Hi. I have to admit that the hand plane to me continues to be a mystery. I can sharpen for sure but when I start to look at the plane and the various parts, there is a part of my brain that is either underdeveloped or is just plane (pardon the pun) stupid. I would like a resource that would start me at about zero and take me through not only what things should be considered in choosing a particular plane but how to maintain and set up a plane for optimal use. Simple things like how big to set the mouth opening, what the frog does etc.
I remember my grandfather sung his planes (and I have some of them) – they always performed well in his hands -like they were extensions of him. I’m not nearly as facile with them and part of it seems to be that I don’t really understand them – sources?
Thanks for your advice
Mark MacLeod
Replies
You might try
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=52763&cat=1,46096,46107&ap=1
Lie Nielsen has several books of note also
http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?grp=1420
and a good starting point with Taunton,
http://store.taunton.com/onlinestore/item/hand-tools-frank-klausz-061043.html
Hope this helps. It's seems more complex than it actually is.
Good luck and thin shavings
BB
Hey thank you! You know I 've been to the LV store alot more than once and I've never seen this book there - thanks for the great advice.mark
Mark,
The best way to learn how to use handplanes is to get with someone who knows. I see you live in London, Ontario. Look around and see how close you can find a woodworker, a woodworkers guild, etc. If that doesn't work, then try a good carpenter. Notice I said "good". He can show you how to set up the plane, what the parts are, how to use it, etc. Then you can learn the fine points of using a plane in "fine woodworking" via reading FWW past issues and thousands of other articles and books and videotapes and DVDs that are out.
On this website, look up "handplanes" and read the past article in FWW. Then try the stuff out.
HAVE FUN.
Mel
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
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Here is what you can do; search all these FWW articles here on this site. That was/is a major source of learning for me. Make notes, get the lingo down. Look at the type of projects and hardness range of wood that you plan to use the planes on and then focus on authors who write specifically about that.
If you can picture the blade as a chisel and the plane body as a thing that keeps the chisel from cutting too deep you got most of what you need to know about how a plane works. The throat opening is not as big a deal as most people make it out to be. There are a few woods, I assume, that need a really tight throat or the wood splits ahead of the blade and you get tear out but I have not run into them. I have spent a lot of time messing with throat openings on tens of different planes. As long as the chip doesn't get jammed (throat too tight) and the opening isn't way open on a finish plane you are ok. The main thing is proper blade configuration for the wood you want to cut and then when you sharpen do not round the faces of the blade that make up those angles. Even microscopically. These are really important works I recommend:
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/ToolGuide/ToolGuidePDF.aspx?id=26901
Talks about blade angles and the frog
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesPDF.aspx?id=2091
Talks about how subtleties in the plane and blade make a difference
Get a sharpening jig, learn how to use it.
Learn to visualize the wood coming off the plank right at the cutting edge.
Be able to SEE THE ACTUAL CUTTING EDGE on a microscopic level. I use jewelers loops, magnification visors and even in the beginning a true microscope to verify that what I wanted at the sharpened edge was what I was getting from my sharpening efforts. Through sloppy sharpening it is too easy to round over an edge or get a wire edge and not hone it off properly; many people wind up breaking it off and thinking they did it right only to find under magnification a jagged, blunt or folded over wire edge.
As I often say, if under magnification you can shave a curl off a single arm hair you are getting close and when a bunch of hair on your arm jumps off your arm and runs away when they see the blade approaching that is sharp enough.
Spend a lot of time with a plane on friendly wood. Take a cut, observe the result, make a tiny change in the blade adjustment, take another cut. Think about what happened when you made the change and why and how. Once you get to where you can get consistent results use the plane to make a project.
Have several blades. You cannot have too many blades.
To learn more get some unfriendly wood that is rowed or tears out or is very hard and start in again, take cuts, observe, make changes, observe, think, look back at your notes. Only at this level you will be making changes in cutting edge geometry based on what you read in the books and magazines.
This is not quick to learn. As Frank Klausz's dad said "In fifteen years or so you will be a pretty good beginner to". Learn to enjoy the research.
Edited 10/1/2008 10:34 pm by roc
Edited 10/2/2008 4:57 am by roc
Edited 10/2/2008 4:58 am by roc
Good luck finding a woodworker's guild in London. The only club I know of there deals with dremelling wooden birds. There's an LV store, but for some inexplicable reason they never give a seminar on using planes. Too busy doing Woodworking for Women, and How to Switch on your First Router ;^)
This weekend the Woodstock Wood Show is on from Friday through Saturday, and LV will be there actually allowing you to handle their planes -- great chance to ask a few questions. Lie Nielsen is usually there too.
There are a number of good woodworkers in the area, including the guy who took third place in the recent FWW contest. More of them hang out at the Canadian Woodworking Forum than here, so that might be the best place to make contacts, if that's what you want to do.
Cheers, Jim
Thanks for the advice - to everyone. Lots to learn, and it sounds like I can develop an approach rather than just pure trial and error.Mark
Hey Mark,
I just rewatched a video that may be just what you are looking for. Check out Jim Kingshot's DVD or VHS called Bench Planes:
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc
In this one he shows close up with teaching aids how a plane blade cuts and why the plane's parts do what they do. Also he takes apart the frog and shows how to adjust it and all about it. Also there is footage of some extremely expensive and precise English planes I have not seen in any other videos
He is an interesting character and a great teacher. I have and recommend all of his videos.
Edited 10/13/2008 5:29 am by roc
Edited 10/13/2008 5:35 am by roc
Mark.. My middle name! ..... So I knows you are good folks!
I can sharpen for sure but when I start to look at the plane and the various parts, there is a part of my brain that is either underdeveloped or is just plane (pardon the pun) stupid.
Hell, I have been stupid all my life.. Never stopped me!
Sharped my blades many times.. Putting them back is a very different story! Sharp edge up OR down?
I'll bet your grandfather knew a lot less about planes than the average tool collector/tuner/fettler who might get one woodworking project built a year if he's lucky.
I'll bet your grandfather knew a lot less about planes than the average tool collector/tuner/fettler who might get one woodworking project built a year if he's lucky.
All I can say to your post is.... YOU are way out of touch of realitly.
My old grandpa kept us little kids with food for many years! He was no jerk...
Far from it. But not close to us for whatever his reasons. I THINK WWI MADE HIM DIFFERENT.
I read it the other way.
I thought that he was poking fun at the group of tool people who can tell you every technical feature of different tools but never seem to have the time to actually work in the shop.
I meant he knew little about the minutiae and everything about actually using one.
Good to see you, Charles. Excellent point.
Thanks everyone for your input. I've been in Newfoundland for a week at a cottage - and have been very unplugged - no phone, email, cell etc. I had a chance to read both the Handplane and Working with Handplane books - I took a plane along with me (the baggage handler folks may have done double take). I'm still away from my shop but I think I have a much better idea of how that tool works and why it works so much better when it is set up properly. Great advice from all of you.I have great memories of my grandfather's work. His tools were pretty simple - I am fortunate to have a few of them. But for having few tools didn't limit him very much it seemed. My only regret is that by the time I had a real interest in his work, he was too ill to teach me much. But I did learn a few things that I may never need to do but am happy to know - how to put a metal rim on a wagon wheel, how to set up a spindle a belt system in the shop (the blacksmith shop is on my parents farm as well). How to cut a beam with an adze and how to use a shingle horse (that's what he called it anyways). Good memories.
I find Paul Sellers videos and writings to be quite instructive. This guy could probably hand plane any wood blindfolded, relying only on the sound and touch....
Thank you very much for sharing the information.
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