I realize that this is an ancient video now, but it’s the best place to say thanks for this and your other videos talking about the 5 1/2. After a long period of ignoring them, I got out my planes a while back and got them all working nicely. That’s a 1940 No. 4 that was my grandfather’s, a No. 4 that I bought in the 1970s (made in England), my father’s 65 and a 60 1/2 that I bought with the No. 4 in the 1970s. Taking all your commentary into account, I went to the local Woodcraft and purchased a 4 1/2, a 5 1/2 and a No. 7. I will soon go through and set them up thoroughly, but I was curious and impatient so I cleaned off the worst of the oil, loosened up the lever cap screw, put some scrap cherry in a vise and started making ribbons of cherry. And that really is what happened. Beautiful ribbons ranging from .001 to .0035 (I had to measure them…), right out of the box - quite surprising. But here’s the thing I really noticed, especially with the 4 1/2 and the 5 1/2: it’s a completely different experience. The No. 4 planes feel like toys after using the 4 1/2, and the 5 1/2 is a revelation, with that lonnnng forward part of the sole and its weight. It is almost, just a little, as if I only have to guide it from the rear. And I’m realizing that all the downward pressure I was applying to the knob on the No. 4 planes is really not needed with these after the first few inches. With all that weight and a reasonably sharp blade (factory edge - I was impatient to give them a try) the 4 1/2 and 5 1/2 really keep themselves down on the stock, at least with something like a straight-grained piece of cherry. I think they’ll do even better with a truly sharp iron. The only thing I could find that wasn’t essentially perfect (which in this context means that it’s good to go, not that it’s literally perfect) was that two of the totes were noticeably loose - not a problem at all. Possibly the factory should be seasoning its wood stock for longer. 😊 I had wanted to find vintage Stanley or other versions of these three, but they seem to be a lot less common, and a good bit more expensive, than the ubiquitous No. 4. Worse, most of the ones I found were either true wrecks or had been proudly “restored” by people who really didn’t seem to know what they were doing or what they were working with - and the rest were laughably overpriced. After an hour or so of gleefully covering the shop floor with a mountain of wood ribbons I’m sure I’ll not be looking back. Didn’t mean to write a novel, just wanted to say thank you! 🎉
Just set up my new 5 1/2 using this video as a guide. Now i have these damned 'wispy' shavings all over my shop. Your sharpening method is spot on. No more adjustments with a hammer. Now onward to the #7 and the block plane. Thanks Rob.
Always appreciate the deference to David Charlesworth. He’s given us so much, and you, Rob - in your rather more plainspoken yet highly precise way - are carrying on in the tradition. We’re fortunate to have you both.
One of these days, I will treat myself to being a student at one of your courses that is open to the public. I can watch your work for hours (and often do.) You are a total master, Rob!
I've been waiting for the Woodriver 5-1/2 to come back in stock for a long time. Was almost ready to give in and buy an old 5-1/2 Bedrock when they became available at Woodcraft again so I drove right over and picked one up. Glad I did as it's a well made plane. An old Stanley in VG condition would have cost as much but not been as good. Thanks Rob.
Hey Rob, I picked this up on your recommendation and I used it out of the box to see how it was. I then did the setup you did in this video. All I can say is WOW! The difference is night and day. You are right it is usable out of the box but these upgrades really take it to the next level. Thank you so much for all that you do. Eric
Thank you, thank you. I have been working on a POS #4 for the past week trying to get decent performance before I sunk some cash into a real plane. After watching a few of your videos, I picked up some key points that got the plane performing. Now I can happily purchase a quality plane with the confidence that I can tune it and keep it performing.
Good video as usual Rob, been using my No7 on the shooting board as I don't have anything worth while between my two Stanley 4's and the No 7.. so afer watching this video a few times looks I will be ordering a 5 1/2 thanks again.
I just purchased a No.7 Jointer, I use it daily, sometimes it's a bit to large for the task but, I'm learning to adapt.. I have a few comments to make about the initial setup of this plane.. First, I found that the chip-breaker needed a large amount of reworking over-all, on the mating edge, there where many pits and overall roughness at the mating-edge to the blade(wood-fibers were jamming in the gaps, spent about 20-minutes correcting the mate-up, I then put a small bull-nose on the chip-breaker to roll the shavings away from the tip.. The chip-breaker was not flat and wouldn't mate to the lever-cap or the blade, so its flattening was a must.. Now for the lever-cap, needed much flattening to mate to the chip-breaker, the lever-cap was the most crude part on this plane, maybe an after-thought by the assembler.. Anyway, I am very satisfied with this plane, I would purchase it again and do recommend it to all...
