Every Stanley Bench Plane Explained (Once and for all!)

Understand the whole line of Stanley bench planes; all ELEVEN of them.

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[gdasailor]

Well Rex,
As a young man in the boat shop I spent hundreds of hours with a plane in my hands. Here are a few thoughts:
The #3 was very popular with boat builders because it is very light, you can use it all day without fatigue, and it will follow a sawn winding curve (rolling bevel on the edge of a shaped plank) without altering it's shape, just smooth out the saw marks down to the line. The #4 or 4 1/2 will not do that.
Or, if you open the throat and fit a more cambered blade you have a scrub plane for planing wet rough wood, maybe hot straight from the steam box - another shipwright problem solved.
The #4 1/2 was most popular with the joiners for smoothing hardwood, especially the #4 1/2 C - yes the weight is important for shooting through knots as well..
The #5 1/4 was popular with shipwrights because it is lighter and easier to carry around the shipyard or marina - tool boxes get very heavy very quickly!
My carry around plane was a wooden jack with a "technical" handle - reduced thickness of the plane body behind the blade box to put the grip lower to the wood, which makes and the plane lighter and is more ergonomic - shipwrights do a lot of planing!
I disagree with your characterisation of the #6. It is called a fore plane because it would be used before a jointer, never a smaller plane. I would finish a panel or door flat and shiny with my grand father's #6, and never go back to the #4 or 4 1/2.
And yes, Stanley called the #7 a "trying" plane - to "try" out an edge before using the full sized #8 "door" jointer.
In a modern shop, there really is no need for anything longer than the #6 or 5 1 /2 if you have one, however in nearly 50 years I have never met a tradesman who used a 5 1/2.
Corrugated soles are useful for waxy or wet wood because they break the suction. I have often heard it said that they reduce friction, which is not technically true - friction is dependant on the contact force and nature of the 2 surfaces, but independent of the area in contact (grade 11 physics). However, C soles are not a good choice for narrow stock, such as the edge of 1/4 ply or plastic laminate, because the grooves can catch on the stock and pull the plane off line or damage the work.
Cheers!
GDA

[clatechilders]

How I chose which planes to buy? Whichever one I stumbled across at a yard sale or auction😄

[starskiify]

I worked as a patternmaker at a UK foundry in the 70s they cast 100s of Stanley planes every week, I always wondered where they all went.
Ps if you take your planes apart and they are stamped with a CF or Q these were cast at Crane foundry or Quacast.

[thysbasson]

It's my birthday, and I wants it...😂 When I started out with woodworking I didn't realise the versatility and usefulness of hand tools, I just wanted to use the machines for everything. And while I still love machinery, I've fallen in love with hand planes and chisels etc. I never realised how much time and money a properly setup hand plane could save you. My power tools will also last longer now since I don't "abuse" them so much like I used to...for example by expecting a sander to make a board flat, and sanding and sanding and just never getting there 😢😂

[zacdredge]

14:45 Stella job Little Miss Krueger. Thanks for lending your dad and drawing skills. Oh and I guess you did fine Rex; made this whole plane business as easy as 4, 5, 6. Hahaha!

[StripeyType]

Hooray, Stella! Thank you for sharing that wonderful drawing!

And thank you Rex, too. ;)

[steamrll]

Great video Rex, this can be a very intimidating subject for the beginner. A few years ago someone I knew was THROWING OUT a rusty old #6. I picked it up and knew right away that the old girl had life left in her, did some research and dated it at almost 100 years old! I watched the Paul Sellers video on restoring the bench plane and decided it would be a fun project and the first time I took a shaving with it I was hooked. That tool is as good today as the day it was made. Since then I have found (for free because they were roached) another #6, a #7 and a #4 and restored them all to working order. I also recently bought a Taytools #5 1/2 which is actually the first one I reach for most of the time and if I am just knocking something out it might be the only one I use.
Keep up the great content and thanks for commenting on my turning saw in Instagram!

[henryskinner]

Rex, I learn something from you every time I watch your videos. Keep figuring it out. You are the man. And yes I am a newbie woodworker. My wife said I needed something to do after 45 safe years cross country driving. Thank you and God Bless. Be careful, stay safe.

[corncobjohnsonreal]

This is such a good topic to cover that I can't believe I haven't seen anyone do it before. It's kinda genius

[mikeriv]

I started woodworking last year and only had a no. 5 and it really was all I needed to get started and do lots of quality work

[LaurieSavage]

Recently I bought a new No 4 Stanley Bench Plane. The sides aren't square to the bottom so I can't use it on a shooting board. I didn't even know that was a thing when I bought it, so beware, take a tri-square with you when you buy a plane. Apart from that it worked very well once I found out I had to sharpen it. Thanks for the videos Rex. I'm finally taking the plunge with hand tools.

[gflyr]

Glad I watched all the way to the end... otherwise I would have missed Stella's drawing. When my daughter was little nothing would keep her interested and quiet longer than a box of markers or crayons and some paper. She's 18 now and she still loves to draw in her spare time. Some of her work hangs in my workshop.

[knaptonmawson]

Hi, I am an English Joiner, Apprentaship 1980, almoast the last of the true apprentiship era in England. I enjoy watching as you are pretty much on the mark with your advice in many videos. I now live in Germany and they have know idea about metal planes, I have introdused my colleges to the planes and Inches but it won´t catch on any time soon.

[lilly]

Just picked up my first Stanley plane at an estate sale for $10. I'm hooked!!

[mikescheve]

This explains things perfectly. Best explanation of hand planes on YouTube. Nicely done.

[maplobats]

I'll bet I'm not the only one who doesn't want to be saved from ending up with a bunch of planes we don't need... For some of us, that is the goal.
And Stella's picture was brilliant!

[jriggan]

In process on restoring a fully adjustable #4 that was in my grandpa’s toolbox, using your videos as a guide.
Thanks Rex!

[trudi]

Hi Rex,
I just bought a type 19, no. 4 at our local market (Adelaide, Australia). Just like a kid with a new toy I rushed home, looked up the vintage, then came to you for advice. I'm thrilled to find that I wasn't ripped off. Looking forward to painstakingly restoring it. Also have fond memories of my preschool age son doing exactly the same as your Stella. Ahh sigh... (he's nearly 30 now) .

[ncpigpen]

Great Video as always. The only thing that I would add to this kit is a block plane of some kind. I love my 60 1/2!

[charitiekbyrd]

Awesome info and yes, you've convinced me to try hand planes. I am going to take your suggestions and I will let you know how it's working out for me in a few months after I get a few of them. You are an amazing person and I have learned a lot from watching your content so thank you. Of course there is always more to learn and I will keep watching your content too. Stay safe and Happy Building 💯😁