Using A Hand Plane

[Coop]

I bought a #5 Woodriver and a Stanley block plane because I envied you guys that were creating some neat looking surfaces. I realize that there are better quality out there but I needed to start somewhere.

 

My question is, can someone direct me to a good video or book that can teach me to use these things correctly. I've watched several videos that show guys using planes but all were directed on getting the surface flat and not how to hold it, when to plane straight w/ the grain or when to skew it, etc.

 

My thought was to practice until I was happy. However, an old golfing buddy once told me that bad practice leads to bad play.

 

I have the #5 blade sharpened to where I can get some neat looking shavings and created quiet a pile last night on some cherry scrap pieces. However, after 20 minutes or so, I had more divots and tear out than when I started.

 

I wanta be like Graham

[skiback46]

I haven't seen any videos like the ones you are describing.  But I also haven't really looked.  I had a similar experience starting out.  The key for me was to just keep playing, and keep sharpening.  It's likely that your plane blade could be sharper.  Knowing the grain direction, and reading the grain is a lot more important with planes, than with powertools, so if you get lots of tear out flip the board around, and try from the other way.  A side effect of this is that I find myself paying a lot more attention to the grain direction in pieces, and using the right board in the right spot on the piece.  

 

I know Chris Schwarz had some tips about getting the most from your planes a few years ago, I think on his Popular Woodworking blog.  I bet Shannon has a video out there too.

 

I used to live in Houston.  There is a woodworking club in town (wwch.org), with a hand tool splinter group.  Those guys are pretty knowledgeable and always willing to help people figure out hand tools.  The full club meetings are on the second Saturday (the 8th this month), and the Hand tool group meets on the 4th Thursday, though its probably different this month due to the holiday.  If you go look for Mark B. 

[Coop]

The cherry I was working on, for the most part was straight grain. However, the area with the tear out was figured, so I bet that was my problem. Never thought about it. The blade probably could use some sharpening but I was getting some shavings that looked pretty consistent, but that's a newbie judging! 

 

Thanks for the advice on the club here. Definitely hands own trumps words on paper.

[TerryMcK]

That #5 is a very good plane Ken but is not really a smoother as its sole is longer than a #4. Try taking lighter cuts and wax the sole - often. When you get to difficult grain try planing from the opposite direction just at that point. Alternatively hold the plane skewed at an angle relative to the direction you are planing.

The block plane will be a bevel up plane good on end grain. Again you can play around with it to see which holding orientation works best. Keep them both sharp, primary bevel 25 degrees with a tiny micro bevel anything up to 30 ish and you will be cooking.

Tear out sometimes can't be tamed and a card scraper is your best friend.

[mkirby]

Maybe Graham can do a special request video

 

I learnt by just doing. The hardest thing i found was stopping myself tapering the board. Just make sure when you hit the far end you have all the weight on the back and not the knob. That way you don't end up taking a heavier cut at the end of the board. 

 

Other than that just plane a few boards and you will soon get the hang of it.

[Coop]

Thanks Terry. I have a couple of Stanley 80's that I really like using. I will try one in conjunction w/ the #5. Also, I've seen winding sticks used on longer boards when hand planning. Is something similar used on shorter boards. We're trying to do the same to a board using a plane as using a planer, right? Hope that makes sense?

[Tom King]

A golf swing is much more complicated, with many more important details, than pushing a plane-(USGA +2, and hand plane several hundred square feet of wood a year).  I wouldn't worry about improper practice pushing a plane.  Practice is what finds what works for you.

 

 A 5 is never intended to worry about little bits of tearout.  I wouldn't worry about tuning it not to do so.

[Coop]

Maybe Graham can do a special request video

 

I learnt by just doing. The hardest thing i found was stopping myself tapering the board. Just make sure when you hit the far end you have all the weight on the back and not the knob. That way you don't end up taking a heavier cut at the end of the board. 

 

Other than that just plane a few boards and you will soon get the hang of it.

 

That was one of the things I noticed last night was I found the front had a tendency to want to go down at the end of the board. I guess when I get close to the end, it would be better to push forward and not down.

 

You're right, an instructional video from Graham would be fantastic

 

I would gladly give 4 "likes" for that!

[G S Haydon]

No worries on quality from my point of view Mr Kooper, those tools should be fine. I'd happily do a video of some basics when I have a moment. Just grab some wood and practice planing and edge square and don't stress a bit when it doesn't work. Smooth some boards and just try to work the planes into your routine. Like everything else it's practice, not overthinking, not beating yourself up and having fun. 

