Replies

1. 
   cutoffcollector | Dec 30, 2003 07:08pm | #1

   Spitfire,

   I would suggest that you purchase the following book:

   The Handplane Book, by Garrett Hack, published by the Taunton Press who also publish Fine Woodworking.

   Read up on the basics of understanding and using handplanes and then purchase a couple of pieces of soft pine (maybe a 2x4) cut some pieces where the grain is relatively straight and visible, mount one in your vise and "have at it". Your previous experience with your block plane should also be helpful. Graduate from pine to denser woods and squirrly grains as your skill improves.

   Good luck, Jon

2. 
   bopbop | Dec 30, 2003 07:11pm | #2

   spitfire

   boy am I happy for you (the Lie Nielson)

   I am currently taking a ww class and the instructor is teaching me to use planes and I am working with the LN #4. What a great tool. Wish you were closer to where I live (I drive 50 miles each way) you would love this class.

   Don't be afraid to use it some, I wouldnt try the sharpen it, but use it until you can get into a class. I hope to someday to own some LNs.

   Bopbop

1. 
   BG | Dec 30, 2003 07:29pm | #3

   Spit,

   I just ordered a workshop catalogue from N. Bennet St. School.  My guess is they may be running some stuff at the Springfield WWorking show in a couple of weeks at the States Exposition.  Anyhow, I believe they also run workshops in the Northend also.

   As you know Woodcraft is a great resource, there is also a 'General' distributor either on the south shore or just across the line in RI.....don't know their name but shouldn't be too hard to find out...they may offer classes too.

     

3. 
   EdHarrow | Dec 30, 2003 09:02pm | #4

   IYRS, in Newport, RI is a school dedicated to teaching the skills required to build/repair wooden boats.  They have periodic short courses (hours to multi eve) that delve into various subsets of skills.  I forget their website address - http://www.iyrs.com or .org, tho they just received all kinds of acredidation, so maybe now .edu, but I don't think so.

1. 
   jackplane | Dec 30, 2003 09:21pm | #5

   You could also buy or rent a video on handplaning from Taunton or Rodale.

   Most planes are never sharp,straight from the box,so you'll need to learn to tune it before you get to work.

4. 
   Midnight | Dec 30, 2003 10:37pm | #6

   Spitfire...

   Straight outa the box, your L-N should be ready to kick some serious butt.... at best, all you'll need to do is check that the frog position is fine, that all the screws that should be tight are tight, check the set of the chip breaker, and have at it. The new spec L-N blades hold an edge tighter than a Scot holds his loose change... it'll be ages before you need to re-sharpen it. However, what you will need to do sooner or later is hone the blade (its like sharpening only less effort involved). Buy some good stones (either oil or water) and a good honing guide; I can thoroughly recommend the Veritas... but there are others available.

   As for how to do it...I found this a great help..

   http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/wvt049.asp

   Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

5. 
   rod | Dec 31, 2003 04:56am | #7

   Robert Wearing put the following exercise in one of his books:  take a 3 by 14 by 3/4 inch board in a vice, with a pencil make a mark down the middle of the board in the 14 inch direction.   Set your plane to make a thin cut and plane off the pencil mark completely in one stroke.  Repeat until you can clean off ten pencil marks in a row  without leaving one.  This teaches you how to set the plane on the work, use most of the force on the front knob at the start of the stroke and shift it to the tote as you complete the stroke.   From experience, it is frustrating at the first.  It really helped my planing.  He says later on to shift to a 4 inch wide board and make three pencil marks and repeat to get them off in two strokes.   He shows in his book how to place your feet and arms to best effect.   His book "Hand Tools for Woodworkers" has some of this.  I prefer another of his books, but have forgotten the name.   I got this one over the internet used for under 10 dollars.

   Rod