Replies

1. 
   imcanadian | Mar 26, 2002 06:07pm | #1

   I think your answer lies in knowing yourself. Do you have the patience to learn how to use and maintain hand tools? Recently I did some restoration work for our local museum and rebuilt 2 democrat wagon seats. The corners had compound cuts which were based on the castings that held them together. With hand tools I was able to screw the castings onto the seat base and hold and mark the material, cut the compound angle and clean it up with a plane. In this case I think it would have taken a much longer time to do the work by machine. There is a freedom in hand tools that I don't get with power tools. I can reshape a cutter for a combination plane and have something totally unique much easier than with a router bit. I may sound a bit like a Luddite, but I do have all the power toys in the shop. I just find it both freeing and a link to thousands of years of history in woodworking to be able to use hand tools.

2. 
   Danford_C_ | Mar 26, 2002 06:12pm | #2

   Joe,

   I'm pretty certain you will get a variety of opinions and recommendations, all based on one' work methods.

   Whether or not to upgrade to a larger thicknesser depends a lot on the size stock you depend on handeling.  After 40 years of cutting boards, it wasn't until last summer that I bought one.  Without the use of sleds, wedges, and other jigs,  a thicknesser can't remove warp, twist, or other defects from a board.  In order to four square stock, the very least that needs to be done is to face joint one side and edge joint one edge before running through the thicknesser and table saw.  This is done either with bench planes or jointer.

   That being said, hand plane size determines their use, generally.  #1-#4 1/2 are your smoothers, #5 - #5 1/2 are your jacks, #6 is your forplane, and #7- #8 are your jointers.  The knobs and totes are all basically the same size. 

   I always recommend that for the first bench plane, one should get a #5.  With slightly radiused corners on the iron with a straight bezel it can serve as a smoother, a jointer on shorter boards, and for light thicknessing.  I also recommend a regular angle block plane with an adjustable mouth.  This too will give you a very versitile plane for end grain work, touching up, and trimming.  The one thing that I will caution you on in getting two planes is that they are very much like rabbits; they have propensity to multiply. ;-)

   Dano

   "Form and Function are One" - Frank L. Wright
1. 
   Andrew | Mar 26, 2002 06:51pm | #3

   I consider myself a hybrid woodworker. most of the time i let my machines do the hard work, and then i finish up with hand tools. if your going to be working with wide boards then i would recomend going ahead and getting the 20" planer. thicknessing by hand is a lot of work, and IMO an unnecessary use of time. the only benefit you can have from this is bragging rights. i would much rather send my boards through a thickness planer, and then take a smoother to clean up the machine marks. you get all the benefits of a handplaned surface, and it can be done in a reasonable amount of time. for starters, i would get the planer and a smoothing plane. then after that you can slowly build up a collection of other planes as you need them.  

3. 
   Alan | Mar 26, 2002 08:05pm | #4

   I think I have a rather different take on the hand vs. power tool conversation.  I would advise you to ask yourself a question before you make the leap into either power or hand tools--especially for a weekend warrior like you and me:  why do I work wood?  Do I work wood for the finished project? or for the pleasure I get in applying my hands and mind to the creation of the project--in learning new skills and new methods? or some measure of each?

    I began as you did, with power tools.  But as time went on I found myself using more and more hand tools.  I liked the process of using hand tools and the idea that I was acquiring skills that reach far into the past, that I was doing things the same way as woodworkers have done for thousands of years.  Of course if I made my living making things of wood I would feel differently:  I would use each and every time-saving device I could.  But since I don't rely on woodworking to pay the rent I can do what I like to do. 

   The only power tool I now own is a hand drill.  While I don't produce things nearly as quickly as I could with a shop full of power tools, I find more satisfaction in my work:  I love the tactile aspect of using hand tools.  There's nothing so pleasing as hearing the sound of a razor sharp plane--that I sharpened myself--skimming over a beautifull piece of wood, and feeling the plane in my hands as it cuts gossamer thin shavings.

   So my advice is for you to ask yourself which tools you would most enjoy using, and then buy them.

   Alan

1. 
   JoeCoty | Mar 27, 2002 05:22am | #5

   Well thanks for the therapy gentlemen, each of you have managed to hit a cord for the dilemma I was trying to express. I too have a romantic notion of bridging the generations of woodworkers before us through traditional tools and methods.

   In addition I feel this furthers separates and identifies my work from mass produced furniture. And perhaps I can strike inspiration in others who view my work as an artistic achievement.

   I am a very patient fellow but a certain measure of efficiency and tangible advantage must exist. I also recognize my analness and don't wish to torture myself perfecting skills that must take time to develop. I am leaning toward the 20" planer, (have a jointer) and a few smoothing planes that were suggested. As my skills refine I can see myself doing more by hand but in the meantime the big planer can bail me out while learning. I've also been intrigued by a drum sander but the fundamental element of sanding seems wrong to the karma of woodworking. I know that sounds crazy...

   Joe