Just finished going through "Planecraft - hand planing by modern methods", 1950 revised and enlarged edition.
From the standpoint of a beginner, I found it interesting, but little more than that. Less useful than I had expected as far as I'm concerned. Not really an in-depth presentation of handplane working techniques, not a book a beginner would get a lot from, more of a general presentation of the kinds of work to which a plane may be put to, admittedly with some pertaining hints - again, not in depth.
On the other hand, I would think a trained, competent woodworker should probably know enough that he will not need a book such as this.
I wonder what the reason was for its success? There must have been quite a number of readers, judging from the number of reprints and editions. I see that in the preface the authors mention their aim had been "to produce a workshop companion, etc.". To be frank, it actually looks more like a marketing stint for Record planes. Were the authors emplyed by Record?
Sorry if I look a bit of an iconoclast - take it to my being an amateur in every sense of the word - but I really expected quite different.
From the standpoint of a beginner, I found it interesting, but little more than that. Less useful than I had expected as far as I'm concerned. Not really an in-depth presentation of handplane working techniques, not a book a beginner would get a lot from, more of a general presentation of the kinds of work to which a plane may be put to, admittedly with some pertaining hints - again, not in depth.
On the other hand, I would think a trained, competent woodworker should probably know enough that he will not need a book such as this.
I wonder what the reason was for its success? There must have been quite a number of readers, judging from the number of reprints and editions. I see that in the preface the authors mention their aim had been "to produce a workshop companion, etc.". To be frank, it actually looks more like a marketing stint for Record planes. Were the authors emplyed by Record?
Sorry if I look a bit of an iconoclast - take it to my being an amateur in every sense of the word - but I really expected quite different.
