STL 173: The Draw of the Wooden Handplane
Mike and Ben welcome associate editor, Barry NM Dima into the mix, and discuss wooden handplanes, apartment woodworking, surface prep, cutting board finishes, and all-time favorite toolsLeave a comment below to enter to win a copy of Mike’s book The Why And How Of Woodworking, and make it something constructive! We’ll pick a winner October 12th, 2018.
Question 1:
From Bobby:
Some other woodworkers I’ve followed are from Japan and Korea like Ishitani Furniture and they do their final prep work before putting on the finish differently. Some will get a sharp hand plane and go over the surface of the wood and not sand. Other will go through their steps of sanding from the low grits to the high grits. Is it a good idea to plane and not sand before applying your finish? I enjoy getting that mirror finish with my plane, and feel that sanding kinda ruins it, but feel that it’s what I’m supposed to do.
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Question 2:
From WoodyHG:
How do wooden smoothing planes–whether Krenov Style or Japanese Kanna–compare to metal body planes? I’ve heard the physical feedback is quite different and have been tempted by these ridiculously thin shavings from the Japanese planes seen on YouTube. I know Ron Hock sells plane kits a la Krenov but I wonder if the performance is determined less by the body and more by the blade. Do you see any benefits in use of a wooden plane over metal ones?
- Wood Planes Made Easy by David Finck #196–Jan/Feb 2008 Issue
- Handwork: Make a coopering plane by Clark Kellogg #263-Sep/Oct 2017 Issue
- James Krenov on Handplanes by James Krenov #196–Jan/Feb 2008 Issue
- Get to Know Japanese Handplanes by Andrew Hunter #260–Mar/Apr 2017 Issue
- Japanese Planes Demystified by Carl Swensson #145–Nov/Dec 2000 Issue
Segment: All Time Favorite Tool
Barry: 4-in. combination square
Ben: Adhesive backed sandpaper and 3m Ultra Flexible Sandpaper
Mike: Sandpaper and the router plane he will one day own
Question 3:
From Blake:
The garage in our new town home is tandem single car garage (12′ wide x 38′ long). My wife’s compact SUV parks in one half and I get the other half. I’ve downsized and now everything fits well but the issue is the sound.
The town home complex has a rule “no construction noise between 8pm and 7am”. At our last home, my shop time was few times a week after the kids were asleep. So, my plan while here was to focus on improving my hand tool game over the next few years and just mill/dimension lumber on the occasional weekend.
Here’s the issue, I have come to realize that even hand tools create a significant amount of noise, mainly chopping and chisel work. This hinders my plan as my neighbors aren’t happy with constant banging while I chop mortises at 9pm or whatever time it may be.
Any suggestions or solutions? The town homes were built in 2010 and have fire rated walls between them. Garages cover entire main floor with kitchen and living room above. Is it worth trying to insulated the space? Would sound panels make a difference?
Question 4:
From Jim:
I’m planning to make a handful of cutting boards based on the ideas in Scott Lewis’ FWW article in issue #233. He uses mineral oil on his cutting boards, but I’d like to hear what you feel is the ideal finish in this circumstance. Obviously oil makes refinishing or upkeep easy, but I feel like I want some indestructible film finish that makes them mostly maintenance free. But maybe that’s just not a reasonable expectation.
- A Unique Cutting Board by Scott Lewis #233–May/June 2013 Issue
- The Coolest Woodworking Cutting Board Ever? by Scott Lewis
Recommendations:
Ben – Mike Farrington on YouTube
Barry – Dorian Bracht on YouTube
Mike – Sharpen what needs to be sharpened, and then one more tool
Every two weeks, a team of Fine Woodworking staffers answers questions from readers on Shop Talk Live, Fine Woodworking‘s biweekly podcast. Send your woodworking questions to [email protected] for consideration in the regular broadcast! Our continued existence relies upon listener support. So if you enjoy the show, be sure to leave us a five-star rating and maybe even a nice comment on our iTunes page.
Comments
Thanks for all the helpful answers to questions. I love listening and always pick up tips from your stories. I would love to have one of Mike's books, whether it has all or even just most of the pages.
Once again wonderful podcast. Would love 1 of Mike’s books even if the pages were falling out!!!!!!!!!!!
Another great program. Will Barry be replacing Matt's snark with Barry's snark? Seriously he is a good fit for the program. Bob
Another great episode gentlemen! If I were to add anything constructive it would be to try and get more contributing makers on the podcast. I've seen a number of the featured videos "Masters of the Craft", but rarely see/hear them on the podcast. There have been a few in the past, but I would love to hear from Chris Becksvoort, Timothy Rousseau, Bob Van Dyke, etc. Maybe focus on machine set-up with one and shop techniques with another. Sometimes the organic nature of a podcast gives the listener a better window into the mind of a maker than a produced video, that's all! Thanks guys!
Another great episode! I second tkenerson's comment and would love to hear more Fine Woodworking contributors on the pod.
@33:45 I like your style, Barry.
You guys had a good energy this week. And I love my six inch Starrett combo square. I use it a lot more than my 12". Keep up the good work everyone.
I'd love a copy of Mike's book!
Great podcast!
I really should change my id - never again will I see 73 - did make it all the way to Great Grandpa status this year.
Mike you have always been an inspiration for me to try different things. Having one of your books would be a bonus.
Thanks guys. Must be time to upgrade my Harbor Freight combo square to a Starrett!
I like the new guy, Berry. Spoke up. Comfortable in front of mic.
Great episode! Berry did well! Also, already, miss Anisa. Yes, I would love a copy of Mike´s book!
