Fig. 52.
Its advantage lies in its length, often two feet or more, which prevents the blade from cutting in the hollow places until all of the high places have been leveled. A short plane would simply follow the irregularities, smoothing but not straightening. The plane-iron of the jointer should be ground straight across.
Fore-planes are short jointers, next in size to the jack-planes, and are used for such work as straightening the edges of doors, windows, etc., when fitting them.
24. The Block-Plane.
—The block-plane is about six inches long. [Fig. 53]. It is made especially for cutting across the end of the wood. In addition to the adjusting nut, which is in a different position but serves the same purpose as in the jack-plane, and the lateral adjusting lever, there is a lever for adjusting the size of the opening at the mouth of this plane.
Fig. 53.
The block-plane differs from the planes just described in that it has no cap-iron, none being needed in end-planing. The plane iron is put in place with the bevel side up instead of down as in the other planes.
The block-plane is not a necessity where a vise can be used for holding the piece to be planed. A smooth-plane or jack-plane may, if the plane-iron be set very shallow, do the work just as well. The block-plane is used mostly by carpenters in fitting together pieces which cannot be taken to the vise. Here the smallness of the plane and the fact that but one hand is needed to operate it are of very great advantage.