Low Angle Jack Plane by Woodriver, reviewed by Rob Cosman

Woodcraft recently released their version of the low angle jack plane. Out of the box it is almost ready to go. Sharpening is quick since the blade was flat enough to make the Charlesworth ruler trick a short process. Adjusting the throat for control of tear out is fast, loosen the front knob, move the lever to close the toe plate, re-tighten the knob and you are ready to go. The adjuster knob is really easy to move and with large notches it is better than the standard knurling. The #62 is lighter than my 5 1/2 jack by almost 2 1/2 lbs. Machined well, finished as well, it is good value if you are looking for a low jack.

[@brianmiller9365]

Outstanding. Great presentation. All the little "asides" are as important as the main subject. Thanks for thinking out loud as you go steps and procedures.

[@dubsbarry9963]

Really great job explaining what happens, and why it happens. Learned a lot. TY

[@vanniedude]

You are the Bob Ross of hand tools Mr.Cosman, I did the Charlesworth trick and it cut down on so much tearout. Thank you sir

[@ProfessorClay]

Bob Ross is the Rob Cosman of painting.

[@roberthiday3342]

very nice video. well presented. thanks!

[@khengharhu]

I've been wondering if you'd ever review this plane. I have one and like it quite a bit. Thanks! I've really enjoyed all the Wood River reviews that you do.

[@kaetwo]

Rob, I noticed that you had the WoodRiver No. 7 on your bench. Will you be doing a review of that plane in the future? Thanks for all the great on-line content.

[@andreicharpentierquesada4530]

Great video really informative

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

You are welcome! Merry Christmas.

[@mikegager]

Rob what are your thoughts on stropping the blade after sharpening?

[@billgiles3261]

I have the Record version, I love it.

[@brutusman12345]

Could you please do a video on how you sharpen your chisels? Thank you.

[@mfcman2k7]

would be good to see how you do a router plane but also how you might grind a router plane blade

[@Tjita1]

If I'm not wrong, the 62 is the only plane that can take a toothed blade?

[@shonuffisthemaster]

even if your working with a fairly small area, isnt 1k diamond to 16k quite a jump? id be cirious to see the edge under some magnification, but i guess if it works it works.

[@rynemenard7773]

What brand of stones do you use?

[@derekcohen1000]

Rob, the advantage of the LA or BU jack plane is that the low bed angle makes it possible to plane at a low cutting angle (12 degree bed + 25 degree bevel = 37 degree cutting angle), which is the best of ALL planes for end grain, such as when shooting edges. With the exception of a closed up chip breaker on a BD plane, the LA Jack is capable of smoothing just about any interlocked reversing grain when set up with a high cutting angle (50 degree secondary bevel = 62 degree cutting angle). It is relevant to add that using this plane with a 30 degree secondary bevel is a waste of its potential. A cutting angle of 42 degrees immediately limits its use to soft woods or wood with straight grain. It is important to accept that one does not sharpen the blades either free hand or on a full bevel. This is inefficient. My preference for all other planes and all chisels is to freehand sharpen. But not BU planes. Especially if you want a camber (as all planes need) on a high cutting angle. Always begin with a 25 degree primary bevel, and add the desired secondary micro bevel at the desired angle - including the camber. This way there is less steel to remove. I developed this technique a decade ago (as you know, I test planes for Lee Valley/Veritas): www.inthewoodshop.com/WoodworkTechniques/TheSecretToCamberinBUPlaneBlades.html The angle of the secondary bevel is critical to get correct. The plane will perform differently with a 30 degree bevel and a 40 degree bevel. For this reason, this is the time to break out the honing guide (yeah .. ugh!) and do it that way. It works, which is why I put up with it. These planes can really perform when set up optimally, and they are easy to use. Regards from Perth Derek www.inthewoodshop.com

[@craigmckinney2219]

I really like to see a woodworker who uses his hands to "see". Are the imperfections gone or just diminished? Did the plane make a full cut or did it jump? Feel the life in the wood. One other thing, is that you always wipe the blade before replacing it. Another reason for this is that there will always be microscopic bits of steel and grit left which will mark your piece and dull the blade. I am a knife man and I hate seeing someone sharpen a knife and immediately touch the edge to see if it is sharp, dulling it a bit.

[@stevem268]

i dont see this plane on your website any where, is it discontinued?

[@philgibbs4045]

Hi Rob.. Love this plane! but curious about your sharpening stones. You're a busy craftsman and demonstrator who must sharpen plane irons & chisels, then flatten your stones often. I'm curious to know roughly how long that Shapton GlassStone lasts you.