Watched again for the 3rd time...before putting to use on my new Wood River 5-1/2. My first hand plane. I sure hope you get something from Woodcraft by not selling in the US. Otherwise I would have bought from you. I've really enjoyed all your videos during my coronavirus isolation. Thank you for those. I may actually have my first woodworking project in 35 years done before I have to go back to work. I was planning on doing it in retirement, but things happen...
Rob - #1 woodworker guru for sure. Amazing style and content. Born teacher. Ok, now the reason for comment: it appears you have a financial arrangement with Woodcraft as you allude to that in videos. Their shop also bundles a 3 month credit for Rob Cosman online instruction. I cannot fault the apparent objectivity of your review of the WR planes vs others but mutual arrangements influence all objective comparisons despite 100% honorable intentions.Secondly, the WR 5-1/2 jack plane is $300 and a L-N is $450 (and not currently in stock). To me if you are going to spend $300 you can justify $450... We are not comparing HF, Jorgensen or Amazon planes. The $75 max budget person will never spend $300 let alone $450, so consider them equal in terms of affordability. Can you compare a L-N with the WR? Please and thank you! With sincere admiration for your mark on the craft... RA
Thank you, thank you, thank you for the tip re the flatness of the lever cap! You've helped me finally resolve the problem with my Wood River no.6. Very much appreciated.
Just come across your channel. Great content, excellent and concise explanation of content. Very envious of your tools, your skills and your worksop. I think that you and your channel are now the 'to go to' craftsman's destination. I now feel I have the ultimate reference source.
One of these, one of your low angle block planes and one of the bigger ones and that will give me all I need. I am mostly a power tool guy but know very well that a few effective hand tools can actually save time and clean up some work much more quickly.
I didnt believe him first of all ,but I tried it and it DOES work beautifully. I have no problem at all with getting shavings from 1/1000 to 3/1000 on the fly .This plane is my favourite even more so than my LV low angle smoother..
After watching you promoting, setting up and using the WR 5 1/2 Jack, I bought one along with the low angle block. I have an email sent to WC due to the Jack plane sides not being square to the sole. Both sides look to be parallel to each other but are skewed from the sole about .0045 from the sole. I've seen a few reviews mentioning this here and other sites. Wondering how common it is and if WC resolved individual issues. Kind of makes it useless on a shooting board, which is the second most important function I got it for. The Block plane is true, and I'm using a Starret square that I use for all my set ups.
next time leave the burr on the stone, you can see it perfect, id like to see the caliper measurment on that burr, looks like a perfect sharpening burr, and do you have a video of your shop cabintry, we bought our very first house and i finally have a nice finished 32×36 shop to set up my woodworking shop, thanks rob
Rob, I am a beginning woodworker and I want to know the differences between all these different types of planes. Block, smoothing, and Jack planes. And how and when does one know to use which one?
Rob, I love your videos. I mean I just found your videos last week and I've been binging on them ever since. You are so well spoken and an exceptional teacher! Truly! I really loved the one on the building of your saws (you need about 5 CNC Machines, your lungs will really thank you) but I have to gently raise one question. When your stones have a residual dark gray color on them, correct? I realize those metal particles are the size of the grit on your stone but it does scratch and I'd like to suggest it may possibly impede your progress while sharpening. If nothing else, it's rough on your stones, particularly your Shapton, because it is metal that wears them. Could be wrong but I just wanted to mention it.
Could it be detrimental to flatten the back of the chip breaker? With clamp applied it may spread the pressure better to the edges. I mean, it might deform and flatten under load and being completely flat may not transfer much to the outer edges. Just a thought, mind you, I don't have a plane to test it on.
I went to buy this from Woodcraft but they are out until May?! Your 3 month membership deal would have been the deal maker for me. Alas, I had to buy the LN :-( because I wanted one but didn't want to wait 2 months.