Big fan of Barry here. Also, like the "masters of the craft" idea. Oh, and I'd love a copy of Mike's books.
Sound mediation for the shop. I live in a end-unit townhouse and my shop is in the basement. I used Homasote panels & 5/8" dry wall on the walls, resilient channels, Homasote panels & 5/8" dry wall on the ceiling. My family & neighbors do not hear me using my table saw, jointer, or planer.
Hey all, great episode. I never get a finish smooth surface with my plane. I feel better about my pre-finish sanding now. Thanks
Friends jumping off the bridge is why we all jumped off— into the river.
Great pod! Would love a copy of Mike's book too!!
Particularly enjoyed this episode. In your discussion of wooden handplanes I was hoping to hear everyone's opinion on some of the German/European-style wooden-body planes (Ulima & E.C.E. are the two companies I've seen the most of) and how they compare to English-style metal-body planes. Maybe on a future podcast? Keep up the good work.
Use the falling out pages as pinups in the shop!!!
Barry has a good radio vibe and his jokes feel good for those of us missing Matt's snark.
The discussions on squares were useful. My four-inch double square is my most favorite; easy to store, fits my small hands and I never have to worry about which side the 90 is at. But I also use my dad's 60 year old 12" union tools combo square and also my recently purchased used starrett 24", which I find surprising useful to check the squareness of dry fit components.
A recent game changer for me is the purchase of a rikon 12 combo spiral cutterhead jointer/planer. If mill so that the last few passes are light passes on the planer, wow, what a finish. Card scraping and 220 sandpaper is all that is needed. It's also not loud.
Please also tell Ann that she's improving with every episode; just avoid dead air.
I would love that USB, er, I mean book.
Great show - good to see a new face.
Glad you guys got the mic arms out of the way of the TV screen! Nice work and looking good!
I listen to STL at work, trying to keep my mind in the shop as much as possible. Thanks for keeping me entertained and sending me on random internet searches (like now, I want a 4" combination square).
Really though, please bring back the 'smooth moves' sound effect intro.
Hey thanks for answering my question! I'll certainly give the Krenov plane a go. Great suggestion on making a jack plane to get a sense for the feedback with less worry about the fine tuning. And yes, I'd love a copy of Mike's book even with pages falling out.
Is ANY woodworking library complete with a Mike Pekovich book and a set of the Hanging Tool Cabinet plans? I think NOT good Sirs!!!! (said in my best medieval British accent).
Incredibly awesome show!!! You are ALL incredible. I do miss Matt and hope maybe they'll let you have him back one day as a special guest. That would be pretty schweeeeet. Keep up the incredible work!!!!
Another informative show! It is always nice to have a large section of the show dedicated to hand tools.
This was a great episode. Welcome Barry.
Ben, It seems to me that in fitting mortise and tenon joints, sizing the width on a sliding dovetail, or avoiding gaps in general being able to measure the distance between 1/16th" and 1/32" makes a huge difference. I know you are not advocating sloppy joints, so perhaps you could elaborate on this a bit in a subsequent episode.
Mike, it sounds like you are really taking the pages falling out thing seriously and personally. Nobody thinks that the author is the person in charge of the book binding process. I am glad that you care so much about people getting a quality product, but anyone with the mental capacity to appreciate your book would know that it was not your fault if the binder had issues with gluing pages.
Barry, for a first episode, you went big. Great job.
Thanks guys.
The discussions on squares were useful. My four-inch double square is my most favorite; easy to store, fits my small hands and I never have to worry about which side the 90 is at. But I also use my dad's 60 year old 12" union tools combo square and also my recently purchased used starrett 24", which I find surprising useful to check the squareness of dry fit components. A recent game changer for me is the purchase of a rikon 12 combo spiral cutterhead jointer/planer. If mill so that the last few passes are light passes on the planer, wow, what a finish. Card scraping and 220 sandpaper is all that is needed. It's also not loud. Please also tell Ann that she's improving with every episode; just avoid dead air.
Very entertaining and very informative. Enjoyed having John join the regulars in the last episode and enjoyed seeing and hearing about some of his work, e.g. his amazing map and its message - feel like I got to know him a bit by that. Enjoyed Barry joining this time around - hope he makes it back soon. I like the rotation. I found it fascinating that I got captivated by the discussion about length of squares - really its quite interesting to hear about what "works" for others and why. Like the variety of topics - have had no experience with wooden planes, but building one is now on the list for "some day". I hope the pages falling out doesn't put a damper on sales of Mike's book- the honesty of mentioning the problem it is rare and refreshing. I have what is certainly an above average number of books, some old, some new and it the binding issues certainly happen.
How do I say this, I'm becoming a Ben Strano fan. I'm looking for videos he works on as they are amazing. But watching him grow as a woodworker has become a joy. Keep growing young man.
I too love my Starrett 6" combination square.
Perhaps FWW should suggest to Starrett that they make a variation of their 4R rule that is graduated in 1/8ths, 1/16ths (two edges) and 1/32nds. It should not be too difficult. As a bonus / incentive perhaps invite the President of Starrett to tour the FWW shop and office?
PS. I really liked the desk featured in the Sep/Oct Issue.
Now I have to get a Starrett! I have been avoiding that for some time.I do love the 6" size or should it be 4"?Barry seems to fit well. It will be nice to hear all the mixed groups but Mike voice is so rich and he is so calm.
Sanding after using a hand plane: My understanding is that the purpose of using sand paper before finishing is to produce scratch marks on the surface of the wood to facilitate good adhesion between the wood and the finish. Wether planing to a mirror surface on the wood of using 600 grit or higher sand paper before applying your finish would seem to me counter productive to obtaining good adhesion in the finishing process.
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