Can anybody help?

[user 21737]

Hello,

I've been a lurker here for a while but haven't really ever commented much before. So hello!

But, my main point. I was wondering if there were anybody in the South West (Bristol or Weston-super-Mare preferably) who could spare an hour or two on an evening to help me learn to plane a piece of wood four square. I've been wanting to build things for a while but always fail at the first step of getting the wood flat and square and this really frustrates me. I've been trying to build a little box for my dads fathers day present (a razor).

I've watched video after video on YouTube but I thought that having someone physically show me what I'm doing wrong etc. would be the best bet.

I have some tools which were my gramps, that I would bring along and obviously supply the wood.

What you do you get out of it, you may ask. How does some biscuits and a tenner or two sound?

Anyway, if anyone can help or has any ideas for me that would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

If this is against the rules or anything, delete away!

 

[MattR]

Can't really help as when I try to turn a piece of wood flat I end up with a big pile of wood shavings more often than not :-$

However I have had a few sucesses, and the keys for me were;

1) Bolting my workbench to a solid structure so I knew my wood was static and I wasn't going to be chasing it round the garage.
2) Sharpening the planes I had to the best of my ability, (and keeping them sharp)
3) Patience and good light, so when I am looking to see if the wood is true or not, I am not squinting or guessing.

Not much, but I hope it helps a little.

 

[Alexam]

Hi Myke,

if you study these two video's you shoiuld have a better idea how to do this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl5Srx-Ru_U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJfD0-fFAzI

Alex

 

[Adam9453]

I'm afraid i'm too far away to come and show you how to do it but I'd suggest you take the pressure off yourself by buying some timber for this project already planed square (ask for PAR) to the dimensions you require so you can at least get on with making the project for your dads present.

The next step would be to look up woodworking courses in your area to see if they offer something suitable at a not too extortionate price. It may be worth giving them a ring to explain what you are trying to achieve and i would expect they can recommend a course they offer or perhaps give you a one off private lesson to teach you the tricks of planing by hand.

Its also worth remembering there is more than one way to square up timber (depending on its dimensions), you could cut it square using a table saw and sand out the saw marks if you struggle with the plane.

Suffice to say, most hand tool work just requires a lot of practice and eventually you get the knack of it, although it can be expedited by someone telling you what you are doing wrong (as you suggest).

 

[Zeddedhed]

Mike, I'm too far away to be of any practical use but I would add the following:

In my experience the two single most important factors when it comes to successful planing are -
1. Sharpness of the plane iron.
2. Good work holding. The wood needs to be VERY FIRMLY HELD. So it move your bench before moving itself.

The next two most important things -
See 1 & 2 above.

Also, don't try to take off more than a very thin shaving at a time.

HTH

 

[dzj]

Yes, all that is mentioned above and also choose your wood wisely (straight grain, no knots).

 

[BearTricks]

As someone who spent weeks wondering why I was getting tearout rather than shavings - don't use ash.

 

[user 21737]

Thanks for all your help guys. I've had one very kind offer which I may take up. I guess practice makes perfect!

 

[user 21737]

I'm afraid i'm too far away to come and show you how to do it but I'd suggest you take the pressure off yourself by buying some timber for this project already planed square (ask for PAR) to the dimensions you require so you can at least get on with making the project for your dads present.

The next step would be to look up woodworking courses in your area to see if they offer something suitable at a not too extortionate price. It may be worth giving them a ring to explain what you are trying to achieve and i would expect they can recommend a course they offer or perhaps give you a one off private lesson to teach you the tricks of planing by hand.

Its also worth remembering there is more than one way to square up timber (depending on its dimensions), you could cut it square using a table saw and sand out the saw marks if you struggle with the plane.

Suffice to say, most hand tool work just requires a lot of practice and eventually you get the knack of it, although it can be expedited by someone telling you what you are doing wrong (as you suggest).

That's not a bad idea actually, I hadn't actually thought of using preplaned wood. I'll have a look online and see what I can find.

I've had a look at some courses but I do find they are ridiculously expensive or many miles away.

 

[user 21737]

Mike, I'm too far away to be of any practical use but I would add the following:

In my experience the two single most important factors when it comes to successful planing are -
1. Sharpness of the plane iron.
2. Good work holding. The wood needs to be VERY FIRMLY HELD. So it move your bench before moving itself.

The next two most important things -
See 1 & 2 above.

Also, don't try to take off more than a very thin shaving at a time.

HTH

That might be a problem of mine. I don't have sufficient holding power with what I'm using.

 

[rafezetter]

Hi Myke - I don't consider myself an expert at hand planing, but I'm not bad; I've been doing it for a couple of years now and I can square up a block good enough, or get wood flat or jointed (2 opposing edges flat and square for glueup). You're welcome to pop by and we can go over a few things. I live in the Filton area of Bristol which is easy to get to from the motorway junction, and I've a sturdy workbench vice combo for planing.

I also have a good quality planer thicknesser (that gets far too little use), so you are welcome to bring along the wood you want to use for the project and we'll get that sorted for you too.

No need to bring any practise wood for planing - I've got piles and piles of it here, just bring yourself and the tools (But a stick of rock wouldn't go amiss).

If you're interested send me a PM and we can work out a suitable time / day.

A word of caution though about buying PAR - while many suppliers do sell PAR - a majority of the time Planed All Round often doesn't equate to SATAR or "Straight And True All Round", as has been attested by many new members to the forum whom have bought PAR to try to speed up the process only to find they either have to true it up anyway or return it, and after truing it's too small for their needs - this is why the professionals buy rough cut and do it themselves.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Completely agree about PAR. It's quite possibly easier to explain (and see) the principle with something way out of square than slightly out, anyway. Agree with comments about the bench as well - if your bench moves a mil in use, it's a mil it shouldn't be moving.

 

[AJB Temple]

When I first started woodwork I had this problem too. I was making guitar neck blanks and fingerboards and they had to have precise dimensions. A luthier at the time gave me similar advice to above:

Make sure your bench doesn't move and clamp the work tightly
Make the plane iron very sharp and cut very thin shavings
Check the work for flatness and squareness very often until you get the eye for it
Use an engineer's set square not a wood and metal one - the wooden ones are often not that square
Use the right plane for the job (often bigger than beginners feel comfortable with)

If you are truly stuck, send me the stuff you want planed (in the post) and I will return it straight and true, planed to size, as long as there is not tons of it!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Another thing - keep it as long as you can for as long as you can. Within reason (unless the wood's badly winding or bowed) this a sound maxim - very short pieces are difficult to work.

 

[user 21737]

So much information! That's awesome.

Thank you so much!