I love your videos Rob and have learned a great deal from you about sharpening , setup etc. I have a question that's a bit off topic since your talking about hand planes. I have asked several of the instructor types here about this and found no help so now I turn to you. When flattening the back on my chisels that are 1/4" and narrower I always, and I mean always end up out of kilter. Can you suggest a fix for this problem? I am a stickler for razor sharp edges and can attain them with little effort thanks to the tips you have given but I'm at my wits end as to how to maintain parallelism from the front to back of my thinner chisels. Thanks in advance and may God bless.
Rob GREAT video!! Before I buy a WoodRiver 5-1/2 jack plane I need to buy the three sharpening stones.Whats the brand name of them and where did you buy them? Thank You
We sell them at robCosman.com I start with 1000 grit diamond stone and finish with a 16,000 grit Shapton stone. The 1k diamond plate is double sided, 300 grit side is used to keep the 16k stone flat. For initial chisel back prep I use a 6000 grit Shapton in between.
Thinking of asking for this plane for Christmas. I've never spent more than $50 for a hand plane. I do like my old stanley 5 1/2, feel it's time for an upgrade.
If you’re never purchased a new hand plane. I would recommend purchasing a brand new WoodRiver 5.1/2, it will change your hand planing experience! The weight and feel alone will change everything!
@@RobCosmanWoodworking Hi, thanks. I did purchase the plane. I do like WoodRiver 5 - 1/2. The first iron was defective, but they replaced it no questions asked. Now it planes beautifully. Thanks for all your great videos and tips, learning a lot.
Even a Stanley Bedrock pales in comparison to a WR or LN. The Bedrocks are worth having, but only as an ornament. Records aren’t worth it. They’re all to light in comparison to modern casting.
I have the same plane the diamond hone but I have been using a different fine water stone. I am planning on building your shooting board as well. Your sharpening method works great and its fast requires only two stones and is giving me shavings I never achieved before. How long does the 16000 Shapton Glassstone last? It looks very thin?
I will probably be using it like you for 20 seconds but only 3-4 times a week perhaps. The flattening is what shortens the life of a water stone. 7-10 years is good enough for me. Thank Rob
Hello Rob, i bought this plane and i found that the sole is not perpendicular to both sides of the plane. I mean each of the 2 sides are off by milimetr. Is it something i need to be affraid off, becase in my opinion if i use it with shooting board i cannot have good result (without adjusting the leaver all the time). Thanks for your opinion
I have the same issue. Woodriver say the sides of the jack plane are not precision machined to square, their tolerance is 18 thou (.45mm) across the sole square to the sides. If your plane is actually a millimetre off then its a reject. They have offered to replace my plane which is .38 mm off which is within their tolerance, but my view is if I can measure the out of square (engineer square and a 1thou feeler) its of no use on a shooting board so I am not sure what benefit a replacement will be.
I bet WoodCraft would have appreciated this video being published when they actually had the 5 1/2 in stock! Had my wallet out ready to go. Expected delivery is July 9th!!
Hi Rob. Thanks for the great videos. Would you recommend the 5 1/2 or the LAJ? Seems like the adjustable throat on the LAJ would make it more convenient. Plus no worries about chip breaker. For reference, I am mainly a power tool guy but I am getting into hand tools more and more. I have a 4, 7 and block plane. Thanks.
I am a beginning wood worker and Woodcraft suggested to start with this plane. Plane didnt come with any instructions. What exactly does any of the set screws do. Maybe I was out of my league. Anyone know where to download instructions. Thanks John
@@RobCosmanWoodworking is the sharpening technique and procedure you use for the blade in this video a viable option for maintaining an edge on a chisel? or is this specifically for plane blades
Hi Rob, can you tell me are woodriver planes and luban planes made in the same factory? as I am in Australia and woodriver planes are hard to source down here.
Thanks for all excellent content Rob. I just bought the 5 1/2 based on what I've learned here. I checked the squareness of the sides to sole and mine is not. Seems like that is important when using a shooting board.What do you recommend I do?
@@ronaldhoppus9015 I returned my Woodriver No 6 as it was so far out of square it was useless on the shooting board. Bit of a disappointment but I made myself feel a lot better and bought a Henry Eckert No 62.... I mean it is square to 12 microns variance (..012 mm) so happy now lol
For anyone able to answer, as I imagine Rob is way too busy, will a #6 suffice for doing what a 5 1/2 does? I only have a #4 and picked up an inexpensive #6 to restore. This 5 1/2 Wood River plane is about $270 at the moment.