[@philgibbs4045]

Thanks for the reply Rob. Somehow I didn't think they'd last that long... Approx. $20 - $25 a year is a pretty good investment to ensure your blades are seriously sharp.

[@gav2759]

I get the feeling you aren't completely convinced by the low angle jack as a concept Rob. I prefer the term bevel up, they are in effect variable angle planes. If you have the pennies, two or three additional irons honed at different angles give these tools great versatility. A honing guide is probably of benefit here, I'm sorry if you recoil in horror at the mention of such things. Of course you can put back bevels on bevel down irons, but but given the low angle and exceptionally thick iron of the bevel ups, they are inherently less prone to chatter. You are right on the lighter weight, a deal more mass would be of benefit at the bench.

[@missionron]

Proof there is no money in this field unkess you sell fine tools or teach fine woodworking. ....to retirees. Lucky for you guys your in the prime of your careers as tehres TONS of fish in the sea.

[@animusfurnitureanddesign1668]

Hey Rob! I have mostly extremely hard and figured woods in my area (Jatoba, Cocobolo, etc.). Would you recommend bevel up (sharpened at 50 degrees) or bevel down planes (with back bevel) to tackle these? Thank you.

[@kle2217]

Is there lateral adjustment like on Veritas or Lie-Nielsen?

[@frenstcht]

The back bevel on your standard bench planes adds as well. You can't count one without the other. Re: brass on steel, see Feynmans _Lectures._

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

frenstcht Less than a degree so I round down.

[@frenstcht]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking My mistake. I thought elsewhere you had indicated it was larger; however, I'm happy to be in error on that. Thanks!

[@mikewoolbright158]

Whats the thickness of the ruler you are using in your sharpening routine?

[@briancarroll6803]

I realize this is a five year old comment, but in case anyone else is looking for the same answer in the future: David Charlesworth, who developed this technique mentions in the video he does explaining it that it is a 0.5mm (or 0.019in) thick rule. I found one, but shortly after I found on Rob's site that he sells one specifically designed for this that matches the length of the stone. That's a feature I don't have with my 6" rule, and the reason I'll be getting one of his when I make an order.

[@kellyhughes6717]

You said you do it once and you don't have to repeat. You would need to repeat once your blade was worn past the secondary bevel, correct?

[@Grimmjar]

On my low angle plane all irons have a lower primary bevel angle and the promised cutting angle. The 25° iron is 23° with a 25° cutting angle. The same is true for the 38° and 50° iron.

[@Realism91]

Grimmjar I put a back bevel 10° on mine. When I sharpen it I treat the primary bevel as if it was the back of the plane and the back bevel as if it was the micro bevel, only on my bevel up plane, it makes the blade last longer and doesn't effect the primary cutting angle. If you do the back bevel more than your frog angle your iron won't cut so that's why I do 10°.

[@Realism91]

This gives my blade a stiffness of 35° and a cutting angle of 25°

[@peterowens290]

All round good video, BUT I failed to pick up on the significance of the adjustable forward sole plate & wht the gap created was relevant to the finish on the workpiece. An earlier video on the standard jack plane appears to show superb fine chip performance. Who needs a low attack angle & the extra investment?

[@ceeg93]

On highly figured timber, it might be benficial to close the mouth to give more support to the fibres for as long as possible. Additionally you can insert a blade with a steeper angle und reduce tear out even more. A very low cutting angle could give you an advantage, when planing endgrain.

[@mchristopher]

Rob, what is the advantage of the lower angle of attack on the low angle jack. Also if you change the lap on the bevel to give a higher angle of attack would that ultimately be the same functionality of the No. 5 1/2 (minus the heft)? Thank you!

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Michael Christopher in my opinion, there is no advantage. By the time you add micro bevels you’re within 5° of a bevel down plane. Plus, the functions on a traditional Bedrock style plane far exceed that of the LA versions.

[@mchristopher]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking Thank you for the quick reply. So I already own a Veritas low angle jack plane. Would there be any reason for me to purchase a No 5 1/2? I feel like you have a preference for the Traditional Bedrock style planes but If there isn’t a huge advantage, i might be better off spending my cash on upping my sharpening game with a Shapton 16K.?

[@tomx63]

Rob, if you could only have the jack or the #5 for planing and shooting, which would be the better choice?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

tomx63 I would have neither. My preference is the No. 5-1/2, larger handles, wider footprint and bigger blade.

