A hand plane rack confuses new woodworkers more than almost any other category of tool, because the names (No. 4, No. 5, jack, smoothing, jointer, block, rabbet, shoulder, router plane, scrub) overlap in marketing copy, and most catalogs list 20 plus models when 3 will cover 90 percent of work. The numbering system dates to Leonard Bailey’s 1860s patents, was standardized by Stanley in the late 19th century, and is still used by Lie-Nielsen, Veritas, WoodRiver, and Clifton today. Once the numbers make sense, the rack stops being intimidating.
The Stanley Bailey numbering system
Bench planes from No. 1 through No. 8 increase in length as the number rises. Length is the single most important spec because it determines how the plane bridges low spots on a board.
- No. 1: 5.5 inch sole, 1.25 inch iron. A novelty for small joinery. Skip.
- No. 2: 7 inch sole, 1.625 inch iron. Useful for small parts only. Skip.
- No. 3: 8 inch sole, 1.75 inch iron. A small smoother. Useful if you build boxes and small furniture.
- No. 4: 9 inch sole, 2 inch iron. The classic smoothing plane and the most-bought bench plane in history.
- No. 4-1/2: 10 inch sole, 2.375 inch iron. A wider, heavier smoother. Preferred by furniture makers for wide panels.
- No. 5: 14 inch sole, 2 inch iron. The jack plane. The most versatile single plane ever made.
- No. 5-1/2: 15 inch sole, 2.375 inch iron. A wider jack. Excellent for shooting boards.
- No. 6: 18 inch sole, 2.375 inch iron. The fore plane. Bridges between jack and jointer.
- No. 7: 22 inch sole, 2.375 inch iron. The jointer. Flattens long edges and faces.
- No. 8: 24 inch sole, 2.625 inch iron. A heavier jointer. Mostly for workbench tops.
For a working bench, three planes cover most needs: a No. 4 smoother, a No. 5 jack, and a No. 7 jointer.
Block planes
A block plane is a small one-handed plane with the iron mounted bevel-up at a low bed angle, typically 12 degrees on a low-angle and 20 degrees on a standard. The low effective cutting angle (12 plus 25 degree bevel = 37 degrees) slices end grain cleanly where a bench plane would tear it out.
Two versions matter:
- Low-angle block plane (Stanley 60-1/2 pattern): 12 degree bed. End grain, chamfers, fitting work.
- Standard angle block plane (Stanley 9-1/2 pattern): 20 degree bed. General edge work and shooting smaller parts.
If you buy one block plane, buy the low-angle. The adjustable mouth on premium models (Lie-Nielsen, Veritas) closes down to a few thousandths for very fine shavings, which the budget block planes cannot match.
Specialty bench planes
A few bench-plane variants solve specific problems:
- Scrub plane (No. 40 or German Schrupphobel): heavily cambered iron, open mouth, used to hog material off rough boards before the jack. Worth owning only if you process rough lumber by hand.
- Low-angle jack (Veritas LA Jack, Lie-Nielsen 62): 12 degree bed with interchangeable irons at different bevel angles. The single most versatile plane sold today. One body, multiple iron grinds, can do smoothing, jointing, end-grain shooting, and tearout-prone tropical hardwoods.
- Low-angle jointer (Veritas LAJ, Lie-Nielsen 7): same low-angle approach in a longer body. Heavy and expensive but exceptional for difficult grain.
For a beginner who wants one premium plane, the low-angle jack with two extra irons (one at 25 degree bevel for end grain, one at 50 degree bevel for tearout) replaces several bench planes.
Joinery planes
Joinery planes cut to the corner of a workpiece, unlike bench planes whose blade sits inboard from both edges.
- Rabbet plane: cuts rabbets along the edge or end of a board. A Stanley No. 78 or Veritas skew rabbet handles this well.
- Shoulder plane: trims the cheek or shoulder of a tenon to perfect fit. The Lie-Nielsen medium shoulder and Veritas medium shoulder are the references. Essential for hand-cut joinery.
