Hand Plane setup, sharpening & how to plane properly - in person course
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As a site carpenter, i rarely break out a jack plane. I always have one of the block planes near me though. We actually didnt do much with them at colledge ( 24ish years ago ) and as i was day release, most site work was with an electric planer! Ive got a l.n no4, a stanley no4, 2x stanley 5's and they are barely used!
i recommend starting with blockplanes, but get something good to start with ( an older stanley 60 1/2 for instance ) do not buy a new irwin, i can personally attest to them being pathetic out of the box. Mine needed the iron's edge resharpening to make it square, the body casting isnt 100% square and the slot holes in the iron were off centre a few mm, so i had to file out the hole to get it to sit properly in the body. Shocking quality.
Jacob
Pint of bass, porkpie, and packet of crisps please
One good trick for learning to plane is to spend time planing the edges of thin boards , say 6 to 12mm. Need to be firmly held in a vice of course - on a solid bench.
It's much easier for a beginner to get a shaving and you can see how much difference adjustments make, where and how the plane is cutting or not cutting. It's a sort of diagnostic.
When you are in control move on to wider pieces but wind the blade back a touch with each step.
Feel free to drop in here with your planes if you are ever up this way, but not until mid Feb after I've had my op.
It's much easier for a beginner to get a shaving and you can see how much difference adjustments make, where and how the plane is cutting or not cutting. It's a sort of diagnostic.
When you are in control move on to wider pieces but wind the blade back a touch with each step.
Feel free to drop in here with your planes if you are ever up this way, but not until mid Feb after I've had my op.
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Ttrees
Iroko loco!
I get the feeling Artie is using a workmate.
Learning to plane on flat surface is self explanatory, and should one be thinking of doing a course rather than sorting out a reliable surface to plane on sounds a bit counterproductive to me.
That video I linked is probably the best you will find, even though it seems Rob is a little rusty not going from corner to corner straight away to deal with the twist ?
His older publication on the matter is a better watch, put it this way, try finding a better video for nothin.
95 percent of everything else on the tube (regarding planing something not pre machined) has all sorts of bad habits
Two main ones which comes to mind are...
Clamping a board to plane its face side, only necessary if you're Peter Follansbee,
and planing whilst the work is un-supported.
If you were to go by those rules, that would eliminate most of anything which would be misleading for someone who wants to
Maybe it's a matter of teach my why a flat surface is so important?
I'll give it another shot as to why, as I'm back home now.
I'll try and reason why these things mentioned are bothersome, the questions are a bit backwards for me trying to structure a photographical answer.
Hopefully you have a straight edge of some sort, as long as the work is.
I'd like to have the bench/planing beam what have you, this flat.
Then you can utilize the techniques like sighting easily and accurately, and to a finer extent candle the edge with a good lamp behind the work.
(lampshade is 7.5" old school angle poise, seen similar "terital" in ikea for a tenner, but might need a larger shade made for them)
Still not as good, but a good start for now, you need swing to see underneath both sides of the work.
See a good bit of material to be removed from the ends, can't plane into a hollow with a flat handplane, as it's not a belt sander.
Depending how long it takes, or how good/long of a level you might have already,
you will eventually get to the point where you have one reliable surface .
With a pencil gauge, or vernier calipers to find the lowest point,
plane the timber so it's parallel along the length.
Do the same with a second beam, these are parallel in length as to be flipped around
to make sure there is no matching errors.
Now you know you can trust the straight edge/timber beams and dress the benchtop/planing beam flat.
With something flat, techniques like pivoting, knocking, rocking, burnishing or marking using the surface or straight edge.
Charlesworth will show you these if you look
I think it's worth noting that a plane set for a light cut, might not be as light as one thinks it is.
To find out what a smoother should be advanced to, one could try this cheat using graphite, crayon, or even just by rubbing the timber against something flat.
It is self explanatory that the high spots are in contact with the bench,
and the rest of the timber won't sit flat until these areas are removed.
A good lamp makes this simple, beware that those on the bay have very misleading measurements
So hopefully the point has come across that you wouldn't be wanting to be planing very accurately on a surface like the bench below.
Anyone with such a bench with cut marks and chops in it, obviously isn't wanting to do precise work by hand.
A tell tale sign IMO
All the best
Tom
Learning to plane on flat surface is self explanatory, and should one be thinking of doing a course rather than sorting out a reliable surface to plane on sounds a bit counterproductive to me.
That video I linked is probably the best you will find, even though it seems Rob is a little rusty not going from corner to corner straight away to deal with the twist ?
His older publication on the matter is a better watch, put it this way, try finding a better video for nothin.