[@tomx63]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking Rob, Found the video last night where you reviewed the 5 1/2 and mention this. Appreciate the reply!

[@LadDox_]

What kind of wax do you use on the sole of your planes?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Ladson Poole paraffin was will do

[@beepIL]

Hi Rob, In many videos i see that people also flatten the sole, is it not really needed?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

If the sole is not flat that is the job of the manufacture, Id return it.

[@beepIL]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking Fair enough, i like the approach

[@markkoons7488]

Well done, of course, but my eye kept going to what I suppose is a three legged jointer behind you. What have you got there?

[@Hamperokken]

Is this the same as the Quangsheng planes avaliable in the UK?

[@mururoa7024]

Yes same manufacturer, although as Rob said you may find small differences depending on what Woodcraft ordered. Also same as the Juuma brand sold in other parts of Europe. e.g. the Juuma has a slightly different profile on the side walls of the body and uses more brass. I prefer Veritas (made in Canada!) for their flawless quality: other than the microbevel, zero adjustments or fixes needed out of the box.

[@zmomir]

Just my 2c: I am using Lie Nielsen for more than a year and if this plane was available when i ware purchasing i would bought this one. This one has adjuster wheel far enough from blade that it can actually be used - not the case with LN - their depth adjuster is almost below the blade and have small diameter. This not something that you can easily fix unless you visit machinist shop. Lever cap on this plane has dent in it so that retaining screw tightens lever cap down, and do not allow leaver cap to move with the blade when adjusting depth of cut (i had to make it my self on LN) I don't know how big Mr. Cosman's hands are but it seems to me that booth planes need larger rear handle since this is not three finger grip plane and after prolonged use, pinky finger starts to hurt. For my hand, size of the handle should be similar to one found on modern Stanley sweetheart no4. What i dislike on booth planes are brass screws It is decorative but i would prefer stainless steel. And on LN plane you actually need three sizes of screwdrivers if you wont to disassemble and it assemble properly.

[@jordanrobottom4134]

you do know what brass does when on contact with iron and steel. it lubricants itself. I would rather not have the screw sheer off when it stuck, cast iron can still rush or or change from heat, having brass is better in that aspect then stainless steel. All my old stanley brass screws come off like they were still new and some have 60 years old.

[@watermain48]

I'm with you. I don't like anything threaded in stainless, too much galling.

[@danferguson4004]

So I guess if the Frog was at about 30 degrees or 32 degrees that would make for a better low-angle plane wouldn't it if he used a bevel down iron

[@ureasmith3049]

Only 20 bucks more for Lie Neilsen LA jack here in the US. Buying the LN instead is a no brainer.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

UreaSmith I don’t recommend this plane. But I also don’t recommend Lie-Nielsen’s either. I recommend WoodRiver’s 5-1/2 Jack.

[@ureasmith3049]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking Yeah that would be more reasonable purchase 217 bucks vs 375 bucks (US) for the LN. But for a LA Jack it'd be crazy to settle with WR for 20 dollars less.

[@NeverTalkToCops1]

Veritas has the most bang for the buck in a No. 62.

[@NeverTalkToCops1]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking WR's 5- 1/2 jack plane is a good value.

[@hcrawford59]

Rob do you sell these planes at your shop thanks Howie

[@Tjita1]

Do you sell the IBC replacement blades internationally, or is that just in Canada too?

[@danferguson4004]

Although I guess that would make for a very fragile Edge

[@catchmeifyoucan2815]

Looking into buying first plane ... If the angle is almost the same , why would I need a 5 and a half smoother instead of only buying this low angle plane ? Help ...

[@catchmeifyoucan2815]

Thank you for your answer. I have the same preference in terms of looks. Have a great day.

[@danferguson4004]

Can the Frog angle not be changed?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

I suppose you could shim it.

[@RubinGnoni]

Thank you for making me give up buying a hand plane. I think that if I'm paying more than $150 for a hand plane or any type of tool, it is supposed to at least come ready to be used and do a good job.

[@roberthiday3342]

kudos Rob. I totally agree. it is just an expected part of the process.

[@brianmiller9365]

Ha. Good one. Had to comment.

[@craigmouldey2339]

I'm not a big fan of 'specialty' parts, as in this case, the cutting iron. That would influence my decision whether to buy or not.

[@lukewhite9237]

If you sharpen the blade to 50 degrees instead of 25, it creates a 62 degree angle which really decreases the chance of tearout

[@chm1701]

Does this not then defeat the reason to buy a low angle plane; great for endgrain? Besides, push comes to shove, just buy a standard no.5 for other duties, as their prices seem so reasonable.

