#5-1/2 Bench Hand Plane - Jack Plane - V3 Reviews

4.2 Rating 32 Reviews

About Woodcraft:

Woodcraft Supply, LLC is one of the nation's oldest and largest suppliers of quality woodworking tools and supplies. You'll find Woodcraft stores in more than 70 major metropolitan areas across the U.S.; and Woodcraft annually distributes 1.5 million catalogs featuring more than 10,000 items to all 50 states and 117 foreign countries. The Woodcraft catalog is a standard among woodworkers as the most complete offering of first rate products for woodworking available anywhere. Woodcraft also publishes six issues of Woodcraft Magazine annually.

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Phone:

800-535-4486

Location:

1177 Rosemar Rd,
Parkersburg
West Virginia
26105

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“After following the Rob Cosman tutorial on tuning up a new plane this plane is phenomenal. The sole was flat and although the throat had some rough edges it was an easy correction.”

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Posted 2 months ago

Michael Haines

Unverified Reviewer

“Overall quality seems to be very very good. I have not the chance to get it set up and use. Unlike other reviews it does not cut right out of the box although the block plane I bought with the jack plane does nicely. I really didn’t expect it to though. The one issue I did notice is the finish on the handles. The rear handle has an adequate finish, though I expected it to be better, the front handle has a rough finish and is uncomfortable to hold.”

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Posted 2 months ago

“I love this hand plane!!! Thanks to Mr. Rob Cosman’s YouTube channel I have learned what to buy and what to avoid!!! Can’t say enough good things about Mr COSMAN!!!! This hand plane is magnificent!!!!!!!”

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Posted 2 months ago

“I have been using the Woodriver 5 1/2 for 5 1/2 months :-). I tried it right out of the box, still covered in oil, and I knew already that I liked it. I bought it for shooting, and the side is square to the sole. However I believe I use it as a standard bench plane more than a shooting plane. I cleaned it up and properly sharpened the blade (it was close out of the box). I did not take all of Rob Cosman's tune up steps. I am happy with it. FYI, Stumpy Nubs recommended this to me after I had issues with another plane not being square from sole to side. Thank you Stumpy.”

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Posted 2 months ago

“I have watched several YouTube videos with Rob Cosman praising this plane. He was not exaggerating. The plane is easy to set up using Rob‘s guiding video and works wonderfully. It is definitely my new favorite plane.”

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Posted 3 months ago

“I already own several Lie-Nielsen planes, but I needed something for my teenaged son to learn on — preferably a plane that didn’t require me to take out a second mortgage. Enter the WoodRiver 5-1/2 Jack Plane (V3), and let me tell you: out of the box, the plane iron was wicked sharp. Even after three decades of woodworking, this plane still managed to surprise me. Five minutes after wiping off the protective oil, it was slicing through hardwood like it was late for a meeting with HR. I’m talking full-width, buttery shavings drifting to the floor like curly little wood angels. If you’ve ever wondered what confidence feels like in tool form, this is it. The ductile-iron body is so solid that if civilization ever collapses, this plane could probably serve double-duty as both a precision woodworking instrument and a defensive weapon. The jack plane is a magnificent hybrid of beauty, brawn, and shaving-making joy. It’s versatile, it’s accurate, and it works so well you’ll start flattening boards just for the therapy.”

1 Helpful Report

Posted 3 months ago

“I had this plane a few months before actually setting it up and using it. For the last year I have been using mostly Stanley jack planes (2 of them, one actually a Wards master that’s reasonably old, and another that’s a Stanley corrugated bottom). I’ve been using Rob Cosman’s 30 seconds to sharp method and both jack planes work pretty well. I ran into a pretty stubborn flattening of some rough sawn pine and I thought I should take the time to setup the Wood River 5 1/2. I went through Rob’s entire setup video as I remember it. I filed edges of the plane body. I took 25 min to clean off oil, flatten chip breaker, sharpen plane iron, and back of iron (which absolutely needed flattening). I put a nice secondary bevel on it, stropped it, and had a reasonable edge on it. Once I started using it and got blade positioned and tote adjusted, WOW! The thicker iron, extra mass of plane, it made flattening 3 pieces of pine such quick work. I was flattening arms and arm bow for a stick chair, and the stock had grain that reversed and was tearing out, as well as some knots. The extra weight, and putting just a little skew on the plane, went over the knots without hanging up. Tear out was not happening. I do need to bevel out corners of iron a little as there were light tracks, but was better than my no 5’s (which I do still love) The thickness of the iron, weight of the plane, I just found it extremely useful and worth the price. I see cost went up to $299 since I bought it, but absolutely still worth it. It’s about to get a whole lot more use, and will be my shooting board go to now.”

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Posted 4 months ago

“Excellent plane. The sole was flat out of the box. I was able to use it immediately after sharpening. The 5 1/2 is a good size for cleaning up a board edge and the mass of this plane makes it easy. This is the third Woodriver plane I’ve purchased. I am pleased with all of them.”

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Posted 5 months ago