimming plane<\/strong> can save the day where it is too hard to consistently and accurately use a chisel. For example, where you need to clean up the width and <\/i>length of a joined corner section. I do not pick it up too often but it saves the day when I need it!<\/p>\n

Sure, for #3 and #4, you can often substitute<\/strong> a shoulder plane, edge plane, or others, but these block plane variants have advantages in holding and pushing. There are alternatives, but these have important roles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The mini<\/i> block plane<\/strong>: yes, have it and you will quickly<\/i> use it for all sorts of little tasks. It is incredibly well made – flat, excellent steel blade, easy to adjust well – for $18! You might even keep it in a pocket.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ok, if you want only two<\/strong>: bevel-up #1 and mini plane. Three?<\/strong> Ok, add the regular block plane. All five?!<\/strong> Ok, skip an expensive restaurant group outing or two. Hey, you’re a woodworker!<\/strong> These are like fingers in the hands and connections in the brain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We turn to little planes when the regular big ones, such as the #4 smoothing, #5 jack, and #7 jointer will not do the job or are awkward. These five little planes are worth having in my shop.\u00a0 Left to right in the photo above: 1. Veritas Bevel-up #1. The blade bed is at 15\u00b0. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tools-and-shop"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rpwoodwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8125","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rpwoodwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rpwoodwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rpwoodwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rpwoodwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8125"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/www.rpwoodwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8125\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8146,"href":"https:\/\/www.rpwoodwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8125\/revisions\/8146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rpwoodwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8125"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rpwoodwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8125"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rpwoodwork.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8125"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}