[@nobob268]

@@chm1701 it would be cheaper to use multiple blades set with the different bevel angles you want

[@kyl3dr]

Keep the angles stock on the 62 and the 5 and the angles truly are lower on the 62... straw man argument. LN 62 comes with 25+12=37. Number 5 is 45. Difference is 8. Not to say there isn’t overlap in the jobs they can do. But the angle difference will change where each one excels slightly.

[@danferguson4004]

So why can't you use that plane with the bevel down

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Dan Ferguson because the bed that the blade lies on sits at 12° and the blade’s primary bevel is 25° resulting in the heel of the blade contacting before the edge.

[@Realism91]

Try not micro beveling, instead flatten the whole angle one time, then to sharpen put a 5°-10° back bevel on it with the ruler trick but a thicker ruler, this will take any chips and nick's out of the blade and the tip of the blade will be stronger from chipping without effecting the blade's cutting angle keeping it at 37° at the cut.

[@derekcohen1000]

See my comment above. I recommend NEVER to hone on a full bevel, especially a high angle - I challenge you to camber a high angle full bevel face. Note that BU planes require more camber than BD planes owing to the geometry of the bed. Further, NEVER add a 5-10 degree back bevel to a BU plane. (The Ruler Trick that Rob uses is 2/3 degree). These planes need a minimum of 7 degrees clearance angle, and if approached, they will struggle to cut. Lastly, there is no need to strengthen a BU plane blade. I have tested 25 degree cutting angles on a BU plane against 25-30 degrees on a BD plane on end grain, and the BU plane wins hands down. Here is one report: www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/LVShootingPlane.html Regards from Perth Derek www.inthewoodshop.com

[@Realism91]

Derek Cohen increasing the back bevel would not affect the geometry at all, all it does to my knowledge is bring the primary bevel a tiny bit closer to the mouth and reduce the brittleness slightly, I was suggesting just using a thicker ruler and doing only a quick shining on the primary bevel with the same amount of time you'd spend on conditioning your secondary bevel. Depends where you're using the plane if you do this I guess.

[@derekcohen1000]

No you were not just suggesting "a slightly thicker ruler". That may increase the back bevel to 1 degree. You stated "put a 5°-10° back bevel on it". That WILL change the geometry very significantly!

[@Realism91]

Derek Cohen I don't know how you can think that, I'm not changing the primary bevel angle the back bevel is behind where your edge meets the wood adding one would only reduced how wide you can put the mouth and affects the camber geometry.

[@Realism91]

You wouldn't be riding on it either because it's less than the bed angle

[@padraics]

You throw in the microbevels. 5 degree is a bit much for a microbevel. I only use one at 2 degrees and you're also ignoring the ~1 degree from using ruler trick on your bevel down plane, so 46 degrees vs 39 degrees. That's 7 degrees

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Back bevel is less than a degree and I use a secondary micro bevel that is 3-4 and a tertiary of 2. Using my math you are still 42-43.

[@langhilau]

Since you are the distributer for Wood River Planes in Canada wouldn't be ethical to say that in the video? instead of implying how you have nothing to gain for reviewing it.

[@shonuffisthemaster]

Rob Cosman I think the main problem is in the title of the video, not in the content. "review" usually means an unbiased analisis of a product by a 3rd party, who dosent stand to benifit from the product's sales. Many are even skeptical of people who recieve the products they review for free, because they may be more likely to give a positive review to keep the free items coming. In the case of someone who is selling the product he is reviewing, people are understandibly skeptical if they claim to have no bias. no matter who you are selling to or who watching this video is likely to buy from you specifically, you still stand to gain fom the sucess and reputation of a product your selling / promoting. Im sure you believe its a good product, and thats probably why your selling it, but understand why people would be skeptical. I think titling the video as a "demonstration" would be more accurate.

[@silenthill5794]

Having become a fan of these WR planes all because of Robs instruction, I've watched this video again for the 5th time I think, mainly because I enjoy watching Robs sharpening technique. Having said that, I don't care if the title of Robs next video is Rob Cosman reviews the Rob Cosman Plane, I'm still going to watch it, more than likely enjoy it, and maybe even purchase it. What I'm not going to do is critique it, it's his channel.

[@Lejackal]

Late to the party but felt need to reply. Just because you’ve made the assumption that the word review means unbiased and unsolicited opinions. The fact of the matter is that the majority of reviews are done for some sort of reward typically from the manufacturer of said product.

