Teach me to hand plane? please!

[ajbell]

Hi All

Is there anyone in Worcs. (or close) willing to teach me
how to use a hand plane to prepare square stock?

Having spent many happy days in my workshop producing
shavings and skewed edges it is time to learn
how to do it properly.

I could try to learn from a book / dvd etc. but think it is best
to learn directly from an experienced other.

I am happy to give suitable renumeration.

Any takers?

AndyB

 

[Anonymous]

Try David Charlesworth's video. It is excellent, set at a level low enough for absolute begineers and will teach you how to plane very accurately

Review here

Have fun

 

[Scott]

Try David Charlesworth's video. It is excellent, set at a level low enough for absolute begineers and will teach you how to plane very accurately

I'll second that! As good as having someone show you

Cheers

 

[ByronBlack]

If there's no members close by who can help you out. I can definitly recommend the course run by Bruce Luckhurst, and I believe David Charlesworths' course are also very highly rated - can't get many better tutors in my humble opinion.

 

[ajbell]

Hi All

Thanks for the reply.

I had thought about DCs dvd - I have read Alf's report and thought maybe I am still below that level. I have the Rob Cosman one on sharpening and planes but it does not gave any real detail on techniques -maybe I need the "Rough to Ready" dvd

I would LOVE to go on a course and have checked out a few prices so may have to start saving.

From other discussions it seems that the Jim Kingshott videos are well recommended (all I need to do now is to track one down and a video player!)

 

[David C]

Ajbell,

I don't think my DVD is too advanced for anyone!

The principles of planing are perfectly simple and logical, once you have been shown.

Most craftsmen take their skills for granted and do not explain every detail. This is what I specialize in, having taught beginners for nearly 30 years

The use of slightly curved blade is subtle but hardly rocket science.

best wishes,
David Charlesworth

 

[ajbell]

David

Thanks for the reply.

I will consider your DVD - I probably need hand tools
part 1 and 2.

I was looking at the courses on your site - any dates
yet for summer 2007?

AndyB

 

[garywayne]

ajbell.

I know exactly how you feel. I am an absolute beginner, have been for a couple of years now, but with no facilities, getting nowhere fast.

I was loaned David Charlesworth's videos last year and found them extremely helpful. If I had the money I would definitely buy them. At this moment I have Davids first book from the library which tells you how to sharpen your plane, and size your stock by hand. I would recommend that you go to your local library and withdraw this book:-

"Furniture-making techniques" by David Charlesworth.

I hope this is of some help.

Sorry for rambling, don't get out much.

 

[David C]

Short course dates for spring/summer 07 will be posted soon.

Hopefully before end of the month.

David Charlesworth

 

[ajbell]

Gary

Thanks for the advice on the book.

It can get frustrating.
There is not much you can build if you can't square a edge!

AndyB

 

[bugbear]

Hi All


I could try to learn from a book / dvd etc. but think it is best
to learn directly from an experienced other.


AndyB

Robert Wearing's "the essential woodworker" is excellent in this regard.

It presents theory, practise, and (finally) demonstration projects in a similar way to a class.

Widely available, new, second hand or at libraries.

BugBear

 

[ByronBlack]

In terms of good info, I can recommend the Collins Encyclopedia of Woodworking. It will show you the very basics, and if I remember, there was a section on how to make and use a shooting board, which will help you get a square edge - when I first learned that and how to sharpen and use a plane, it was like a reveleation!

 

[spadge]

Hi All,

I'm a newbe to this forum (but a hobby woodworker for 10+ years) and in my view you need to make sure that your handplane is working correctly (flat sole and sharp blade) and that you have a solid flat bench to work on before you can hope to plane flat and square.
Get that right and the rest should follow provided you think about what you trying to achieve. It's no good just taking an extra shaving for good luck! You need to know exactly what you are trying to achieve with each stroke of the plane.
It's also much easier if you start with fairly flat wood in the first place so if you have badly cupped boards think about ripping them down the middle before you start and badly twisted boards can be cut into shorter lengths (provided you can get the length of the finished piece out of them).

