I'm in the market for a hand plane to help smooth out some panels and tabletops. I'm leaning towards getting a No. 7, but I've heard quite a bit of advice pointing me towards a No. 6 instead, with claims that it's more versatile. What do you all think? Any experiences or insights to share?
1 Answer
If you already have some planes like a No. 5, that might be a great start! Personally, I use my No. 5 for jointing boards that are around 4 to 5 feet long, and it works well enough even for longer ones with a bit of patience. If you're just starting out, you might consider a No. 5 for more versatility than specializing right away.
Regarding smoothing that end tabletop of yours, the No. 5 should be more than sufficient if you're working on a 15"x22" surface, so you might not need to go for the No. 6 or 7 after all.
I've got both a No. 5 and a No. 9 1/2 as well! The No. 5 is great for a variety of uses, so it sounds like you're on the right track. For a tabletop around those dimensions, you should be fine with what you have!