How do you lay your plane to rest?

[garywayne]

I caught part of "Johns workshop" yesterday and saw him pick up one of his planes from his tool cabinet. I noticed that the sole of the plane was flat against the cabinet surface. I believe he is supposed to be a trained cabinet maker. It just got me to wonder how you all lay your planes to rest. I was taught to keep the blade out of contact with anything, (never put the plane, blade down, directly onto the bench or anything else).

So, what do you do :?:

 

[nickson71]

I lay mine on their side if the blade is still out ......... If storing I retact the blade and just lay them flat

This will change once I get round to making a tool storage cabinates

 

[woodbloke]

On my bench there is a pot with assorted pencils, pens etc and a few thin bits of wenge that look like chopsticks, these are what I lay all planes and chisels on when they're in use, I find it easier than turning them on their sides - Rob

 

[Colin C]

I lay my planes on they side or on some shavings if they on the bench, but when I am finish with it I have a stick a long the back of my bench and it is put on that.

 

[Paul Chapman]

If the blade is out, on their side or on thin sticks so the blade is off the surface. Retract the blade when putting away :wink:

Cheers

Paul

 

[Alf]

I was taught to keep the blade out of contact with anything

Makes using it a bit tricky... :wink:

Cheers, Alf

Thinking this is a tails vs pins sort of thing and thus staying out of it.

 

[Adam]

I'm in the flat down on the bench camp. If the blade is securely fitted then laying it on the bench won't dislodge it. Think of the force on it when you run it along a piece of timber and suddenly the blade "bites". Standing it on the bench won't harm (IMHO).

Adam

 

[Shadowfax]

If putting it, iron down, on a clean surface is going to do harm it can't be much of a plane, can it?
Having said that I tend to put mine down on their sides.
For storage they all sit on a rubber mat, sharp side down.
I think I will stay out of this now, though!!
Cheers.

SF

 

[bugbear]

I have a scrap of lath on my bench, and I place the toe of in-use planes on that. It's wide enough for 2 planes (around 6"x1"x1/8")

(add; for bench use, if there are handy shavings, I'll sometimes use that as a rest too)

This means that the blade is well protected from damage, and I'm well protected from the blade, and the tote is convenient for pick up.

For storage, I have a long lath at the edge of the shelf, and the plane's heel sits on that. The blade is never retracted.

BugBear

 

[dedee]

The reason I try and get into the habit of laying mine on their side is that on a cluttered bench (where there is work there is no order :lol: ) I might not quite see what I am placing the plane on when I put it down.

In storage they are wrapped in anti-rust paper and layed on their side in a drawer with a nice shag pile carpet offcut laid on top to keep them warm.

Andy

 

[Colin C]

In storage they are wrapped in anti-rust paper and layed on their side in a drawer with a nice shag pile carpet offcut laid on top to keep them warm.

Andy

:lol:

 

[Adam]

The reason I try and get into the habit of laying mine on their side is that on a cluttered bench

See thats something I never understood. On a cluttered bench, with bits and bobs being picked up and moved around, surely youa re quite likely to catch a screwdriver on the blade if its exposed through being stood on its side, wheras having it stood up means its completely protected?



Adam

 

[dedee]

Adam,
Yep I guess that is true too.

I'd always thought I was more likely to put it down on an offending object rather than drop an offending object on it.

Andy

 

[Lord Nibbo]

The only time I put mine down on the face is in my cabinet, all the spaces for planes is covered with felt so I never have to mess about retracting the blade. On the plus side it looks really classy. 8)

 

[Losos]

For long term storage I used to retract the blade but I've found that this is time consuming when you come to use again.

Nowadays I usually have mine set for thicker cuts, in use a quick couple of turns allows fine shavings, and couple more in reverse and I'm back to what I now call my 'default' setting. This is so much quicker and easier than taking the plane out of the cupboard, adjusting the blade from zero, taking a test cut, maybe doing another adjustment, etc. etc.

As to the question, well usually on its side, but I might adopt the idea of a strip running along the back of the bench, that seems like a nifty idea.

 

[garywayne]

I never did say what I did/done/doe's.

I tend to use the strip of wood. I used to put my plane on it's side, until one day I nearly took my knuckles off.

Taking note that some retract the blade before putting away their planes. Perhaps that is what John doe's. Sorry John. I'd never even thought of that.

 

[Pete W]

I used to put my plane on it's side, until one day I nearly took my knuckles off.

That's always been my greatest objection to the side-down argument.

Between that and the possiblity of swiping the blade with a chisel or other tool, I can't see the sense in the side-down argument. And since any plane is designed to be pushed through wood, sometimes with great force, I can't see that putting it down gently on wood is going to affect it in the slightest.

On the other hand, each to his/her own, live and let live, go along to get along, whatever makes you happy

 

[dirtydeeds]

workshop practice in the 1880s was to put a plane down on its sole to avoid damage to your hands, message the same in early 1900s

sounds like garyw got the message, although a little late

somewhere between 1900 and the 1950s the message got turned round cant find out why or when, although there havent been many workshop practice books published since the 1900s in this country

 

[BrianD]

Interesting musings here, in my case I use a strip of wood and covered it in candle wax. That way it is blade down, out the way and gets waxed at the same time. :shock: :shock: :roll:

 

[orangetlh]

I always put mine sole down on the bench too. That way anything on the bench like a hammer or chisel wont scrape over the blade if you move something round on your bench. The only time i put them on their sides is if im on site fitting and the nearest surface is the ground.