I'm looking to get into woodworking and I want to know which wood planes are essential to have. Any recommendations for beginners on types of planes to get?
2 Answers
Think about the type of woodworking you enjoy and whether you prefer metal or wooden planes. But honestly, with just three bench planes—a jack or scrub for fast material removal, a jointer for flattening, and a smoother for finishing—you can tackle most projects with ease!
You definitely want a few key planes to get started. First up, don’t forget a sharpening setup! A dull blade won't help you at all. Then, consider getting a No. 5 or 5 1/2 jack plane—it's versatile enough to serve as both a jointer and smoother. Lastly, a block plane is super handy; I reach for mine all the time. Once you get a feel for what you’re building, you can always add more specialized planes based on your projects.