Whats the largest bits of wood you've hand planed?

[condeesteso]

Derek - respect!! - that, I like. Came out looking really good. I have a 16" x 2" x 9 foot ash board, set to be a centre in a tabletop - I have no choice other than get the planes out and sort it. Kind of looking forward to it, but I may be a bit strange. As for the original post, I really think that it can be as fast to do it the hand way... unless you are into mass production. Enjoy it! (but hone those blades first).
And something I picked up: cheap good winding sticks - get a length of 1 x 1 ali extrusion (right-angle) and cut 2 off 18" - 24" lengths - cheap, quick, very effective.

 

[jimi43]

DADDY!!!

:mrgreen:

Jim

 

[Niles Crane]

I've done four pieces of Ash: two are 2"x8"x6', two are 2"x8"x7', they were originally two planks of 2x10x very long.
Pretty much did the same as Derek. Used a number 3 with a rounded blade as a scrub plane, a number five then a number 6 (because I don't have a 7). Actually did a lot of the final finishing the face using the number 5 with a Ray Illes blade as anything else resulted in tear out.
I didn't really use wind sticks, I've a long piece of some sort of wood/ plastic conglomerate that I use as a straight edge. I found checking the diagonals across the face of the plank showed twist pretty well, reversing the edge for belt and braces. Paper or gauges to check the gap.
As it's a public, nice forum, I'll just say that it was less than pleasant job that took a long time. If you've access to a thicknesser use it. A long mahogany plank 1"x10"x8' was a breeze in comparison.


John

 

[bosshogg]

One thing I do that may be helpful. When I'm surfacing a piece of wood with my hand planes, I rely on the flatness of my bench, when I'm getting down to visually flat by sight/winding sticks, strait edges etc. I turn the plank over first pushing one end down, then the other, watching for any rock. Following this I do the same with the diagonals, if one set remain rock steady, they are the high ones, if one set moves they are the low ones. Planing the high diagonals from corner to corner,always checking with a straightedge, the test eventually shows all corners in unison and the plank is flat...bosshogg

No man is an island (hammer)

 

[Sawyer]

Can't top that, James, but I have done a couple of 10"x10" beams, about 10' long - so still quite big. I had to do them on the ground, rolling them over to do the next face, as I couldn't lift them (is that a bit weedy of me?!).

I've also done some pretty large table tops, Elizabethan style, with breadboard ends, about 10' x 3'. Also a struggle to lift. No sandpaper: those subtle plane marks are very period and look lovely under the polish.

 

[soulboy]

Hi Lupton, wondered how you are getting on with planning your oak, if its a big problem I can offer the use of my P/Thicknesser?
I don't live too far from Ringwood, PM me if you're interested. chris

 

[gavgoodair]

Right guys,
I’ll start off by apologising if i have put this post in the wrong place, it’s a first time posting anything on the net for me.

I’ve got myself in to a bit of a pickle regarding an oak table top.

The top itself is 5’ by 3’ ish and made from 11, 5 ½” wide boards running transverse across the table.

My problem is flattening and smoothing the top by hand. I’ve already done one side using planes and scrapers but because the grain is all over the place in different directions, sometimes within the same board, it’s a bit of a pain. Just as I think I’m getting there the plane will dig in a rip up a chunk of the grain and then it’s back to square one. I don’t want to go any further now as I’m creating more and more work for myself.

So, without the use of a drum sander or a low angle plane could someone please give me some tips as to how they would go about it?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Tom K]

Big belt sander and you would be better to start your own thread.

BTW Welcome to the forum