I'm about to go for a Woodriver plane, but I'm still struggling to decide on the 5 or 5 1/2 jack plane ... any advise for a beginning woodworker? Thank you
Ordered it, and was to be expected first week of february. Now just received an email unfortunately that they will not be delivered before first week of march 2018 :(
@@RobCosmanWoodworking Oooooooooo My planes are all vintage Stanleys, with everything that implies, and I like them well enough. And I am no professional. But I wonder what it would be like...
Yes, too short and too light. The 5 or 5 1/2 are much better. The old Bedrock planes (which Wood River has copied) are the best choice. There were some with tilt handles made specially for the shooting board.
I was thinking exactly the same thing! I finally setup my workshop after a 15 year gap due to moving from Canada to the UK and then simply not having space. When unpacking my tools I found the dovetail corner I made in a class with Rob in Ottawa in 2001. That prompted me to take a look at RUclips and sure enough there he is looking not a day older. Wish I could say the same thing...
A great selling demo,,, But its still a Chinese clone of a Stanley bedrock .Why not tune a millenium Stanley #4 with a2 1/8 thick blade ,ductile steel body, moveable mouth and lifetime warranty for under $200.00 .
RobCosman.com Hi Rob, thanks for responding to that comment. I love you videos-you’ve taught me a lot and I’ve used what I’ve learned to tune up an old Stanley #6 with the corduroy sole and it works much better. Another area you excel in is knowing what tolerances to work to. When you say “that’s flat enough” I wouldn’t know to stop there. And, again, this is a subtractive process-I cant add back material I’ve already removed. So I’m not as comfortable-at my skill level-taking a file to the throat of a new plane. I’m frankly concerned I would ruin the plane and never even know it. Do the premium brands have better finishing around the throat and a flat (or flat enough) chip breaker and lever cap? They are eye-watering,y expensive, but that is an area I might find the value worth the additional expense. Thanks!
I realize that this is an ancient video now, but it’s the best place to say thanks for this and your other videos talking about the 5 1/2. After a long period of ignoring them, I got out my planes a while back and got them all working nicely. That’s a 1940 No. 4 that was my grandfather’s, a No. 4 that I bought in the 1970s (made in England), my father’s 65 and a 60 1/2 that I bought with the No. 4 in the 1970s. Taking all your commentary into account, I went to the local Woodcraft and purchased a 4 1/2, a 5 1/2 and a No. 7.
I will soon go through and set them up thoroughly, but I was curious and impatient so I cleaned off the worst of the oil, loosened up the lever cap screw, put some scrap cherry in a vise and started making ribbons of cherry. And that really is what happened. Beautiful ribbons ranging from .001 to .0035 (I had to measure them…), right out of the box - quite surprising.
But here’s the thing I really noticed, especially with the 4 1/2 and the 5 1/2: it’s a completely different experience. The No. 4 planes feel like toys after using the 4 1/2, and the 5 1/2 is a revelation, with that lonnnng forward part of the sole and its weight. It is almost, just a little, as if I only have to guide it from the rear. And I’m realizing that all the downward pressure I was applying to the knob on the No. 4 planes is really not needed with these after the first few inches. With all that weight and a reasonably sharp blade (factory edge - I was impatient to give them a try) the 4 1/2 and 5 1/2 really keep themselves down on the stock, at least with something like a straight-grained piece of cherry. I think they’ll do even better with a truly sharp iron.
The only thing I could find that wasn’t essentially perfect (which in this context means that it’s good to go, not that it’s literally perfect) was that two of the totes were noticeably loose - not a problem at all. Possibly the factory should be seasoning its wood stock for longer. 😊
I had wanted to find vintage Stanley or other versions of these three, but they seem to be a lot less common, and a good bit more expensive, than the ubiquitous No. 4. Worse, most of the ones I found were either true wrecks or had been proudly “restored” by people who really didn’t seem to know what they were doing or what they were working with - and the rest were laughably overpriced. After an hour or so of gleefully covering the shop floor with a mountain of wood ribbons I’m sure I’ll not be looking back.
Didn’t mean to write a novel, just wanted to say thank you! 🎉
Just set up my new 5 1/2 using this video as a guide. Now i have these damned 'wispy' shavings all over my shop. Your sharpening method is spot on. No more adjustments with a hammer. Now onward to the #7 and the block plane. Thanks Rob.
Such a terrible side effect!