95 percent of everything else on the tube (regarding planing something not pre machined) has all sorts of bad habits
Two main ones which comes to mind are...
Clamping a board to plane its face side, only necessary if you're Peter Follansbee,
and planing whilst the work is un-supported.
If you were to go by those rules, that would eliminate most of anything which would be misleading for someone who wants to
Maybe it's a matter of teach my why a flat surface is so important?
I'll give it another shot as to why, as I'm back home now.
I'll try and reason why these things mentioned are bothersome, the questions are a bit backwards for me trying to structure a photographical answer.
Hopefully you have a straight edge of some sort, as long as the work is.
I'd like to have the bench/planing beam what have you, this flat.
Then you can utilize the techniques like sighting easily and accurately, and to a finer extent candle the edge with a good lamp behind the work.
(lampshade is 7.5" old school angle poise, seen similar "terital" in ikea for a tenner, but might need a larger shade made for them)
Still not as good, but a good start for now, you need swing to see underneath both sides of the work.
See a good bit of material to be removed from the ends, can't plane into a hollow with a flat handplane, as it's not a belt sander.
Depending how long it takes, or how good/long of a level you might have already,
you will eventually get to the point where you have one reliable surface .
With a pencil gauge, or vernier calipers to find the lowest point,
plane the timber so it's parallel along the length.
Do the same with a second beam, these are parallel in length as to be flipped around
to make sure there is no matching errors.
Now you know you can trust the straight edge/timber beams and dress the benchtop/planing beam flat.
With something flat, techniques like pivoting, knocking, rocking, burnishing or marking using the surface or straight edge.
Charlesworth will show you these if you look
I think it's worth noting that a plane set for a light cut, might not be as light as one thinks it is.
To find out what a smoother should be advanced to, one could try this cheat using graphite, crayon, or even just by rubbing the timber against something flat.
It is self explanatory that the high spots are in contact with the bench,
and the rest of the timber won't sit flat until these areas are removed.
A good lamp makes this simple, beware that those on the bay have very misleading measurements
So hopefully the point has come across that you wouldn't be wanting to be planing very accurately on a surface like the bench below.
Anyone with such a bench with cut marks and chops in it, obviously isn't wanting to do precise work by hand.
A tell tale sign IMO
All the best
Tom
Jameshow
Established Member
Agreed a good solid bench is the companion to effective planecraft....I get the feeling Artie is using a workmate.
Learning to plane on flat surface is self explanatory, and should one be thinking of doing a course rather than sorting out a reliable surface to plane on sounds a bit counterproductive to me.
That video I linked is probably the best you will find, even though it seems Rob is a little rusty not going from corner to corner straight away to deal with the twist ?
His older publication on the matter is a better watch, put it this way, try finding a better video for nothin.
95 percent of everything else on the tube (regarding planing something not pre machined) has all sorts of bad habits
Two main ones which comes to mind are...
Clamping a board to plane its face side, only necessary if you're Peter Follansbee,
and planing whilst the work is un-supported.
If you were to go by those rules, that would eliminate most of anything which would be misleading for someone who wants to
Maybe it's a matter of teach my why a flat surface is so important?
I'll give it another shot as to why, as I'm back home now.
I'll try and reason why these things mentioned are bothersome, the questions are a bit backwards for me trying to structure a photographical answer.
Hopefully you have a straight edge of some sort, as long as the work is.
I'd like to have the bench/planing beam what have you, this flat.
Then you can utilize the techniques like sighting easily and accurately, and to a finer extent candle the edge with a good lamp behind the work.
(lampshade is 7.5" old school angle poise, seen similar "terital" in ikea for a tenner, but might need a larger shade made for them)
Still not as good, but a good start for now, you need swing to see underneath both sides of the work.
See a good bit of material to be removed from the ends, can't plane into a hollow with a flat handplane, as it's not a belt sander.
View attachment 125187
Depending how long it takes, or how good/long of a level you might have already,
you will eventually get to the point where you have one reliable surface .
With a pencil gauge, or vernier calipers to find the lowest point,
plane the timber so it's parallel along the length.
Do the same with a second beam, these are parallel in length as to be flipped around
to make sure there is no matching errors.
Now you know you can trust the straight edge/timber beams and dress the benchtop/planing beam flat.
View attachment 125188
With something flat, techniques like pivoting, knocking, rocking, burnishing or marking using the surface or straight edge.
Charlesworth will show you these if you look
I think it's worth noting that a plane set for a light cut, might not be as light as one thinks it is.
To find out what a smoother should be advanced to, one could try this cheat using graphite, crayon, or even just by rubbing the timber against something flat.
