Planing technique

[Anonymous]

Have done a search but didnt find anything relevant, so apologies if this has been asked before.

I have very little experience in hand planing so was looking for some basic advice on how to set up and use.

Also, should i use the plane with it in line with the work or at an angle to the work have heard of both methods but not sure which is the most appropriate.

Many thanks

 

[Midnight]

griggs..

not tryin to duck the question but set up n use depends on which plane we're talkin about here...

 

[SlimShavings]

Griggs
Try this http://www.jlatech.com/rob/Woodworking/ ... 20Base.htm
He has a database for all kinds of hand tool stuff.

i would make sure that you become familiar and have your plane sharp and "tuned up". Its the vital first techinique. Everything else is secondary. With a lot of practice you'll eventually have your own technique. Sometimes its straight on and some times its at an angle. Sometimes its all over the place.
Bench height and weight transfer are important. There is some discussions that bench heigth should be lower than what we accept these days. Generally from the floor to your palm held flat or slightly lower.

I'm sure if you search out the discussions on here there is quite a bit of info.

Dave

 

[Alf]

Welcome to the forum, griggs.

There's such scope for answers to this one it's hard to know where to start. Slim has provided the most comprehensive link, but I'd also suggest BugBear's guide and Jeff Gorman's. The most important thing is to have a sharp blade; everything else is secondary. Even the most ghastly, un-tuned plane in the world will work with a sharp blade (see Groz block plane review :lol: ) Maybe it'd help if we narrowed down the remit here. What type of plane d'you have? What are you wanting to use it on? Whereabouts in Devon are you? We might have a handy operative standing by; a minute's real world demonstration can beat any number of websites.

If I find myself at a loose end later today I may come back and try to tackle this one properly.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies.

Alf, I'm in Sidmouth, Devon. As for the plane make - not sure, its an old one that i inherited from my dad and i think that having read other posts on this site that, that could be part of the problem as my dad would never spend much money on tools so i think i shall look to buy a new plane to practice with.

With that in mind, i've been looking through my Axminster catalouge and to be honest not really sure what i should be looking for, a jack plane should be the first i should purchase i guess, but what, apart from price, is the main difference between say a Stanley #5, Clifton #5 and Lie-Nielson #5

Thanks again

 

[Midnight]

a jack plane should be the first i should purchase i guess, but what, apart from price, is the main difference between say a Stanley #5, Clifton #5 and Lie-Nielson #5

straight outa the box a new Stanley is by and large a paperweight... it'll need replacement blade and chip-breaker, flattening and fettling and possibly replacement handles if you want to avoid raising blisters.. That said, if you put in the time and effort, their planes can be persuaded to yield half respectable results...

Clifton are a damn good manufacturer with a well earned rep for quality and customer care. Their planes should need little more than a quick tune, tickle the blade to hone it and you should be up n running...

Lie Nielsen are arguably the best of the top 3 manufacturers; excellent goods, excellent after sales and customer care. Like the Clifton, their tools should require little more than a quick tune and tickle..

The primary difference between Lie Nielsen and Clifton is in their materials; a L-N will survive an accidental drop thanks to its ductile iron construction... best pray if you drop a Clifton...

If the likes of L-N and Clifton are within your budget it might be worth your while hunting around for Lee Valley tools too... these 3 make up the best of current tool manufacturers...

 

[Alf]

Stanley #5 - new ones are rather ghastly and not honestly worth the money. All the necessary tuning effort would be better spent on an old Stanley. Or better still, contacting Ray Iles and enquiring about one of his reconditioned ones.

Clifton #5 - I don't have one 'cos my floor is concrete and I'd sooner have ductile iron.

Lie-Nielsen #5 - Heirloom quality, heirloom price. :wink: Damn fine planes, but also a little intimidating 'cos they're so jolly smart you may be afraid to use it. Or is that just me?

Personally, and if I've said it once I'll bore you all to death by saying it a thousand times, I'd recommend a low angle/bevel up jack plane from either L-N or Veritas*. Well the latter actually, if I'm honest, but I may be accused of bias even though both are to be found chez Alf. But if money's too tight to mention, Ray Iles' and his reground Stanleys would get the nod. Sticking a few likely search terms into the search facility on this forum should yield more opinion than you can shake a big plank at too.

