Jointer plane

Jointer plane

A Stanley #7 jointer plane
Wooden jointer from c.1880
Other names	Try plane Trying plane Trueing plane[1]
Used with	Jack plane and smoothing plane

The jointer plane, also known as the try plane or trying plane, is a type of hand plane used in woodworking to straighten the edges of boards in the process known as jointing, and to flatten the faces of larger boards.^[2] Its long length is designed to 'ride over' the undulations of an uneven surface, skimming off the peaks, gradually creating a flatter surface. In thicknessing or preparing rough stock, the jointer plane is usually preceded by the fore plane or jack plane and followed by the smoothing plane.^[2][3]

Jointer planes are typically 20 to 24 inches (510 to 610 mm) long, and are the longest hand planes commonly used.^[2] Under the Stanley Bailey numbering system, #7 and #8 planes are jointer planes.^[4]

The use of the name jointer plane dates back to at least the 17th century, referring to the process of readying the edges of boards for jointing.^[5] The terms try plane, trying plane, and trueing plane have been in use since at least the 19th century.^[3]

As with other hand planes, jointer planes were originally made with wooden bodies. But, since the development of the metal-bodied hand plane at the end of the 19th century, wooden-bodied jointers have been largely superseded. Metal-bodied planes are heavier, which is particularly noticeable for planes as large as jointers. This can make metal-bodied jointers more tiring to use for extended periods of time.^[6]