When Joe and I started making planes, this was the plane we really wanted to make – an A5. A curve sided, handled smoother with a mechanical ‘adjuster’. In its day, it was the most popular infill plane ever made, and I suspect single handedly put Thomas Norris ahead of all the other planemakers. It is also the plane everyone asked if we could make. The pressure was on. 

I used a differential thread to achieve a slower rate of travel. It worked very well, but after a few years, it became apparent that I didn’t like adjusters. They slowed me down – I was much faster and more accurate with a small hammer. They were also an expensive addition to the cost of a plane. Over the last 10+ years, I have been working towards eliminating adjusters all together. I have one left that I am keeping in the archive, but adjusters are no longer an option in any of the planes. 

The No.6 is almost identical to the No.5, but it has straight, parallel sides. It is a little heavier because of this - more infill wood and a larger steel sole.