{{short description|Woodworking tool}} {{For|the aircraft component|Canard (aeronautics)}} {{Infobox tool|name=Fore plane|used_with=jointer plane and smoothing plane|other_name=Short jointer<ref name="reg" />|types=Wooden-bodied<br />Iron-bodied<br />Transitional|image=Stanley No.6 Fore plane.jpg|caption=A Stanley Bailey #6 fore plane}} [[File:Stanley_Bailey_fore_planes,_No._6_iron_plane_and_No._28_transitional_plane.png|thumb|Stanley Bailey No. 6 metal fore plane and No. 28 transitional fore plane.]] The '''fore plane''' is a type of woodworking bench plane typically used for preparing and flattening rough workpieces before using other planes, such as the jointer plane and the smoothing plane.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2008-02-28|title=Sharpen a Fore Plane|url=https://www.popularwoodworking.com/chris-schwarz-blog/sharpen-a-fore-plane/|access-date=2020-10-12|website=Popular Woodworking Magazine|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-10-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025185328/https://www.popularwoodworking.com/chris-schwarz-blog/sharpen-a-fore-plane/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Hayward|first=Charles Harold|title=Charles Hayward's carpentry book.|date=1958|publisher=English Universities Press|isbn=9781440304286|location=London|pages=46–47|language=en|oclc=19496718}}</ref> The name fore plane is sometimes used synonymously with the jack plane, but the fore plane is usually longer in length, making it more effective at levelling larger workpieces.
== Description == Under the Stanley Bailey numbering system for metal-bodied planes the #6 fore planes are {{Convert|18|in|mm|abbr=}} long, longer than the #5 jack planes and shorter than the #7 and #8 jointer planes.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Stanely Bailey Planes Miscellaneous Data|url=http://primeshop.com/access/woodwork/stanleyplane/DataMisc.htm|access-date=2020-10-12|website=primeshop.com|archive-date=2020-11-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112012200/http://primeshop.com/access/woodwork/stanleyplane/DataMisc.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Historically, wooden-bodied fore planes have been {{Convert|18 to 22|in|mm|abbr=}} long.<ref name="reg">{{Cite book|last=Sellens|first=Alvin|url=https://archive.org/details/woodworkingplane00sell|title=Woodworking planes : a descriptive register of wooden planes|date=1978|publisher=Augusta, Ks. : Sellens|others=Internet Archive|pages=32–35}}</ref> As with other bench planes, fore planes were first developed with wooden bodies, before the introduction in the 19th century of metal-bodied and transitional planes.
== Terminology == The name fore plane dates back to at least the 17th century in Britain, and was named ''fore'' plane because it would be used on a workpiece ''before'' other planes.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last=Moxon|first=Joseph|url=http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015028306002|title=Mechanick Exercises: or, The Doctrine of Handy-Works Applied to the Arts of Smithing, Joinery, Carpentry, Turning, Bricklayery|year=1703|edition=3rd|location=London|pages=61–65, 168|publisher=Printed for D. Midwinter and T. Leigh...|hdl=2027/mdp.39015028306002|access-date=2020-10-12|archive-date=2022-07-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710175733/https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015028306002|url-status=live}}</ref> The name fore plane is sometimes used synonymously with the jack plane, while in 17th century Britain the term fore plane was used more by joiners or cabinet makers, and jack plane by carpenters.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite book|last=Schwarz, Christopher, 1968-|title=Handplane essentials|date=2009|publisher=FW Media|isbn=978-1-4403-0298-5|edition=1st|location=Cincinnati, Ohio|pages=19–21|oclc=326678537}}</ref>{{rp|48}}
== Use == When used, the fore plane is either the first plane to be used on rough sawn timber, or is used after the jack plane.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Joseph Gwilt|url=https://archive.org/details/anencyclopdiaar00gwilgoog|title=An Encyclopædia of Architecture: Historical, Theoretical, and Practical|date=1842|publisher=Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans|others=University of Wisconsin - Madison|pages=977|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Austen|first1=Stephen|url=http://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/80821035.html|title=The Builder's dictionary: or, Gentleman and architect's companion|last2=Devoto|first2=John|last3=Toms|first3=W. H|last4=A. Bettesworth and C. Hitch (Firm)|date=1734|publisher=Printed for A. Bettesworth and C. Hitch, at the Red-Lion in Pater-noster Row|location=London; And S. Austen, at the Angel and Bible in St.-Paul's Church-Yard.|language=en|oclc=889853614|access-date=2020-10-12|archive-date=2022-07-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710175733/https://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/80821035.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Flat & Square - Construction techniques|url=https://www.getwoodworking.com/news/article/flat-square/840|access-date=2020-10-12|website=www.getwoodworking.com|archive-date=2021-01-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127001803/https://www.getwoodworking.com/news/article/flat-square/840|url-status=live}}</ref> The fore plane is able to quickly remove material and level the workpiece before the woodworker moves on to using a jointer plane or smoothing plane.<ref name=":4" />{{Rp|19}} Often fore planes are used perpendicular and diagonally to the grain, and are set to remove larger shavings. The iron can also be sharpened with a slight camber to aid this.<ref name=":4" />{{Rp|101}}
For the rough preparation and levelling of stock fore planes have largely been replaced in modern workshops by machinery such as jointers and thicknessers.
{{Commons}}
== References == {{reflist}}
Category:Planes {{Planes}} {{Woodworking}}