 

"I wanta be like Graham  :D" 

[Coop]

Thanks Tom. At least that's encouraging as my golf game sucks

[Coop]

Thanks Graham for the kind words. As I said earlier, I have a pile of cherry shavings. Now some are actually the full width of the blade and super thin, and they're on my bench, and I'm impressed.. looking at them, and my wife comes out and she says, "Oh how pretty (looking at the shavings), you did a good job honey".  She grabs a coke from the fridge and goes back in to watch ... whatever on tv.

 

Now she doesn't know sh*t from Shinola about woodworking and never saw the board I was working on but as goes the story, if the wife is happy, I should be too

 

Back to the work bench. Thanks guys

[Vyrolan]

...my wife comes out and she says, "Oh how pretty (looking at the shavings), you did a good job honey".  She grabs a coke from the fridge and goes back in to watch ... whatever on tv.

 

Now she doesn't know sh*t from Shinola about woodworking and never saw the board I was working on but as goes the story, if the wife is happy, I should be too

 

She probably just figures you're less likely to lose a limb or burn the house down with a hand plane and wants to encourage you. =p

[ChetlovesMer]

The March/April issue of Fine Woodworking has an article called "Plane like a Pro". You may want to check it out.

 

I was looking for an article called "Plane like Graham", but I haven't found it yet.

[Scott Bailey]

this series from FWW isn't bad, it's 8 parts and each vid is about 5 mins.  if you scroll down there are links to all the vids.  seems to be intended for beginners and I found it useful, even though the vids aren't all that long or in-depth.

 

http://www.finewoodworking.com/how-to/video/the-essential-handplanes.aspx

[Coop]

Chet, I have all of the back issues and read them front to back. Guess I need to read back to front as well. Will check it out tonite.  Thanks

 

stb. - these are some neat videos. A couple very helpful! Thanks for the lead!

[G S Haydon]

boom 

that's my style, hit with a claw hammer. Love it!

[G S Haydon]

oh yeah

 

[G S Haydon]

Well, here's how you need to sharpen. Possibly the most enjoyable vids I've seen in some time

 

[G S Haydon]

Ok, off topic but last one, 

 

[Coop]

In the second video, I believe he got shavings on both the push and pull strokes

 

I had to turn my sound up to understand him though.

[Coop]

Well, here's how you need to sharpen. Possibly the most enjoyable vids I've seen in some time

 

 

And I paid extra just to get a quality flattening stone ?

 

These were neat Graham, Thanks

[RichardA]

Mr Haydon.... Those videos, just made my evening... Thank you!   Now I don't feel so primitive !

[snider.mark@gmail.co]

Just a few...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CZUF6UW?pc_redir=1412504496&robot_redir=1

http://youtu.be/Cl5Srx-Ru_U

http://youtu.be/m231_HKCOWs

[Barron]

Sharp blade, chip breaker set close to the edge, mouth opening narrow and a 5 does a good job smoothing. Open the mouth a little more, move the chip breaker back a little and a 5 can operate as a jointer, open the mouth a little more and move the chip breaker back still more and a 5 does a good job flattening a rough board. There is a reason it's called a "jack" plane - its a jack of all trades. Bevel up or down. Speciality planes will do it better, but a 5 is a good all rounder.

There a several good DVDs on the Lie-Nielsen site by Chris Schwartz and David Charelsworth that will help speed the learning curve. I think the Anarchist Tool Chest has some good tips, and anyway it's a great book.

[Coop]

Sharp blade, chip breaker set close to the edge, mouth opening narrow and a 5 does a good job smoothing. Open the mouth a little more, move the chip breaker back a little and a 5 can operate as a jointer, open the mouth a little more and move the chip breaker back still more and a 5 does a good job flattening a rough board. There is a reason it's called a "jack" plane - its a jack of all trades. Bevel up or down. Speciality planes will do it better, but a 5 is a good all rounder.

There a several good DVDs on the Lie-Nielsen site by Chris Schwartz and David Charelsworth that will help speed the learning curve. I think the Anarchist Tool Chest has some good tips, and anyway it's a great book.

Interesting! I didn't know you could reverse the angle. This is definitely a learning curve, non pun intended. I have been reading " The Handplane Book" from Taunton Press but I have learned more here today than the past several nights reading it.

I currently have the bevel down. What will I incur if I flip it?

Oh, and thanks for the other tips regarding the mouth and chip breaker.