Now, who's handy to Sidmouth with a load of grease for the Slope, er, planes...? :twisted:

Cheers, Alf

*BriMarc can fill the void left by Axminster's bizarre refusal to stock 'em

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that Midnight.

Exscuse the ignorance, but im new to this, are Lee Valley the same as Veritas as sold on the Brimarc site?

Thanks again

 

[Alf]

Exscuse the ignorance, but im new to this, are Lee Valley the same as Veritas as sold on the Brimarc site?

Yep

 

[Anonymous]

OK thanks Alf, I'll have a good look at the Brimarc site

 

[Midnight]

Lie-Nielsen #5 - Heirloom quality, heirloom price. Damn fine planes, but also a little intimidating 'cos they're so jolly smart you may be afraid to use it. Or is that just me?

If it's heirloom quality yer lookin for... they do them too.... Ltd editions cast in white bronze... certs of authenticity yadda yadda... all kosher stuff fer collectors... but I took the question to imply that we're talkin planes for use here not polishin... hense my answer... anything you see on their site or aAxminsters catalogue will work as good n hard as it looks... we're nae talkin planes fer pussies here....

As for the BUPP's or whatever yer callin em... with all the hassle you're having honing their blades, are you sure they're ideal as a first plane for a novice...?? Me... I'd go for bevel downs.... far easier learning curve...

But then... I'm a user.... not a collector....

 

[MikeW]

Ooh, think I'll stay out of this one...

Naw, I don't have the self-control.

You'll do great with any of the Big Three. Heck, with some tuning up, you'd do fine with a Groz.

But if I were new to handplanes, I would look for either a good used one as sold by Iles as suggested, buy a used one and learn (ask here) how to make it a good usable plane, or buy one of the Veritas (bevel up or down) in order to spend as little as possible to see if you even like hand work with a plane.

Some here believe the bevel up are more versatile (I'm one) and some do not. Most do not have difficulties in the finer points of honing (camber is what we're talking about being difficult). But then, bevel up or down, you will have some getting use to using and sharpening a blade straight across before you'll be putting a good usable camber on the blade anyway.

MikeW

 

[Alf]

If it's heirloom quality yer lookin for... they do them too....

Mike, it's L-N's own slogan. For the whole range... :roll:

As for the BUPP's or whatever yer callin em... with all the hassle you're having honing their blades, are you sure they're ideal as a first plane for a novice...??

Yes. Because a novice will be more likely to be using a honing guide for sharpening anyway.

Me... I'd go for bevel downs.... far easier learning curve...

Depends to a certain extent on which bevel down you're comparing to which bevel up. But even so I would suggest the adjustments for depth and particularly mouth size are more instinctive on a bevel up for the genuine novice.

But then... I'm a user.... not a collector....

We only have your word for that, Mike...

Cheers, Alf

 

[DaveL]

But then... I'm a user.... not a collector....

We only have your word for that, Mike...

LOL

 

[Alf]

Mmm, sorry. That was a bit cheeky... 8-[

 

[Jaco]

Hand planing????? :roll: :roll: :roll:
Wots' that ???

My humblest apologies, since getting a TP, my poor Stanley is withering ....

8) 8)
My EB is flourishing thoungh.

 

[Midnight]

We only have your word for that, Mike...

meaning what.... precisely....???????

 

[Alf]

We only have your word for that, Mike...

meaning what.... precisely....???????

Meaning I have pictures to prove I'm not a collector, so sticks and stones... :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Midnight]

Meaning I have pictures to prove I'm not a collector, so sticks and stones...

Ahhhh... so.... because I spend my shop time gettin on with it rather than shootin pics... I'm a collector huh...??

NP... jus so we got that straightened out....

 

[Alf]

Give over, Mike. I simply mean I don't worry about insinuations that I know diddly squat about using tools; e.g. that I'm "only a collector". I'm fully aware of when I don't know diddly without any help. :roll:

Cheers, Alf