What is a smoothing plane?
A smoothing plane (in Dutch zoetschaaf) is a relatively short hand plane used to give timber a fine, smooth finish as the last step. It takes off only a very thin shaving. It is not meant for removing a lot of material or for straightening long boards, but for finishing a surface.
Where it fits among the planes
- Jack or scrub plane: rough work, removing a lot of material.
- Try plane (jointer): long sole, for truing long boards and edges.
- Smoothing plane: short and finely set, for the final finish.
- Block plane: smaller, often with a low-angle blade, for end grain and small corrections.
Among metal bench planes, the smoothing plane corresponds to the shorter models (in the widely used Stanley/Bailey numbering, the No. 3 and No. 4, and the wider No. 4½).
How to use it
- Sharp blade: a smoothing plane only works well with a razor-sharp iron.
- Fine setting: set the blade so it produces a gossamer-thin, continuous shaving.
- With the grain: plane along the grain. Planing against it causes tear-out.
- Even pressure: press on the front at the start and on the back at the end, so you do not round over the ends.
Common mistakes
- Blade set too deep: causes tear-out, especially in timber with interlocking or wavy grain.
- Blunt iron: the plane catches and leaves a rough instead of a smooth surface.
- Trying to flatten long boards: a short sole rides over humps and hollows. Use a try plane first.
Related terms
- Block plane
- Try plane
- Planer
- Planed and grooved timber
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