How to store Handplanes?

[Alf]

I'm amused that the damning of tool trays came up in a discussion on which way up to put your hand plane. By and large, like Pedder, I find the plane generates a rather nice bed of shavings to stand on, but when that's not an option I just sit the plane over the tool tray. Voila! Supported heel and toe, mouth not touching anything. Genius, no? No? Oh well, takes one to know one...

 

[Benchwayze]

Well... Errr! Sorry Alf!

Whenever I misplace something, the last place I look is in the well. What I seek is usually there, but why I don't look there first I just haven't a clue! So my new bench won't have a well!

Then I suppose things will lie around on top of it!
I am a lost cause I fear!

john

 

[yetloh]

I'm amused that the damning of tool trays came up in a discussion on which way up to put your hand plane.

I think that may be my fault but I find these diversions are often as interesting as the original subject of the thread.

Jim

 

[Muina]

I think that may be my fault but I find these diversions are often as interesting as the original subject of the thread.

Jim

I agree actually, at college the whole class often ends up moving from topic to topic in theory and, honestly, very rarely get much work done

Regarding tool wells, I think they're so useful but kind of defeat the point of having them if they're full of stuff. Because nothing ever fits perfectly in the tool well on my bench when it gets full it creates a huge bump at the back of the bench which just makes it worse for when I'm flattening or sawing with the bench hook.

I'll be gradually replacing parts of my bench soon and the first thing is the top so I'm going to incorporate as many little things as I can to make the life of my tools a little easier. Also I can make the tool well as big or as small as I see fit, and I'm going to make one of those removable dust panel things for it too

Anthony

 

[jimi43]

I have two shelves under the entire length of my bench on which I keep mallets, hammers, drills and such stuff that I regularly use. I find this is more than close enough for me to just reach for and requires a certain amount of discipline to keep tidy...it's actually the only place in my entire workshop that IS tidy! :mrgreen:

Jim

 

[Alf]

I'm amused that the damning of tool trays came up in a discussion on which way up to put your hand plane.

I think that may be my fault but I find these diversions are often as interesting as the original subject of the thread.

Jim

I wasn't apportioning fault - I thought it was reasonably clear that my amusement was because I use the tool well for the purpose under original discussion. I like following a thought off topic towards interesting conversation and am frequently guilty of it. On which note, if you ever end up with your bench in the middle of the w'shop and not against a wall, I discovered the tool well can save a lot of tool tragedies of the tool-meets-floor-inna-terminal-way variety. And I discovered a 24" rule I'd completely forgotten I had when I cleaned it out the other month too. Bonus!

 

[yetloh]

It wasn't meant as a criticism, Alf, perhaps I should have said it was me wot started it. I do agree with you aboput tools rolling off the bench. If only I had the space to have my bench accessible from both sides, but I haven't so it has to go against a wall with northern light from behind me, which is less than ideal. It means I need the lights on to work at the bench at any time, but I do have good lighting.

Jim

 

[timber]

hang them on wooden pegs by the front handle on the wooden wall in front of my smaller work bench.
My large wood working bench a giant double , bought from Allens Engineers of Bedford, I cut into 2/3rds. 1/ 3rd lengthwise on my large bandsaw > How did I do it ?????????? answers please and why did I do it?

 

[Trafalgar]

I soaked a piece of MDF with WD-40. It is the bottom shelf of my plain-Jane construction lumber bench. I set the planes down with cutters extended but cap irons off-pressure. When working, I leave pressure on and set them down on their soles. It does not dull the cutters. Using them dulls the cutters. Setting them down gently on the cutter does not. Setting them on their side invites a a cut.

 

[yetloh]

Isn't it bizarre how a thread can sometimes spring back into lihe after four years dormancy.

Timber,

It must have seemed a sriously good idea at the time!

Jim

 

[Benchwayze]

I need a hangar for all my planes, and i don't mean a hook in the wall! :mrgreen:

 

[Jacob]

I just leave mine kicking about on the floor under the bench.

 

[JonnyW]

... but have always wondered if it may encourage the casting to deform.

This had never occured to me, but now I'm curious, since it was mentioned in a post a few months ago. Does raising the toe cause the iron to move? I've never noticed, but I've never measured either.

Chris Schwarz noted in a Youtube video, that I can't find at the moment, that resting the plane on it's side was to protect the blade from metal objects which may be hidden by shavings on the bench and was popularised by woodwork teachers in the mid 20th century. Prior to this, he said there was no reference at all about resting planes on their side. He continued that you should be in control of your working environment and should know where hard objects were on the bench and where it was safe to place a plane. Indeed, he concluded, resting the plane on it's side could cause more damage by leaving the blade exposed to being knocked; on a clean bench, the blade is only resting on wood which will do no damage. I'll try and find the video...

For the record, mine are stored raised slightly to allow air to circulate and help prevent rust, as noted above, but on the bench I just put them down; it's a chunk of metal, not a Fabergé egg... :wink: :mrgreen:

Pretty much what Chris Schwarz says in his book Handplane Essentials. He used to set them on their side, but for the reasons stated by Scouse, he just sets them on his bench blade out. However you are speaking of a man who periodically services and maintains his bench top (re-flattening etc etc).

Jonny

 

[Benchwayze]

I just leave mine kicking about on the floor under the bench.

Jacob,

That's the only place I can store my veneers, (In a 'portfolio'!)

 

[matthewwh]

Sussed it:

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Having watched a recent Paul Sellers video, his view is a plane should be left on the bench sole down, a practice undertaken by all old time craftsmen.

Placing the plane on it's side will expose the cutting iron to the dangers of other metal object on the bench.

The practice was on leaving it on its side was taught to school boys who were more likely to dump the plane down onto another metal onject on the bench thus damaging the cutting edge.

I guess this makes sense but we are all grown ups and able to make our own decisions and look after our own tools most fitting to the way we work.

David

 

[Paddy Roxburgh]

At the bench sole down is fine, however I reckon that putting a plane on it's side is good practice if you do site work as you are often working on concrete floors or indeed in homes when you need to put the plane on a dinning table or shelf but do not want to risk scratching it. I try to put planes down on the bench sole down but usually put them on their side as it's become a muscle memory.
Paddy

 

[griggs]

Remember seeing it mentioned somewhere that a disadvantage of placing the plane on its side is that you can inadvertently knock the lateral adjustment out, not the end of the world I guess compared to dinging the iron.

 

[D_W]

Isn't it bizarre how a thread can sometimes spring back into lihe after four years dormancy.

Timber,

It must have seemed a sriously good idea at the time!

Jim

It's always amusing how many people think there's much of a difference.

I had someone in my shop lately who doesn't use hand tools and who chewed me out about not setting *planes that I made* on their soles, because it was "wrong".

Must've been in fine woodworking at some point.

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

It's always amusing how many people think there's much of a difference.

I had someone in my shop lately who doesn't use hand tools and who chewed me out about not setting *planes that I made* on their soles, because it was "wrong".

Must've been in fine woodworking at some point.

David, I've seen pictures of your shop, and I'm certain that once you put a plane down - regardless of the manner in which you do so - you will never see it again under the mess! :lol:

Regards from Perth

Derek