It is self explanatory that the high spots are in contact with the bench,
and the rest of the timber won't sit flat until these areas are removed.
View attachment 125189
A good lamp makes this simple, beware that those on the bay have very misleading measurements
View attachment 125190
So hopefully the point has come across that you wouldn't be wanting to be planing very accurately on a surface like the bench below.
Anyone with such a bench with cut marks and chops in it, obviously isn't wanting to do precise work by hand.
A tell tale sign IMO
All the best
Tom
View attachment 125191
shed9
establiSHED member
All this talk about plane use but the real question is, what is the best way to sharpen a blade?
Discuss......
Discuss......
user 29368
Established Member
- Joined
- 12 Sep 2018
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- 170
Hi.
I have 2 solid, flat benches and a decent record vice.
I have a number 4, 4-1/2, and 5-1/2 planes, all vintage ones. (Hardly use the 4 as its feels too small compared to the 4.5)
I didn't mean for people to spend time preparing detailed replies. But thank you very much to everyone who has responded.
And thanks for the offer of the book, I will make a donation to charity when it arrives.
I will check out the videos and links and information here and look out for a course next year.
I'd be glad to meet up with someone on a Saturday morning for a chat about planes.
But irregardless of that or finding a course I really appreciate everyone's offer of help and information.
Very nice forum to be part of.
I have 2 solid, flat benches and a decent record vice.
I have a number 4, 4-1/2, and 5-1/2 planes, all vintage ones. (Hardly use the 4 as its feels too small compared to the 4.5)
I didn't mean for people to spend time preparing detailed replies. But thank you very much to everyone who has responded.
And thanks for the offer of the book, I will make a donation to charity when it arrives.
I will check out the videos and links and information here and look out for a course next year.
I'd be glad to meet up with someone on a Saturday morning for a chat about planes.
But irregardless of that or finding a course I really appreciate everyone's offer of help and information.
Very nice forum to be part of.
Ttrees
Iroko loco!
Hopefully it's as flat as the work of a jointed edge should be, so you don't have to pick up
a straight edge, which is less than optimal if one only has a trued wooden beam.
If it's laminated timbers of various grain direction and lumps are found,
be it witness marks from burnishing the straight edge, or by graphite stick from an art shop, or dark crayon like in my pic above, sighting and using tips like Charlesworth mentions, will make it a sure way of the path to full length shavings.
David W's videos are worth watching if tearout is concern beyond this, although
I don't think a vice is the best practice for learning how to plane, unless its scrub work down to a line, and you don't have dogs, (presuming you're not learning whils't fixing the doors in the house)
I've been thinking about getting a straight edge, as long jointed timbers get used up.
Thinking of taking a gamble on this one below,
Had a look at this one locally and seemed to be good quality.
Its milled on both edges, seemingly no packaging on the one I saw.
There wasn't a second one there, I might have brought a wee torch and sat two together on a shelf, and done the flip test to see if I could double the error.
There's a bevel on these which is less than ideal, but it seems difficult to find a straight edge of any length with crisp corners.
Faithfull do a plasters level, but not sure how rigid it is
(at this length there is some flexing which is a worry)
Bahco do an aluminium straight edge spirit level, but seems unavailable.
Haven't seen much else which was worth talking about, nothing around this length I've seen with dual milled edges stood out to me, if even exists
(Stabilla seems to have some, but not in this price range)
Edit: I have seen 2000mm ones from the Amaszon website for sixty something,
Looked on the bay also, but couldn't find it as cheap?
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Cabinetman
Established Member
Now that’s the one I use every day, I suggest you give it a try, starting out I think it may help you to get your action right— it’s lighter so it’s more easily controlled, and don’t forget to use a candle, makes a huge difference!
DavidConnelly
Established Member
Jacob
Pint of bass, porkpie, and packet of crisps please
A workmate is hopeless for planing or sawing.
More a case of being firmly held either by a vice or against a stop. If it rocks about a wedge or two may keep it steadier, whatever the surface
yes, better done loose against a stop and well supported
Not really critical. If the board is twisted it isn't going to lie flat anyway
Not necessary. You sight down the length for straightness, but short straight edge across is useful - the edge of the plane will do.
You don't need feeler gauges, vernier calipers, any gadgets at all.
Couldn't really pick my way through the rest of Ttrees post it's too complicated and nothing like planing as I know it!
You could work off that knackered bench if it's solid, if you had to.
You could work off a workmate by clamping in a long timber and bracing it against the wall.
You don't need a long level you do it by sighting.
A flat bench is handy but a twisted timber will rock about - try it first and if necessary put a thin wedge or two under it.
