Flattening Stock & Vintage Plane Prices


Al Capwn

Recommended Posts

Picked up a length of aluminum angle iron and just need to chop it in half and add some contrast, and I should be in business.

@Tom King - Ok, good to know. I tend or over-analyze things. I suppose that if you draw two lines, you can determine if there is an error by seeing variance between those two lines. This is what happens when you don't pay attention in math class, you forget basic geometry. ;)

@G S Haydon - Yeah, I am contemplating that. Honestly, running a 48"x8.5"x2" repeatedly over a bench-top jointer is more exhausting than just tossing that same piece on a bench and using the No. 5. Ideally, I'd like to remove the bench-top jointer from my work flow, if possible. The big question is: Do I need a No. 7 if I am using a powered thickness planer? Will the No. 5 get the surface "good enough" to provide a reference surface for the planer?

I currently have no intentions of fully milling stock by hand; P90X Amish Edition is not my goal. However, I have enjoyed using the hand planes to true up a face to send through the thickness planer. I will probably enjoy it more once I have a workbench that is able to properly hold the material.

Ideally, I'd like the following workflow:

  1. Identify twist and high/low spots on the face of a board. Hand plane using the No.5 to eliminate it.
  2. Send it through the planer, cleaning up the opposing face. Flip the board over and use the planer on the original face. At this point, both faces should be flat and parallel to each other.
  3. Either use a hand plane, or table saw jig to joint one edge. Flip the piece and joint the opposing edge with the table saw.

So for step 3, I could see a No. 7 being useful since it will be able to true up long edges. However, since I have other alternatives at the moment, I am not sure if it is a need? However, I was so wrong about the No. 4/5, that I can freely admit I "know nothing John Snow". From what I have read, at least according to Chris Schwarz is that you get it close with the No. 5, plane it completely true with the No. 7, and then finish for ooh/ahh factor with the No. 4. Do others use the No. 7 after running through a powered planer or jointer?

Unrelated: Router plane is such a fun gadget; sure, it isn't as quick as the power tool equivalent, but you can reeeeeaaallly dial things in. Cut some shelf support material and then cleaned up the depth of the rabbets to exact depth. Neato burrito.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Al Capwn said:
  • Identify twist and high/low spots on the face of a board. Hand plane using the No.5 to eliminate it.

In my experience, when jointing with hand planes, working on one side only will only work when you're 100% sure that the opposite side is already flat. Say after an unsuccessful resawing of a flat board.

If that is not true, you will need to hand plane sections on both sides, re-assessing and alternating sides all the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 1/4/2016 at 0:09 PM, Immortan D said:

In my experience, when jointing with hand planes, working on one side only will only work when you're 100% sure that the opposite side is already flat. Say after an unsuccessful resawing of a flat board.

If that is not true, you will need to hand plane sections on both sides, re-assessing and alternating sides all the time.

If this were true, how would you ever flatten rough lumber? You only need the board to sit on your workbench without rocking - then you can flatten the top side.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been reading "The Joiner and Cabinet Maker" (what a great Christmas gift!).  It is an account of how they did things around 1839.  They pretty much do it in the same way I do on one side.  Start with a fore plane (the modern one would be a jack plane, or a #5 Stanley), they then move to a try plane (which would be a jointer or a #7 or #8).  That gets the board flat enough for work.  That is how I do it to prep one side for the planer (though not as well...lol).  I have winding sticks and the edge of the plane makes a good straight edge.  Back then they used wood planes so I put in the (arguably) modern versions.   I have also seen older smoothers (wood body) with the mouth opened up from truing it over and over, have the blade ground with a camber (radius) in it to use as a scrub plane (for really coarse work).  I believe a Fore/Jack plane blade is supposed to be cambered too (I would not call that a rule, more of a common practice) but with a larger radius.  Some just bevel or round the corners of the blade.  

One thing to remember, is if you are putting it through a (thickness) planer, all you need to do is improve the surface to the point that it is OK for that.  You have to take any twist out of it, but when you cut the stock to length, a bit of care can ease that process (I try to make the smallest parts from the "worst" wood).  It only has to be flat enough to be stable while riding over the planer bed, and that is a pretty big surface.  As long as you get any major cupping, bowing and twist out, the surface should (thickness) plane nicely.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.