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Thread: A Daily Seven?

  1. #1
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    Question A Daily Seven?

    Go out to the shop, pick out the seven most used planes, line them up on your bench, and take a picture or two.

    Mainly the daily users, the ones you use every time in the shop.....then post a little bit about them. Just seven planes, everyday users.

    Something like this...
    IMG_2576 (640x480).jpg
    There is a No. 0-7 for the jointer stuff..
    There is a #5 for the jack plane stuff
    There is a junior jack plane, for the smaller jobs
    There is a #4 smooth plane for...well, smoothing things out
    There is a Combo plane, for when things need to get "groovy", or wear some "beads"
    There is a 60-1/2 Low angle block for block plane chores...

    There are others...but these are my users. others will fill in as needed, but these are the "core group" in this shop...

    How about yours?

  2. #2
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    "Come now, don't be shy....step into the light.." as Smoag the Terrible would say....

    Just clear a space, and set out the 7 planes you use the most......Doesn't matter who made what.....all that matters is that they are your users, the ones you reach for on each job. Simple as that. Maybe a blurb about each, as to what they are....?

    Note: There was even a scene in the Hobbit, showing a fellow using his plane......another was looking at buying a saw......

  3. #3
    I don't have seven planes, and those I have aren't used every day, or even every month.

  4. #4
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    I have a something similar to a Stanley #3, then two Stanley #5s (one a Great Neck), and an LV BUS. One of the #5's is configured as a sort of scrub plane with a fairly aggressive camber. I could count more than 7 but most of them just gather dust including a knockoff number 8, a couple more #5's including a transitional, and a handful of block planes.

  5. #5
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    Pictures? Or, did not happen.....

  6. #6
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    IMG_20171206_182043.jpg

    From left to right:

    -Old Sargent transitional, used as a jack plane.
    -English try plane. For flattening faces of boards.
    -Type 6 #8. Used as an edge jointer, and sometimes as a giant smoother.
    -LN #4. Main smoothing plane.
    -LN 60-1\2 block plane. Mostly for shooting ends of small parts.
    -Veritas medium shoulder plane. Not really a "daily" plane, but indenspensible when it is called for.
    -Tsunesaburo chamfer plane. This plane touches nearly every part I make...terrific tool.

  7. #7
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    Here is my seven Steven or eight depending on how you count the toothing iron.
    Jim
    Attached Images Attached Images

  8. #8
    Mr Koepke has described me to a T.
    I have perhaps 30 old planes. Instead of attempting to make them do a particular job, I've learned to use them as they are.
    Any one of them will take a nice shaving , but certain ones seem to take to the rougher work better than others.
    I am attempting to make useful objects from wood, not marvel at shavings and sharpenings. So, I guess that I am really not able to say how many or what plane I may use on a given day. I try to use them all. I do enjoy my woodworking very much and easily spend 30 hours a week at it.

  9. #9
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    Last headcount I took in my shop....36 planes....I think

    If I need to joint an edge....5-1/2.....6....7....8? sometimes a 5-1/4 will do.....

    Jack planes......have five of them, last count.....depends on how close one is to my hand...
    #4 planes? have 6 of them......again, which ever is close at hand....
    #3 planes? I even use those.....
    Block planes? have 11 to choose from....plus a few specialty planes......maybe I should count that Stanley #45 as "seven" planes?

    I try to size the planes used to the size of the work being done. Just that some planes will get used more often than the others...

    Meant to be a fun post....maybe a way to show some of the "newbies" what the old timers here use. As they always want to know what planes they need to get...

    Of course, there are some who would rather not share, "Don't have the spare time for such frivolities" Fine....this fun post is not for them...
    Last edited by steven c newman; 12-07-2017 at 7:58 PM.

  10. #10
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    Two years ago I had 45 planes including the ones shown above. I went on a plane diet and now I'm down to 20.They all went to a good home, SIL. I still have in addition to the ones shown 2 number 4, 2# 5, 1#6, 1 #45, 1 #78, 4 more block planes, an LN medium shoulder plane, an LN large router, an LN small router, an LV Jack rabbet, and an LV jointer. They all get used but I'm partial to the LV planes because of the lower pushing angle and a bad back. My favorite of all to use is the #6 as a long Jack for larger work. The post is fun Steven.
    Jim

  11. #11
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    My counting of planes stopped a few years ago after about 60. They still seem to multiply.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  12. #12
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    Steven, if I counted correctly, you only posted 6 planes .. where is the 7th?

    Tool choice changes according to need. Bench planes come out when dimensioning. A smoother is a smoother, and a jointer is a jointer. I have a few of each. Sometimes the sharpest blade wins. Then it is time for joinery planes. I did not see any joinery planes among your pile. Do you nail the parts together? Shoulder planes are great for tidying up rebates and mouldings. Router planes tune tenon cheeks and shape hinge mortices. Block planes bevel. Shooting planes fit drawer fronts.

    I've never counted the planes I own. I just know what I have and where they are when needed.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

  13. #13
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    Odd the way this thread has gone.

    I think seven is a reasonable number for "daily" use, it allows for the usual set of 3-4 bench planes plus a few extras like joinery planes. I have other planes as well, including some that I really like, some that are really expensive, and some that are redundant. But the seven I showed are definitely used more and all of them will likely be used on any given project, which is not true of my side rabbet plane, for example.

    At any rate it's not deadly serious, no need to agonize . If you absolutely can't narrow it down to 7 then I'm sure nobody will be too offended if you include an 8th plane

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Kreinhop View Post
    I don't have seven planes, and those I have aren't used every day, or even every month.
    Same here!
    Thoughts entering one's mind need not exit one's mouth!
    As I age my memory fades .... and that's a load off my mind!

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  15. #15
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    Might look a bit closer....that Stanley #45 is my "joinery" plane.....

    I do have a large, wood bodied shoulder plane...by Auburn Tool Co. 1.25" width, skewed iron.

    maybe look a wee bit closer at a few of my build-alongs, you might discover a few things.....besides the LACK of nails being used.

    Shooting plane? I use whatever is handy,,,,sometimes, I might even set up the shooting jig (tends to get in the way on the bench...)Usually just a #60-1/2 Stanley.

    6 planes...7 planes....70 planes...does not really matter, as long as they are the ones you actually use.

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