Always appreciate the deference to David Charlesworth. He’s given us so much, and you, Rob - in your rather more plainspoken yet highly precise way - are carrying on in the tradition. We’re fortunate to have you both.
David is a friend of mine and I respect his level of precision.
One of these days, I will treat myself to being a student at one of your courses that is open to the public. I can watch your work for hours (and often do.)
You are a total master, Rob!
I just bought one from Woodcraft and went through your setup procedure. Very happy with the results, this is a nice plane. Thanks Rob!
Just watched this again now.... :-)
Eagerly awaiting mine, that I ordered today! I've been saving/waiting for over a year for this moment.
I unpacked mine today, followed your tips, it's an absolute dream.
great feedback Ben, glad you enjoy it
On today’s episode of watch Rob make this look ridiculously easy... lol seriously, thanks for all the info you guys put out.
I am very new to woodworking. I always learn something from your videos. Well done.
I've been waiting for the Woodriver 5-1/2 to come back in stock for a long time. Was almost ready to give in and buy an old 5-1/2 Bedrock when they became available at Woodcraft again so I drove right over and picked one up. Glad I did as it's a well made plane. An old Stanley in VG condition would have cost as much but not been as good. Thanks Rob.
Enjoy Bob, sharp is the secret to plane success.
Hey Rob,
I picked this up on your recommendation and I used it out of the box to see how it was. I then did the setup you did in this video. All I can say is WOW! The difference is night and day. You are right it is usable out of the box but these upgrades really take it to the next level.
Thank you so much for all that you do.
Eric
Hey Rob,
I'm a beginner wood worker at best. Shooter board is a life changer. Well taught and appreciated!
Rob, purchased one last weekend, setting it up today. Thanks for this! I have a small laminated benchtop to flatten.
Thank you, thank you. I have been working on a POS #4 for the past week trying to get decent performance before I sunk some cash into a real plane. After watching a few of your videos, I picked up some key points that got the plane performing. Now I can happily purchase a quality plane with the confidence that I can tune it and keep it performing.
I just bought this same plane. Looking forward to putting it to good use! Thanks Rob.
watched a couple of these "unboxings" tonight, great explanations and reasoning to your processes, thanks!
Good video as usual Rob, been using my No7 on the shooting board as I don't have anything worth while between my two Stanley 4's and the No 7.. so afer watching this video a few times looks I will be ordering a 5 1/2 thanks again.
Thank you for great introduction into setting up planers.
I just purchased a No.7 Jointer, I use it daily, sometimes it's a bit to large for the task but, I'm learning to adapt.. I have a few comments to make about the initial setup of this plane.. First, I found that the chip-breaker needed a large amount of reworking over-all, on the mating edge, there where many pits and overall roughness at the mating-edge to the blade(wood-fibers were jamming in the gaps, spent about 20-minutes correcting the mate-up, I then put a small bull-nose on the chip-breaker to roll the shavings away from the tip.. The chip-breaker was not flat and wouldn't mate to the lever-cap or the blade, so its flattening was a must.. Now for the lever-cap, needed much flattening to mate to the chip-breaker, the lever-cap was the most crude part on this plane, maybe an after-thought by the assembler.. Anyway, I am very satisfied with this plane, I would purchase it again and do recommend it to all...
Watched again for the 3rd time...before putting to use on my new Wood River 5-1/2. My first hand plane. I sure hope you get something from Woodcraft by not selling in the US. Otherwise I would have bought from you. I've really enjoyed all your videos during my coronavirus isolation. Thank you for those. I may actually have my first woodworking project in 35 years done before I have to go back to work. I was planning on doing it in retirement, but things happen...
Rob - #1 woodworker guru for sure. Amazing style and content. Born teacher. Ok, now the reason for comment: it appears you have a financial arrangement with Woodcraft as you allude to that in videos. Their shop also bundles a 3 month credit for Rob Cosman online instruction. I cannot fault the apparent objectivity of your review of the WR planes vs others but mutual arrangements influence all objective comparisons despite 100% honorable intentions.Secondly, the WR 5-1/2 jack plane is $300 and a L-N is $450 (and not currently in stock). To me if you are going to spend $300 you can justify $450... We are not comparing HF, Jorgensen or Amazon planes. The $75 max budget person will never spend $300 let alone $450, so consider them equal in terms of affordability. Can you compare a L-N with the WR? Please and thank you! With sincere admiration for your mark on the craft... RA
Thank you, thank you, thank you for the tip re the flatness of the lever cap! You've helped me finally resolve the problem with my Wood River no.6. Very much appreciated.
