How-To
How to Get a New Handplane Ready for Work
From Fine Woodworking Live 2017: A new, high-quality handplane is a great addition to your shop, but no matter how much you pay, it won’t be ready to work right out of the box.
A new, high-quality handplane is a great addition to your shop, but no matter how much you pay, it won’t be ready to work right out of the box. In his Fine Woodworking Live class, Michael Pekovich demonstrated his simple and quick method for getting a new plane up and running. He also included an overview on how a plane works, as well as a sharpening routine that you can put to use on any plane.
More on FineWoodworking.com
- Video Workshop: The Fundamentals of Handplanes with Mike Pekovich
- Get Sharp-Fast – Lie-Nielsen’s sharpening expert shares a surefire method for getting a keen edge every time
- The Essential Handplanes – In the first of our 8-question series on handplanes, Phil Lowe discusses the basic planes for any shop
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Comments
Wow this is a great session that covers a lot of ground. Makes me want to attend FWW Live someday.
Superb! Most people will know some of this already but equally, there's something new for everyone. More like this, please.
Nice instruction video. However, almost regardless of what plane you buy, the sole is never as flat as it can be. I always spend a few hours to flatten the sole and then smooth the throat to make it hum and to really make it mine. I also sharpen the chip breaker to be smooth on the exterior and hapless joining to the blade which make the shavings float off the breaker. Once done, it lasts a very long time and gives the plane that slight but noticeable performance improvement and a real sweet feel.
I recently did the same speed square addition to my shooting board. I have a sanding block I can use as well as a plane. No tear out, especially with mitres on delicate mouldings.
I would have checked the side of the plane was square to the sole, and I would run the plane on it’s full width for stability.
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