I am trying to better understand hand planes and how to effectively utilize them in my shop. I have read about and used the techniques for properly tuning a hand plane. But now I have questions about using them. In attempting to joint a board by hand, how much will the tool “guide” itself? In other words, can a well-tuned hand plane with a properly sharpened blade make several passes over a “wavy” board and eliminate the high points on its own? Or do I have to continually intervene to identify with a straight edge where I need to plane?
Sorry the “novice” questions.
“100 Years” — scribbled on the wall by a woodworker to remind him to do his best and as a warranty on his work — “If anything I make fails in the first hundred years, bring it back, and I’ll take care of it. After that, there will be a small charge. (Original purchaser only)”
Edited 11/4/2005 12:38 pm by zombeerose
Replies
It depends upon how long the plane's sole is. A short sole will have room to follow the peaks and valleys. A long plane will bridge the high spots and bring them down to the low spot levels.
Even I understood your post! I use my old wooden LONGGGGGG bed plane..
Then move on to something shorter... Sometimes I take it to a PRO and PAY to have it done right...
The ability to true an edge with a handplane, even a great one, improves with practice. It's not like running a long-bed jointer. There is "art" in the process that involves some subtle weight shifts as you move from the starting point to the end point on the board, all the while keeping the plane square to the face. However, the good news is -- the practice is FUN!
Mike Hennessy
Mike is right. At the start of the board you want more weight on the toe of the plane and less on the back. Even pressure during the main part of the cut, and as your plane starts to leave on the other end you want to weight to shift to the back.
Yes, a properly tuned $25.00 hand plane ( make one out of wood yourself)
with a properly sharpened blade (make several passes over a "wavy
board " and eliminate the high points .)
Yes in "properly tuned "Hands" and with "properly technic" learned after 3- 6 years will thru the board.
Not many shops had a straight edge 70 years ago.
And not many planes where sold at $600.00 - 700.00.
Hilmar
Edited 11/4/2005 10:16 pm ET by h12721
"not many shops had a straight edge 70 years ago." You are kidding, right? I can show you eighteenth century straight edges. A good instructor can get get a beginner flattening wood competently with a well fettled hand plane in a couple of sessions. More if he needs to teach how to work with hard to plane woods. But someone who takes 3 years to learn to face joint a board is pretty dense. And it 6 years an apprentice would be a journeyman able to build fine furniture from start to finish, with perhaps a bit of supervision here or there.
Edited 11/4/2005 11:04 pm ET by SteveSchoene
"not many shops had a straight edge 70 years ago."
< I can show you eighteenth century straight edges. >
I did not say "There where no straight edges"
3 - 6 Months not years, it should read. This is my mistake some times typing and thinking conflicts and the finger get away from you.
< in a couple of sessions > In quit a few couple of sessions to get proficient.
<Or do I have to continually intervene to identify with a straight edge where I need to plane?>
Not if you good at it, see above. Practice, practice, practice,more then a couple of sessions
Edited 11/5/2005 1:10 pm ET by h12721
It takes practice to be able to joint boards by hand. A well tuned plane is, of course, is preffered.
It frustrates me no end trying to do this with the board clamped vertically and the plane used horizontally. I am much more a fan of using a shooting board where the board is flat and the plane rides on its edge. It's tough to do this with long stock, but rarely do you need long stock building furniture. I find I have WAY more control over what I'm doing this way.
-Paul
Yes, that is of benefit, particularly when the issue is creating a perfectly square edge. Its a good practice.
Personally, for edge joining I often attach a fence to my Stanley 607. It helps maintain the square edge, but also allows a good feel of the stroke. Just a few passes with the plane, on an edge jointed with a power planer makes a significant difference in getting the glue line to be totally invisible.
Steve,
I try to alternate - face side up/ face side down- to get complimentary angles at the joint. This makes having everything at a perfect 90' irrelevant. Of course, at times, easier said than done. I use my old #5 to shoot edges, using more pressure at the middle than the ends to create a slight hollow so I can "spring " the joint together.
What a huge difference a hand planed edge makes, glue lines- bye-bye.
-Paul
You will be amazed how well a hand plane will do just exactly what it is designed to do when it is well sharpened and the mouth is kept small.
Eliminating those high spots is the easiest thing a plane will do.
We are all novices. Those pieces of wood spent hundreds and maybe thousands of years acquiring their traits, and we come along in part of a life time and attempt to get them to conform to our will, just knowing they will never for an instant abandon their own.
Go play with it.
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