I recently made a jointers work bench at a week long class.

Prior to the class I cleaned and upgraded my best two old Stanley's, a #4.5 and #8C with Hock blades and I purchased a LN 102 and a new style LV block plane. I also happen to have a nice Millers Falls #14 (#5) that I took along.

Most of the people in the class had LN #4s or #5s -- some had LV planes in similar sizes. Also available were all the LV bevel up planes.

The bench was made out of hard maple and as I worked through the building process I realized that for the most part I was using the smaller planes. We had jointed and surfaced all of the wood and the hand work was smoothing glue joints, fitting M&T joints and fitting the areas around the two vices.

So I got to thinking about what planes I would actually be using going forward.

I used a LN #4 a few times but found that I actually liked the heft of the #4.5 going through the maple when I wanted this size plane. Other times when the 4.5 felt a little large -- the #4 still too big.

I understand the historical use of the Stanley range of planes and how many can and do have more than one use. But why not more talk of the #3? It looks like it would be the perfect fit for those using a combination of machine and hand.

Also -- The #5 is often recommended as the first plane to get but then not used if other sizes are available?? I never touched mine.

For those with a #3 and a #4 -- what one do you pick up?