[@stormbytes]

There's hardly any review or 'analysis' being offered. This is a honing and setup tutorial speckled with some personal thoughts and product highlights. The video doesn't really explain what the low angle jack plane *IS* and how it is used, much less why I'd want to buy one.

[@kimallen4746]

My perception is Rob has become a paid spokesman and stakeholder in IBC and Wood River. This has greatly impacted the quality of his channel to me. I much enjoyed the how to videos and demonstrations of skills.

[@christerlundgren3805]

The best plane ever is that one that is scapellsharp. Brand do not matter. These days most sell good ones, with crap blades. Honing is a vital skill. If you up the $$$ its better steel. Cheap charlie got skilled 😂

[@christerlundgren3805]

Scalpel its

[@NeverTalkToCops1]

Wood River No. 62 $222. Lie Nielsen No. 62 $245 Veritas No. 62 $245 Veritas is heavier than Lie Nielsen, and has significant convenience features, like a lateral adjustment for blade (no need to bang the blade with hammer, Geezus!) and some set screws to keep blade aligned. Veritas has 3 grades of blades. The Lie Nielsen is surprisingly low in comparison, you can get several products from Lie Nielsen at reasonable prices, like this No. 62 and their low angle bronze block plane (about $100). It's fishy with these marketing claims that the No. 62 turns into several planes by using blades with different angles. If this were so, it would have been obvious at the inception of the No. 62 plane.

[@AgentJohnson1]

You have to add a little more to the price of the Wood River plane as they're now $240. I seriously don't understand the allure of these Wood River planes when you can get the Lie Nielsen or Veritas counterpart for about the same price. Chop $100 off the cost and they'd make more sense considering they don't have the reputation/build quality of Lie Nielsen or Veritas and are made in China.

[@markbeiser]

@@AgentJohnson1 Of course you could use one of the occasional 25% off coupons to get the Wood River plane for $180. But yeah, for no more than the difference in price, I went with the Veritas, and even sprang for the PM-V11 blade upgrade, and used my Woodcraft coupon for something else. ;)

[@chm1701]

@@AgentJohnson1. And that’s US pricing. In the UK a no.5 1/2 in the Woodriver is just under £200, but the Lie-Nielsen is £380. I am actually really interested in the Woodriver because of this fact, but I have heard of problems with blades being quite soft (so don’t keep an edge), with also the cap iron and sole needing quite a bit of work to get flat and ready - not really helped by seeing the amount of work Rob appears to have to put into them too. This is also just going on reviews, but there’s seems to be quite a few saying the same thing with the aforementioned problems. I do own a few Lie-Nielsen planes and they are very nice indeed; well made, great finish and with a slight hone, ready to go... but costly. I’m a little torn on wether to try a Woodriver no.5 1/2. I’m the sort of person who buys once, cries once, but at half the cost, the Woodriver does seem tempting.

[@petertetrault7660]

You comment here there is no advantage to low angle, yet when you review the block planes there is an advantage to low angle. Huh

[@FrankTheTank7575]

Me: I really like bevel-up planes because of the lower angle of attack. Rob: You are a dolt and here is why.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

For those not knowing, Kyle is calling me a stupid person. Dear Kyle, you sleuth, found an old video where I reviewed the "then" new Woodriver 62. That was in may of 2016, first time I took one out of the box. Nice job on the manufacturing, woodwork was good, machining was accurate. Now four years later, after having used it , I would not trade in my 5 1/2 for this plane, not even close. This makes me a "Dolt".

[@FrankTheTank7575]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking - I was definitely not calling you stupid. I was making a humourous observation about how I thought one thing but you (as per usual) set me on the correct path. I was definitely not trying to put words in your mouth. I appreciate the videos. I have learnt a ton from you.

[@FrankTheTank7575]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking - I recently purchased a bevel-up jack from Lee Valley. Not withstanding the variable mouth opening, I still love my 1912 Bedrock better. I think I was suckered in by the bevel-up sirens.

[@Russ0107]

@@RobCosmanWoodworking Rob, I think that gentleman was complimenting you using a rather silly meme format that I wouldn't blame you for not recognizing.

[@GopherHayes]

I like your channel and I think your a great wood worker but I refuse to use a hand tool made in China. Seems bizarre that a traditional wood worker would use tools made in China.

[@enzoorciuoli328]

crosseyed gopher Muni

[@AgentJohnson1]

Especially considering the price of these Wood River planes is nearly the same as the Lie Nielsen or Veritas counterpart.

[@paulrovira873]

They look copied the lie Nielsen they should be sued