So I’m giving all hand tool woodworking a go. No power tools. No electricity (except for the lights). I’m on my first project and thoroughly enjoying it. All dimensioning so far is being done with panel saws and hand planes. The lumber I’m using is planed one side and straight line ripped. I’m using a #5, 4-1/2 and a 4 to thickness it. They have 25-degree bevels and a polished 30-degree secondary bevel and are kept sharp. My question is how thick a shaving should I shoot for when starting to flatten and thickness the board?
Thanks,
BobE
Replies
I don't know that there is one answer to your question. The answer depends on how sharp your blade is, what type of wood you are planing and how strong and fit you are. If you can push the plane through and don't have an unacceptable amount of tearout then you are fine and can dial up a little thicker shaving until the answer to one of these questions is no then back it off a bit.
I do a lot of hand planning (saving for some machine tools to help me but not quite there yet). For a normal shaving I'm usually around a couple of thou thick. At or under 1 thou (0.001") for the finest shavings. Rarely above 10 thou for the thicker ones. The answer by esch5995 is the best. I'd also watch some of the Paul Sellers YouTube videos on dimensioning rough stock. For the initial rough work, I go across the grain and use a plane with a highly cambered blade (say 8"ish radius). I do also now have a proper scrub plane but haven't used it enough to be able to give advice.
Depending on how much stock you need to remove, a scrub plane might be a better option.
+1 for the scrub plane. I Bought a wooden-body transitional for $12 and opened up the mouth & throat with rasps. With an 8" radius on the iron it gulps wood like it's starving to death.
The edge of a scrub plane ideally has a radius to it so when in use you leave a concave track in the lumber.
This reduces tearout and allows a deeper pass than a straight edge would permit.
Rough plane diagonally or across the grain, not with it.
Numerous books on hand tool woodworking abound and I’d encourage getting one. Many written before the 1980’s, and in some cases before the 1940s may be best.
Mike
At last count I think I've got 5 Stanley #40s. I've used them before. I don't own a jointer and have always flattened one face before using the thickness planer. The boards I am working right now didn't need that. The question never was about how deep a cut I could make or how fast I could flatten a board but just curious what a good size slice might be to some that use hand tools. I've read by some that the most common problem with those learning to use a hand plane is taking too shallow a cut.
Thanks,
BobE
Ah, though I don't measure much these days (I did at first to help learn what you are asking). I'd say I am often around 3 thou thickness as a general guide point.
Thanks for your answer. That's about where I'm at. I can do 4 but 5 is pushing it with the planes I mentioned. I don't even know how you do 10.
BobE
If you have 5 Stanley #40s you have some deep-seated issues that absolutely need attention. Perhaps there is a support group in your area?
I apologize. I miscounted. I actually have 6.
There does seem to be an emphasis on semi-transparent shavings when hand planing. To the detriment of a more practical approach, where the shaving is the appropriate thickness for the work being done. For smoothing, you want that thinnest possible shaving. For jointing an edge, I use a fairly heavy cut if needed, then reduce to a fine (for a medium sprung joint) or very fine (for slightly sprung, as when I'm gluing two table top halves together) shaving. To fully disclose, I have a 24" wide jointer and 26" wide planer, so mostly use those for basic flattening and thicknessing. But there are times when hand tool skills work better. And I use so much figured wood that I routinely use a Stanley #81 or #112 cabinet scraper to do final smoothing. Less worry about a chunk of wood popping out when the grain shifts.
IMHO you are over thinking this! You know how thick you want the board to be, work it to that thickness. Does it really matter how thick each shaving is?
The thicker the shaving the sooner you can get to the desired thickness however as you near that thickness you slow down and take a thinner shaving to achieve a desired finish. At least that's what I think. I know what I do and how I do it, but I have no one else to compare to other than books and the 'net. As I said earlier, I was just curious as to what others are doing. I haven't lost any sleep over it.
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