Just come across your channel. Great content, excellent and concise explanation of content. Very envious of your tools, your skills and your worksop. I think that you and your channel are now the 'to go to' craftsman's destination. I now feel I have the ultimate reference source.
One of these, one of your low angle block planes and one of the bigger ones and that will give me all I need. I am mostly a power tool guy but know very well that a few effective hand tools can actually save time and clean up some work much more quickly.
I didnt believe him first of all ,but I tried it and it DOES work beautifully. I have no problem at all with getting shavings from 1/1000 to 3/1000 on the fly .This plane is my favourite even more so than my LV low angle smoother..
After watching you promoting, setting up and using the WR 5 1/2 Jack, I bought one along with the low angle block. I have an email sent to WC due to the Jack plane sides not being square to the sole. Both sides look to be parallel to each other but are skewed from the sole about .0045 from the sole. I've seen a few reviews mentioning this here and other sites. Wondering how common it is and if WC resolved individual issues. Kind of makes it useless on a shooting board, which is the second most important function I got it for. The Block plane is true, and I'm using a Starret square that I use for all my set ups.
You just have to adjust the blade to use it in a shooting board. Use your square or try and error.
Great video. Hopefully I will be able to get it soon.
That is a thing of beauty. Thanks Rob.
It’s unfortunate you’re unable to ship to the United States. The moment that changes I’ll be the first to place an order!
Merry Christmas!!
Hold on, we are making our own plane. Been in progress for two 1/2 years. Could be ready before spring.
Just bought the 5 1/2 cant wait to use it!
Your video was extremely helpful. Thank you very much!
Very welcome.
next time leave the burr on the stone, you can see it perfect, id like to see the caliper measurment on that burr, looks like a perfect sharpening burr, and do you have a video of your shop cabintry, we bought our very first house and i finally have a nice finished 32×36 shop to set up my woodworking shop, thanks rob
Hello Rob. I thought your video was masterful. Great
Rob, I am a beginning woodworker and I want to know the differences between all these different types of planes. Block, smoothing, and Jack planes. And how and when does one know to use which one?
After sharpening, I like to leave danged every steel surface with a bit of oil on it, especially the parts that are trapped inside.
Oh, superb plane, good master - a good tool.)))
Rob, I love your videos. I mean I just found your videos last week and I've been binging on them ever since. You are so well spoken and an exceptional teacher! Truly! I really loved the one on the building of your saws (you need about 5 CNC Machines, your lungs will really thank you) but I have to gently raise one question. When your stones have a residual dark gray color on them, correct? I realize those metal particles are the size of the grit on your stone but it does scratch and I'd like to suggest it may possibly impede your progress while sharpening. If nothing else, it's rough on your stones, particularly your Shapton, because it is metal that wears them. Could be wrong but I just wanted to mention it.
that's why you flatten the stones before use. Look for his videos dedicated to sharpening
Jerome, that's not I was identifying. It's the particles of metal that's not cleaned off. That's all.
Could it be detrimental to flatten the back of the chip breaker? With clamp applied it may spread the pressure better to the edges. I mean, it might deform and flatten under load and being completely flat may not transfer much to the outer edges.
Just a thought, mind you, I don't have a plane to test it on.
👍👍👍👍👍. Добрый день. Не подскажете толщину пластинки? Которую ложили на точилный камень при заточки фаски на ноже?
I went to buy this from Woodcraft but they are out until May?! Your 3 month membership deal would have been the deal maker for me. Alas, I had to buy the LN :-( because I wanted one but didn't want to wait 2 months.
I love your videos Rob and have learned a great deal from you about sharpening , setup etc. I have a question that's a bit off topic since your talking about hand planes. I have asked several of the instructor types here about this and found no help so now I turn to you. When flattening the back on my chisels that are 1/4" and narrower I always, and I mean always end up out of kilter. Can you suggest a fix for this problem? I am a stickler for razor sharp edges and can attain them with little effort thanks to the tips you have given but I'm at my wits end as to how to maintain parallelism from the front to back of my thinner chisels. Thanks in advance and may God bless.
*****
Thank you Rob. I'll be trying this today on my 1/4" butt chisel (Wood River). It should be easier to control since it is so short.
mwilson702
Hi Rob
Please would you advise the most appropriate thickness of a secondary bevel on a hand plane blade.