The one big first essential is to cut everything to length according to your cutting list before attempting to plane. Do not fall into the beginners trap of assuming you have to plane your timber and produce PAR just like a timber yard - this is not how you do it and is really difficult.
PS top tip is a squiggle of candle wax. Also good is a pair of winding sticks. Anything will do as long as they are straight and identical.
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I use an Axminster straight edge. A 1 meter steel one, which they used to do. Now they only seem to do aluminum ones. Certified steel straight edges (like Starrett) are not cheap, and aren't needed. To see what that sort of thing costs RS PRO 1m Steel Metric Straight Edge | RS Components .
But the ground edge ally ones like the Veritas ones are pretty darn good, accurate to 75 microns (3 thou) along a 1 metre length.
For edge jointing I use the straight edge along the length and feeler gauges to judge where the board is high and low. And a square to check across the board against a strong light. So I know how much to plane off and where.
A good trick beyond feeler gauges (the practical limit for those is 40um or 1.5 thou) is to use fag paper. I keep a pack of Rizla in the workshop for precisely that reason. That is an astonishingly predictable 20 microns.
But the ground edge ally ones like the Veritas ones are pretty darn good, accurate to 75 microns (3 thou) along a 1 metre length.
For edge jointing I use the straight edge along the length and feeler gauges to judge where the board is high and low. And a square to check across the board against a strong light. So I know how much to plane off and where.
A good trick beyond feeler gauges (the practical limit for those is 40um or 1.5 thou) is to use fag paper. I keep a pack of Rizla in the workshop for precisely that reason. That is an astonishingly predictable 20 microns.
I agree. A heavier plane often feels easier to use as the mass counteracts an over aggressive cut. Using the lighter 4 might well help the OP gain a better understanding of cut depth.
Chrispy
Established Member
You have mail.
bp122
Expert at Jibber-Jabber
Artie
I'm in Haddenham. If you wish I can show you how I have been getting results with my handplanes, both sharpening and setting them up.
I am by no means an expert or as experienced as most on this forum, but I have watched enough videos by various people to have a basic idea.
Point is, if you wish, you can come over to my bomb site, we'll find a 12"x12" space for you to stand on (if you wear size 10 or larger shoes, sorry
) and we can go over some stuff in a couple of hours. (Difficult to commit to more than that in one day because of my baby boy and his endless shenanigans, but we can always do more another day as the journey is very short)
I have a selection of handplanes for you to try as well (metal and wooden, large and small) , you can bring yours, we'll sharpen one from scratch and see how we do.
Offer is open!
Best regards,
Bp
I'm in Haddenham. If you wish I can show you how I have been getting results with my handplanes, both sharpening and setting them up.
I am by no means an expert or as experienced as most on this forum, but I have watched enough videos by various people to have a basic idea.
Point is, if you wish, you can come over to my bomb site, we'll find a 12"x12" space for you to stand on (if you wear size 10 or larger shoes, sorry
) and we can go over some stuff in a couple of hours. (Difficult to commit to more than that in one day because of my baby boy and his endless shenanigans, but we can always do more another day as the journey is very short)I have a selection of handplanes for you to try as well (metal and wooden, large and small) , you can bring yours, we'll sharpen one from scratch and see how we do.
Offer is open!
Best regards,
Bp
shed9
establiSHED member
And do you really need that guard on the table saw if you go that route, I mean really, what use is it?Ok then which is better a track saw or a table saw......!
Bod
Established Member
Here is a very good method of creating straight edges.
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/making-a-wooden-straight-edge.102376/This was written by one of the more highly skilled members here, and is at least a good planing practise exercise.
Bod
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/making-a-wooden-straight-edge.102376/This was written by one of the more highly skilled members here, and is at least a good planing practise exercise.
Bod
https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Bench-Planes-DVD-by-Jim-Kingshott-author/9781565233508
This gentleman is sadly not with us but he taught the apprentices at the Royal Aircraft Establishment RAE, a fascinating man with an incredible knowledge gained through a lifetime in the trade.
I had this video in the 90’s and has to be one of the best things I’ve ever seen regarding woodworking planes.
I’m not sure how it’s aged now that we’re in the YouTube generation, a fascinating man nonetheless.
This gentleman is sadly not with us but he taught the apprentices at the Royal Aircraft Establishment RAE, a fascinating man with an incredible knowledge gained through a lifetime in the trade.
I had this video in the 90’s and has to be one of the best things I’ve ever seen regarding woodworking planes.
I’m not sure how it’s aged now that we’re in the YouTube generation, a fascinating man nonetheless.
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