A jack plane is a large woodworking tool used to remove large amounts of wood in one pass. It is meant for rough shaping and should only be used to remove layers of wood following the grain. The most popular model is the #5, and it requires two hands to use. The blade must be sharp and properly adjusted.
A jack plane is a large, hand-held woodworking tool designed to allow the user to plane wood to the surface and remove large amounts of wood in one pass. Jack planes range in size from 12 to 15 inches (30.48 to 38.1 cm) in length. It is meant for rough shaping of boards only; the final shaping of the board is achieved with smaller hand planes which are less likely to create rips, where the fibers catch and break.
The plane should only be used to remove layers of wood following the grain of the board. Cross-cutting a board with a jack plane is not recommended due to the amount of material it is capable of removing at a time. The blade can remove wood by pulling it out of the board and leaving large depressions that may be deeper than the finished size of the board. Keeping the plane moving evenly with the grain of the wood will prevent unnecessary chipping and tearing for a smoother surface.
This tool is called the plane jack because it is the “jack of all woodworking trades.” It’s long enough to flatten the log, but small enough to move easily through the wood. The most popular model of the plane jack is the #5. Other planes, like the #7 or #8, can remove more wood at once, but that’s because their blades are wider. However, they are heavier tools, so they require more work to handle.
The plane jack is a two-handed tool. The blank to be planed must be fixed in a bench vise so that it does not move during processing. The blade must always be sharp in order for it to work properly and efficiently. The mouth of the plane also needs to be kept free of buildup in order for the blade to be able to do its job. The blade also needs to be properly adjusted before being used.
The cutting depth of the blade is adjusted using the adjusting nut. By turning the nut clockwise, the blade protrudes further from the mouth. The carpenter shouldn’t cut too much wood at a time. The angle of the blade must also always be uniform. This adjustment is made by sliding the side adjustment lever left or right to keep the blade level.
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