Rob GREAT video!! Before I buy a WoodRiver 5-1/2 jack plane I need to buy the three sharpening stones.Whats the brand name of them and where did you buy them? Thank You
We sell them at robCosman.com
I start with 1000 grit diamond stone and finish with a 16,000 grit Shapton stone. The 1k diamond plate is double sided, 300 grit side is used to keep the 16k stone flat. For initial chisel back prep I use a 6000 grit Shapton in between.
Thinking of asking for this plane for Christmas. I've never spent more than $50 for a hand plane. I do like my old stanley 5 1/2, feel it's time for an upgrade.
Purchase a new blade and you have a new plane!
If you’re never purchased a new hand plane. I would recommend purchasing a brand new WoodRiver 5.1/2, it will change your hand planing experience! The weight and feel alone will change everything!
@@RobCosmanWoodworking Hi, thanks. I did purchase the plane. I do like WoodRiver 5 - 1/2. The first iron was defective, but they replaced it no questions asked. Now it planes beautifully. Thanks for all your great videos and tips, learning a lot.
@@RobCosmanWoodworking what are your thoughts on a near mint condition Stanley or Record tools?
Even a Stanley Bedrock pales in comparison to a WR or LN. The Bedrocks are worth having, but only as an ornament. Records aren’t worth it. They’re all to light in comparison to modern casting.
I have the same plane the diamond hone but I have been using a different fine water stone. I am planning on building your shooting board as well. Your sharpening method works great and its fast requires only two stones and is giving me shavings I never achieved before. How long does the 16000 Shapton Glassstone last? It looks very thin?
I will probably be using it like you for 20 seconds but only 3-4 times a week perhaps. The flattening is what shortens the life of a water stone. 7-10 years is good enough for me. Thank Rob
What are you doing to the chip breaker at 9:45? Why are you putting a bevel on it?
If you never got your answer it's not a bevel it's a flat spot to ensure that it contacts the blade completely
Hello Rob, i bought this plane and i found that the sole is not perpendicular to both sides of the plane. I mean each of the 2 sides are off by milimetr. Is it something i need to be affraid off, becase in my opinion if i use it with shooting board i cannot have good result (without adjusting the leaver all the time). Thanks for your opinion
I have the same issue. Woodriver say the sides of the jack plane are not precision machined to square, their tolerance is 18 thou (.45mm) across the sole square to the sides. If your plane is actually a millimetre off then its a reject. They have offered to replace my plane which is .38 mm off which is within their tolerance, but my view is if I can measure the out of square (engineer square and a 1thou feeler) its of no use on a shooting board so I am not sure what benefit a replacement will be.
I bet WoodCraft would have appreciated this video being published when they actually had the 5 1/2 in stock! Had my wallet out ready to go. Expected delivery is July 9th!!
Hello from a newbie. In the market for a hand plane. What's the difference between the 5 1/2 and the no. 62 low angle please.?
Preference and why.?
Hi Rob. Thanks for the great videos. Would you recommend the 5 1/2 or the LAJ? Seems like the adjustable throat on the LAJ would make it more convenient. Plus no worries about chip breaker.
For reference, I am mainly a power tool guy but I am getting into hand tools more and more. I have a 4, 7 and block plane. Thanks.
you will have an easier time setting up a laj , less finesse for sure.
I am a beginning wood worker and Woodcraft suggested to start with this plane. Plane didnt come with any instructions. What exactly does any of the set screws do. Maybe I was out of my league. Anyone know where to download instructions. Thanks John
makes it look so easy
The correct way is easy. No one wants to believe it is largely the tools you chose but it is. Great tools have a short learning cycle, simple.
@@RobCosmanWoodworking is the sharpening technique and procedure you use for the blade in this video a viable option for maintaining an edge on a chisel? or is this specifically for plane blades
Looking fwd to trying this one out
Not sure about wood river and woodcraft. I ordered a 5 1/2 inch hand plane three months ago,. Still waiting
Thank you!
Hi Rob, can you tell me are woodriver planes and luban planes made in the same factory? as I am in Australia and woodriver planes are hard to source down here.
Sorry but I don’t know much about them before they go in the box.
What lubricant do you use on your stones ?
