The Taytools #5 Jack Plane is the first real bench plane I’ve invested in but was it worth the money? I wanted to post this review of this Taytools plane last month before I purchased my used Stanley No. 4 and Record No. 4 1/2 smoothing planes from eBay, but I never quite got to it.
I am not a professional reviewer. As you can see, the pictures of this Taytools plane were taken at different stages of unboxing, setting up and using it. I thought I would get it nice and clean for this review, but that’s just too much work!
Here is the critical information about the #5 Taytools plane:
- Retails on Amazon for about $99, probably the cheapest listing you can find
- The body and frog made from ductile cast iron, which makes it nearly indestructible
- The tote and knob are Sapele, oiled and hand-rubbed
- The cutting iron 0.120” thick, 2” wide. It is made of tool steel, hardened and tempered to 55-60
- Sole precision ground to within the British Standard of 0.003” over the entire length
- Overall length 14-1/4″ and 2-1/2″ wide, overall weight 5.45 pounds
Taytools (Taylor Toolworks) have a pretty good reputation on Amazon for selling high-quality tools at affordable prices. My only concern when I check out the #5 jack plane was that it looks like a re-branded tool.
I say this because the only marking on it is the laser-engraved Taytools logo on the sides. These seem like they can be easily sanded away. The rest of the plane looks generic, like many others you can find on Amazon.
Since it was the most affordable option that shipped to Malaysia, I took the plunge and bought it.
#5 Taytools Plane Review – Out of The Box
The box was generic, with no logo or markings. However, the plane was well packed and secure inside the nondescript box. The tote was slightly loose, but that was easily fixed with a screwdriver.
Right out of the box, the cutting iron was sharp enough to get my smooth, consistent shavings on a piece of scrap pine. I also tested it on maple and walnut, with excellent results. Even if this is just a rebranded generic plane, it seems like Taytools have done some superb work on setting it up.
Setting Up The Taytools #5 Jack Plane
The base was flat enough, but there was still some room for improvement. I took it apart to inspect every little thing.
There was most definitely some burr on the frog and base, so I took care of those first with a file. Nex I used sandpaper on a flat piece of glass to flatten the back of the cutting iron, before sharpening the edge with my diamond stone.
The tote and knob of the Taytools plane are simply beautiful. Made from Sapele, it does indeed seem to be hand-rubbed with oil (not sure which one) and perhaps a few layers of matte polyurethane.
Compared to other fore planes in the same price range, Taytools’s Sapele handles give it that extra feel of quality. The brass screws on both were clean and reliable, and the threads were smooth.
I didn’t mess around with the frog this time. I just focused on getting the blade as sharp as I could, with a slight chamfer on both sides.
Putting everything back together was exciting. At first, it seemed like the plane wasn’t working as well as it was out of the box, but I quickly realized the issue. I realigned the chip-breaker and made sure it sat correctly this time.
The brass adjustment wheel now moved about freely and was easy to adjust with one (or two) fingers. Nothing on this plane was made of plastic.
It worked beautifully after my set-up! I clamped a piece of walnut/maple board on my Black & Decker Workmate 225 as you can see, and I made the board flat in very little time.
I don’t have much experience setting up planes, apart from the Stanley 60 1/2 hand plane I bought. So, I was glad it all turned out ok.
Why did I get a #5 plane instead of a #4 or #7?
Well, I needed a jointing plane, but I figured the #6 and #7 were way too big for the stuff I make. A jack plane is supposed to do everything, right?
I might get a Stanley No. 62 low-angle jack plane too in the future, mainly because I work with burl wood a lot.
If the #6 is not what you need, here are other Taytool planes you may want to check out:
- Taytools #4 smoothing plane
- Taytools #6 fore plane
- Taytools #7 jointer Plane
- Taytools #62 low-angle jack plane
As far as I can tell, they all have those beautiful Sapele totes and knobs.
Is the Taytools #5 jack plane worth the $99 I paid?
Most certainly. The only thing I have to complain about is the Taytools logo on the sides. These can indeed be erased with some medium sanding, and I almost that! I wish they branded the cap iron as most other plane manufacturers do.
I don’t have other #5 planes to compare it to, but I did say that I am not a professional reviewer!
Perhaps, if I had discovered the idea of buying used Stanley planes from eBay a few weeks earlier, I might have purchased a used Stanley No. 6 or No. 7 for around $50 – $70. But still, no regrets.
I highly recommend getting the Taytools #5 jack plane from Amazon if you want a new plane that looks good and performs well with minimal setup.