Keep practicing and good luck.

 

[ajbell]

All

Thanks for all the advice - I have enough leads now
in terms of videos and books.

I now know that my vise faces are not parallel to the vertical so have starting planing against a stop. (need to check the flatness of my B&Q
worktop bench next!)

Also have to put more thought into the setup of my plane as suggested.
I know it is sharp (Thanks Philly for the instruction!) but not sure of
anything else!

Happy shavings!

AndyB

 

[Paul Chapman]

I now know that my vise faces are not parallel to the vertical so have starting planing against a stop. (need to check the flatness of my B&Q
worktop bench next!)

Hi Andy,

If you mean that when you close the vice the jaws meet at the top first, they are designed to work like this. On standard Record-type vices the jaws are made so that they toe in slightly at the top. But in any event, when planing long lengths of timber you are better off doing this on the bench top against a stop :wink:

Paul

 

[ajbell]

Hi Paul

When I clamp something in my vice (hopefully wood and not something painfull!) The face of the wood is not in a vertical plane and hence
if I was to plane the top edge horizontal then the planed edge would not be 90 degrees to the face.

Maybe this is not an issue as you should be planing relative to the face of the stock material and not to horizontal or vertical?

Probably my lack of knowledge is at fault.

Also, if the edge is not 90 to the face do I simply tilt the plane slightly to make the required adjustments?

This causes me real problems trying to plane down to a gauge line and usually ends with a piece of wood 50% smaller than I want it to be and still not square!

 

[ByronBlack]

ajbel

One of correcting that on the board, is as long as it's small enough, you could use a shooting board, correctly setup this will give you a perfect 90 degree edge.

The other thing you could do if your jointing edges is to make a fence for your plane so that it keeps your plane at 90 - I beleive veritas do a fence for its jointer, maybe you could do something similar.

This is all of course that you can't get your vise straight or if you do and still have problems.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Hi Andy,

If you are trying to square up a piece of wood, I would suggest that you are better off doing this on the bench top rather than in a vice. That way you can hold the plane so that the fingers of your left hand (assuming you are right-handed) can act as a fence on the side of the wood. That will help you to control the plane better. If you have trouble planing against a stop, with the wood moving about, you can clamp it at both ends with something like the Veritas wonder pups and dogs - see here http://www.brimarc.com/home.php3?page=p ... c=C_106_14
Only clamp the wood lightly so as not to distort it.

Use a straight edge (a 24" metal rule would do) to check whether the wood is straight in its length. If it's not, mark the wood where the high spots are with a soft pencil. Plane the high spots away - keep checking and marking with the pencil until you get there.

You also need to plane flat across the width. What you need to watch for is whether the wood has any wind (or is twisted). You can check this with a pair of winding sticks. Get two bits of wood about a foot long x 3/4" x 1" (dimensions not critical). Lay these on the wood one at each end and sight along them - they will emphasise (because of their length) whether the wood is twisted. If they are, as before mark the high spots with your pencil and plane them away.

That will deal with one face of the wood. Have a go at that and see how you get on.

One thing I find helpful with all this is to plane slowly and keep your eye on the mouth of the plane. That way you can see where the blade is taking the shavings off and make adjustments as necessary.

Hope this helps - let's know how you get on :wink:

If all else fails, get hold of David Charlesworth's DVD. It really is good :wink:

Paul

 

[Anonymous]

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[ajbell]

Paul , BB and Mr. G

Thanks for your help.

I had seen the fence attachments but don't think I can use one on my
#5 stanley, but anything is possible with a bit of lateral thinking.

Also, I am not using winding sticks - so I will try this out.

Getting a straight cut along the length of the edge seems OK it
is across the thickness which gives me problems.

More practice required.

Thanks

AndyB