Thanks for all excellent content Rob. I just bought the 5 1/2 based on what I've learned here. I checked the squareness of the sides to sole and mine is not. Seems like that is important when using a shooting board.What do you recommend I do?
Who made your plane?
@@kellygnsd It's the Woodriver 5 1/2
@@ronaldhoppus9015 I returned my Woodriver No 6 as it was so far out of square it was useless on the shooting board. Bit of a disappointment but I made myself feel a lot better and bought a Henry Eckert No 62.... I mean it is square to 12 microns variance (..012 mm) so happy now lol
thank you
Rob i just bought this, does it come with the membership deal?
I’m in the market for my first plane and I’m looking for an all around plane. Would this 5 1/2 Jack plane be a good choice?
A very good choice.
Does woodriver make a low angle plane
what is the widthof the bailey 5-1/2 blade thanks
For anyone able to answer, as I imagine Rob is way too busy, will a #6 suffice for doing what a 5 1/2 does? I only have a #4 and picked up an inexpensive #6 to restore. This 5 1/2 Wood River plane is about $270 at the moment.
I'm about to go for a Woodriver plane, but I'm still struggling to decide on the 5 or 5 1/2 jack plane ... any advise for a beginning woodworker? Thank you
5 1/2 it will be. Much appreciated for your time and effort.
Ordered it, and was to be expected first week of february. Now just received an email unfortunately that they will not be delivered before first week of march 2018 :(
It's 2020. Is this still your go-to plane?
You betcha!
@@RobCosmanWoodworking Oooooooooo My planes are all vintage Stanleys, with everything that implies, and I like them well enough. And I am no professional. But I wonder what it would be like...
@@RobCosmanWoodworking I saw your reviews on the 5 1/2, 4 1/2, and that low angle block plane. It's is hard to choose between them.
I have a Wood River plane and it has some slight rust on it. How can I remove this slight rust and what can I do to stop the rusting?
Dave steel wool. Oil
Dave lately I use brass wool
im using my no 4 on the shootingboard but its not workin very well. is the no 4 to short ????
Yes, too short and too light. The 5 or 5 1/2 are much better. The old Bedrock planes (which Wood River has copied) are the best choice. There were some with tilt handles made specially for the shooting board.
What is the price of this plane,any online site that sold it ?
5 1/2 is now $280
when is v4 coming?
Seems like Woodcraft is always out of stock! I ordered a spokeshave back in December, waiting 4 months is a bit ridiculous!
Everyone is suffering from supply chain back log. We ordered supplies from a Japanese supplier one year ago and it arrived two weeks ago.
I only just found out that Wood River are REALLY Quangsheng Chinese planes but REBRANDED.
You wear well...
I was thinking exactly the same thing! I finally setup my workshop after a 15 year gap due to moving from Canada to the UK and then simply not having space. When unpacking my tools I found the dovetail corner I made in a class with Rob in Ottawa in 2001. That prompted me to take a look at RUclips and sure enough there he is looking not a day older. Wish I could say the same thing...
A great selling demo,,, But its still a Chinese clone of a Stanley bedrock .Why not tune a millenium Stanley #4 with a2 1/8 thick blade ,ductile steel body, moveable mouth and lifetime warranty for under $200.00 .
Made in China.
Better believe it! Designed in America, and that’s what matters!
...or you can just buy a better quality plane, like a Veritas or LN.
Samer Bouez you mean you could just pay more money without improving the results?
@@RobCosmanWoodworking I mean if you receive the plane and it still has burrs from manufacturing, it doesn't speak high of their QA.
RobCosman.com Hi Rob, thanks for responding to that comment. I love you videos-you’ve taught me a lot and I’ve used what I’ve learned to tune up an old Stanley #6 with the corduroy sole and it works much better.
Another area you excel in is knowing what tolerances to work to. When you say “that’s flat enough” I wouldn’t know to stop there. And, again, this is a subtractive process-I cant add back material I’ve already removed.
So I’m not as comfortable-at my skill level-taking a file to the throat of a new plane. I’m frankly concerned I would ruin the plane and never even know it. Do the premium brands have better finishing around the throat and a flat (or flat enough) chip breaker and lever cap?
They are eye-watering,y expensive, but that is an area I might find the value worth the additional expense.
Thanks!
Oh, boy. Another "Watch me sharpen a blade," video. C'mon, Rob. Get to the point.
Pound sand Bruce! Straight to the point.
Thank you