"Guy LaRochelle" wrote in message
...
I am totally clueless when it comes to hand planes but I would like to
learn
about them and to use them. There seems to be a thousand different styles.
Is there an assortment of planes that are the most needed and most widely
used to get started? If so could someone steer me in the right direction?
Regards. -Guy



I really depends on your woodworking style and what you want to achieve. As
you say, there are a great variety of planes that can be had. For many
woodworkers, you want to start with the basics. Perhaps the most useful
first plane is a low angle block plane with an adjustable mouth. The
Stanley number for this model was 60 1/2, but that may vary by maker. The
block planes have fewer parts to tune, so are easier to get to know. You
would use this plane for small, trimming jobs. They are especially well
designed for trimming end grain, but a small block plane is just nice to
have around for all sorts of trimming jobs.

That's where I suggest you start. If you get the bug, you may want to read
Garrett Hack's Handplane Book. This will give you a good tutorial on the
different types of planes and what they are used for, how to tune them up
and the correct techniques for getting good performance. He also discusses
many of the jigs that go along with handplaning.

Cheers,
Eric