My First Plane

[PeteG]

I've bought my first plane, a Quangsheng No5...Not that I know much about planes, but this one is beautiful, and it's mine
I couldn't get a straight edge on the draw sides that are all glued up and waiting to go through the router, so I thought I'd best get a plane and make a shooting board, which is almost ready.
I'd also like to thank Mathew at Workshopheaven, who even sharpened the blade up before sending, as that's something else I have yet to learn.
Apologies for the piccy looking a little clinical, I didn't have any nice hardwoods to use in the image or a proper looking workbench

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

For a first plane, you couldn't do much better. Good choice--enjoy.

Mike.

 

[PeteG]

Thanks Mike. I'd been avoiding hand tools for probably to long, so hoping this is the only plane I'll need, for the moment anyway, but then you never know.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I hope it serves you well - it's just cost you more than my No's 3, 4, 4 1/2, 5, 5 1/2, 6, 7 and 8 cost put together.

 

[Rhossydd]

I'd been avoiding hand tools for probably to long, so hoping this is the only plane I'll need,

It won't be.
I'm no 'hand tools only' purist and have a selection of all the major machines, but I really struggle to see how anyone can avoid using hand tools completely. A 5 is a good all round starter, but I find I'm regularly using a 7, block plane and bull nose for cleaning up and preparing machined timber for further work.
There's also a wonderful elegance in using a woodie you've made yourself. I made a Krenov style one earlier this year with a Hock blade just for fun, but I find I'm using it more and more and it's capable of really fine results.

 

[Self Taught]

PeteG,

Good looking plane, best of luck on your hand tool journey. Jamey

 

[PeteG]

I hope it serves you well - it's just cost you more than my No's 3, 4, 4 1/2, 5, 5 1/2, 6, 7 and 8 cost put together.

That may be Sir. But mine was forged by the God Quang in the ancient Sheng mountains, it's soul polished with the tears of virgins who wept with joy and....

I'd been avoiding hand tools for probably to long, so hoping this is the only plane I'll need,

It won't be.
I'm no 'hand tools only' purist and have a selection of all the major machines, but I really struggle to see how anyone can avoid using hand tools completely. A 5 is a good all round starter, but I find I'm regularly using a 7, block plane and bull nose for cleaning up and preparing machined timber for further work.
There's also a wonderful elegance in using a woodie you've made yourself. I made a Krenov style one earlier this year with a Hock blade just for fun, but I find I'm using it more and more and it's capable of really fine results.

It's been a slow learning process for me Rhoss, even down to a couple of the chaps last week pointing out that PAR wasn't to be taken for granted as being flat, square or straight. I couldn't imagine making my own plane at this stage, not one that works anyway. But I can imagine it would be a fantastic.

PeteG,

Good looking plane, best of luck on your hand tool journey. Jamey

Thanks Jamey First test run will be this afternoon on the aforementioned redwood drawer, which I will complete this week if it's the last thing I do.

 

[Fatboy]

I bought one of these from WH about a month ago, great plane. I'm sure you'll enjoy it

 

[John15]

Good luck Pete with your new plane. Mine are old Stanley and Record, not in the same league as Quangsheng.

Cheers,

John

 

[PeteG]

I bought one of these from WH about a month ago, great plane. I'm sure you'll enjoy it

Good luck Pete with your new plane. Mine are old Stanley and Record, not in the same league as Quangsheng.

Cheers,

John

Appreciate the comments John and Fatboy I spent a couple of hours yesterday squaring the sides, and then decided to flatten a spare drawer side that I made in error! Great fun,
even worked up a sweat at one point. I spent hours last week trying to get nice square sides, and was surprised how easy it was using the shooting board and plane. As you can see
in the image these don't have perfectly flat faces [hopes that's right saying faces] just a little unsure whether I'll get them all the same thickness. I'll see how I get on.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

You know you should alternate the grain of the boards, really?

 

[PeteG]

You know you should alternate the grain of the boards, really?

Hello Phil. Apologies for the late reply It wasn't something I was aware of really, is it a big enough of a mistake that it will affect the drawer?

 

[rafezetter]

If those sections are for the drawers sides then yes it will. The grain directions of both sections that have been glued with grain direction facing the same way (think of it as a flattened "M") means there is a far greater probability of the sides cupping, even if the ends are firmly fixed with finger / dovetail joints. I have an old set of drawers, cheap pine 1940's, I've been working on and the ends are squarish but the centres of the very deep drawers, about 10" are cupped inwards on 2 of them as they are made from single wide boards and the grain is the same as yours shown there (called flatsawn) around 5mm off true.

Although yours are in 2 sections the same propensity for cupping will apply as they are both in the same direction.

The way to reduce this is to resaw them, if you have the size tolerance as I notice you've T&G glued them, and re do with one up and one down so flattened n & u.

It depends on what the project is for really. But if you plan on having the drawer sides close to the inside of the housing, only a few mm - at some point in the future someone is likely going to be cursing whomever made this darned thing with always sticking drawers #-o :wink:

If you don't want all that palaver and it's not an important piece, I'd make the drawers a bit smaller and use metal runners or something with a bit of give.

nice planing tho!

 

[PeteG]

I really appreciate the explanation Rafezetter, now it makes sense! It's turning out to be a real exercise working with solid wood instead of sheet material, but still one I'm enjoying, even if it's another batch
of timber I've buggered up (hammer) I'll have to start paying attention to the thought process in future and start working from some sort of plan or list, instead of going in blind!
The drawer is for the base of my work bench, and it'll be on drawer runners. This one is the largest of five, the other four having been made from 18 mm plywood. I'm now at the end of the third week making this
one drawer out of pine/solid wood, I had the other four made over a couple of days using ply and pocket holes. Still, back to the drawing board as they say God help me when I start having a go at dovetails! #-o

 

[Corneel]

Personally I wouldn't fret too much about those boards. Yes they may cup a bit more then if you alternate the grow rings, but also in that case they will cup. And a wavy surface isn't neccessarily better then one large cup. The construction will have an easier time to keep the long cup flat(tish) then the shorter waves. More important is working with well aclimatised wood and making sure that you have even mositure conditions on both sides of the board and that you construction alows for movement of the wood in the width. For a drawer side it might be better to choose quarter to rift sawn material.

A real life example of this alternating grain direction is the old table top I had stored in the garage. Despite the alternating grain patern, it still developed one large cup across the width. Probably because it was leaning against the wall and one side got a little wetter then the other side.

http://seekelot.blogspot.nl/2014/07/grain-orientation-in-panel-glue-ups.html

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

I would tend to agree with Corneel. Use the boards with the sap side out, and make sure the joinery holding the sides to the front and back is extra sound at the edges. In other words, if dovetailing, space them so there are more dovetails at the edges, where the tendancy will be for the joinery to let go with the cupping.

A bit like this:

Rather than this:

Mike

 

[wizard]

thats nothing i bought this today for £2.00

 

[PeteG]

Appreciate the help Mike and Kees. Moisture shouldn't be a problem, and the drawer won't be enclosed, an image once complete will explain better than words. Construction wise, I'll be using a drawer lock cutter on the router table.

thats nothing i bought this today for £2.00

I wouldn't know where to start Wizard. I hope you're going to do a step by step with lots of images!

 

[bugbear]

I wouldn't know where to start Wizard. I hope you're going to do a step by step with lots of images!

Disassemble. Remove rust. Sharpen. Reassemble. Simples!

BugBear

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

If using a drawer lock cutter, perhaps put a fluted dowel in, at the top and bottom corners, to help it resist the cupping.

Mike.