- Plough plane (plow): cuts grooves along the grain. The Veritas combination plow and the vintage Stanley 45 / 55 handle this work. Less essential now that most shops own a router table.
- Router plane: levels the bottom of a recess (hinge mortise, dado floor, inlay pocket). The Lie-Nielsen and Veritas medium router planes are nearly identical and both excellent. Buy one if you cut dadoes or set inlays by hand.
Specialty and trim planes
- Scraper plane (No. 80 or No. 112): a card scraper mounted in a body. Cleans up tearout on figured wood after the smoother.
- Compass plane: a flexible-sole plane for curved edges. Niche.
- Spokeshave: a small two-handed plane for curved work, chair making, and shaping. Worth owning if you build chairs.
- Bullnose plane: a tiny rabbet plane with the iron mounted near the front of the sole, for trimming into stopped corners. Mostly replaced by a shoulder plane with the toe removed.
What to buy and in what order
For a furniture-making bench, this order gets most people working in under 400 dollars:
- Low-angle block plane (60 to 175 dollars)
- No. 4 smoother or No. 5 jack (vintage 70 to 120, new 230 to 350)
- Medium shoulder plane if cutting hand joinery (165 to 250)
- No. 7 jointer once boards exceed 30 inches (vintage 90 to 160, new 350 to 450)
- Router plane for hinge mortises and dadoes (140 to 245)
Skip the scrub plane, fore plane, No. 8, bullnose, and combination plough unless a specific project calls for them. Most modern shops use a thickness planer and table saw for the work those planes used to do, and the budget is better spent on a well-tuned smoother and a shoulder plane.
Tuning matters more than brand
A 70 dollar vintage Stanley with a flattened sole, lapped frog, and sharp iron will out-cut a 350 dollar new plane that arrived with a slightly cupped sole and a factory edge. Sharpening (see our methodology page) and flattening the back of the iron are the two highest-leverage tuning steps. Lapping the sole on float glass with sandpaper takes 30 to 60 minutes and only needs doing once.
A plane that pulls a continuous full-width shaving from a board is one of the most satisfying tools to use in any shop. Build the rack slowly, learn each plane’s job, and the kit will outlast the user.
Frequently asked questions
Which hand plane should I buy first?+
A low-angle block plane. It handles end grain, chamfers, edge work, and small surfacing tasks, and it costs 40 to 90 dollars for a usable model. Most people use a block plane more than any other plane in the first year of woodworking, even after buying bench planes.
Do I need a jointer plane if I own a jack plane?+
Not for boards under about 30 inches long. A 14 inch jack plane (No. 5) flattens shorter stock fine. A 22 inch jointer (No. 7) only earns its keep when you are flattening long edges for glue-ups or truing the face of long workbench tops. For a small home shop with a thickness planer, the jointer is the last plane to add, not the first.
Vintage Stanley or new Lie-Nielsen for a first bench plane?+
A tuned vintage Stanley Bailey from the 1920s through 1950s outperforms most new budget planes and costs 60 to 120 dollars used. The blade may need flattening and sharpening, and the sole may need lapping, but the castings are excellent. A new Lie-Nielsen or Veritas costs 250 to 400 dollars and arrives ready to use. Both end up cutting the same shavings once tuned. Pick based on patience for setup.
What is the difference between a smoothing plane and a jack plane?+
The smoothing plane (No. 4, 9 to 10 inches long) is short and tuned for very fine final-pass shavings on prepared stock. The jack plane (No. 5, 14 inches long) is a general-purpose plane used for stock removal, jointing short edges, and rough flattening. The jack is more useful first because it can do smoothing work with a sharp iron, while a smoother cannot remove stock fast enough to flatten rough lumber.
Are wooden-body planes worth using or just collector items?+
Wooden-body planes (transitional Stanleys, Japanese kanna, European hornbeam coffin smoothers) cut beautifully when set correctly. The Japanese kanna in particular pulls extremely thin shavings and is preferred by some furniture makers for final surfacing. The learning curve is steeper because the body wears and needs occasional truing. For most users, a cast-iron Bailey is easier to learn on.
