Jointer Planes: Flattening Large Work

Last reviewed on 2026-04-24

Jointer planes — the Stanley No. 7 at 22 inches and the No. 8 at 24 inches — are the longest bench planes in common use. Their length is the whole point: a long sole only registers on the highest points of a board, so the iron only cuts those points until the surface becomes flat. No other hand tool produces a truly flat face or a dead-straight edge as reliably.

When You Need a Jointer

A jointer plane earns its keep whenever a board must be flat or an edge must be straight along a significant length:

• Edge jointing panels for glue-up: two edges flattened with a jointer meet without daylight and close under clamp pressure.
• Flattening long stock: dining-table tops, workbench tops, and wide panels benefit from the reach of a No. 7.
• Trueing a reference face: before thickness planing begins, the first face must be flat. A jointer does this fastest by hand.

For boards shorter than about 18 inches, a jack plane is usually enough. The jointer's virtue is length, and that virtue only matters over distance.

Setup for Jointing

The iron should be sharpened with a very slight camber — a couple of thousandths higher in the middle than at the corners — so the plane leaves a slightly crowned cut. When two such cuts are mated, the crowns bear in the middle and the edges can close without gap. A dead-straight iron edge requires precision the rest of the setup rarely matches, and it produces joints that spring apart.

The chipbreaker sits about 1–1.5 mm from the edge for general jointing. Mouth opening is medium — you are not trying to take a whisper shaving, you want a continuous full-width curl. The sole must be flat; this is non-negotiable for a jointer. If a straightedge rocks on the sole, the plane cannot do its job, and sole lapping is a worthwhile afternoon.

Technique

For edge jointing, clamp the board upright in a face vise and place the plane on the edge with full-length strokes. Start at the near end, run the plane the full length of the board, and lift off at the far end. If the plane begins to cut only in the middle, the edge has a hump; keep planing until full-length shavings start coming off. If the plane only takes material off the ends, the edge is hollow; shift pressure toward the ends or take a localized stroke only where needed.

For a face, work diagonally across the board first to identify the high spots, then switch to strokes along the grain. Use a set of winding sticks at either end of the board to read twist; the jointer is the right tool for removing that twist because its length won't ride over it.

No. 7 or No. 8?

The No. 7 (22 inches, 2⅜-inch iron) is the standard jointer and the one most people should buy. The No. 8 (24 inches, 2⅝-inch iron) is heavier and wider — sometimes useful for very long boards or for edge-jointing thick stock, but the extra weight is noticeable on a full day of work. For a single jointer plane, pick the 7.

Buying Notes

Vintage No. 7s are common and affordable. Sight down the sole for twist; lapping a twisted jointer is a bigger project than lapping a smoother. Check the mouth for casting cracks. The tote and knob are often missing or damaged on old jointers; replacements are widely available. Modern premium jointers from Lie-Nielsen and Veritas are excellent and arrive ready to use.