Sharpening

[mark w]

Yyou've

So I have an old table in front of me about 6ft long with boards about 5/8" thick. Would you have "match planed" these successfully in one operation, without then having to adjust fit?
The kitchen tables I make have thicker sycamore tops say 7/8" which doubled up to "match plane" would give you about 45mm. Would that be "match" planeable?

Jacob you have just discovered a technique you have never used and now you seem to think you can talk about it with authority, leave it alone and stick to what you think you know.
In answer to your question, as I said before, the only restriction is the thickness of board, if you know what you're doing that is.
If the boards can be satisfactorily clamped together I see no reason why a 6ft board can't be planed in this manner. 1800mm is the longest I've match planed to date.

 

[JSW]

Does it? Seems completely spurious to me. He's demonstrated he hasn't a clue and is now trying some deflection. Does it all the time.

Nope. Not spurious at all. You're defending the concept of 'match planing' Jacob's asking you when the last time you used it was, and on how big an item, easy enough to answer him isn't it?

 

[mudman]

Nope. Not spurious at all. You're defending the concept of 'match planing' Jacob's asking you when the last time you used it was, and on how big an item, easy enough to answer him isn't it?

I'm not defending anything. I'm laughing at his attempts to continue with his delusions of grandeur, the pricking of the balloon of his ego, and his attempts to then try to cover up his ignorance of a common technique. What I have done, can do and how often I've done it is of no relevance.

 

[Ed Weber]

I'll probably hate myself for this but, Jacob is right.
Match-planning, as you're defining it, does not guarantee perfect results, errors do not automatically cancel out.
If you plane a pair of boards and you're off 90° a bit, fine, your boards will line op and "cancel out" your error. ONLY IF, you error/s are consistent along the length of the boards.

If you're at 90° at the start, then veer off by a degree or two, your error WILL NOT "cancel out"
Also you need to plane perfectly flat, no bellies or swells or your boards WILL NOT align perfectly.

This should be obvious

 

[mudman]

I'll probably hate myself for this but, Jacob is right.
Match-planning, as you're defining it, does not guarantee perfect results, errors do not automatically cancel out.
If you plane a pair of boards and you're off 90° a bit, fine, your boards will line op and "cancel out" your error. ONLY IF, you error/s are consistent along the length of the boards.

If you're at 90° at the start, then veer off by a degree or two, your error WILL NOT "cancel out"
Also you need to plane perfectly flat, no bellies or swells or your boards WILL NOT align perfectly.

This should be obvious

All basic handplaning technique.
I'm sure with a bit of practice, a straight edge to his blade, and a nicely flattened plane, that Jacob could manage it just fine.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Interesting chit-chat amongst people with very varied skills. I spotted this quote "I haven't seen a single old text suggest match planing except for very thin stock like veneers and then it was suggested the planing be done on a shooting board. " which makes sense to me.
I have no problems with "my" method it's quick and effective. Shoot edges as best I can then sit one board in the vice and next one on top and adjust the fit as necessary. Including the flatness checked with a straightedge - adjusting very easily with a cambered blade..
An emphasis on getting the face edges to close up nicely, the back edges can have the odd deviation and gap, as long as it doesn't upset the flatness when clamped up.
I've spent a lot of time undoing/mending/replicating old joinery mostly, and bits of furniture, and it can be very revealing to look behind and underneath see what was left unfinished.

Jacob, I do hope you spotted my contribution to that thread, no 59.

I've tried it, match planing that is, and it's not a good technique in my experience. Essentially I said in that thread that match planing isn't a particularly useful technique, especially for thicker and longer boards. I mean by that two boards at, say 18 or 20 mm thick (doubled to ~36 - 40 mm) by maybe 1400 or 1500 mm long or longer. I'm certainly not going to waste my time match planing with that sort of volume of material. I'll stick to planing each edge of two boards to be edge jointed separately. Match planing is actually a very useful technique for preparing the edges of short thinner stock, e.g., the sort of stuff used for solid wood drawer bottoms at perhaps 6 - 10/12 mm thick that need gluing together.

As an aside, match planing can be achieved satisfactorily with try and jack planes that have curved sharp edges on the iron. I only know that because I've done it with both thin and thick stock. To be honest, I can't see how a straight sharp edge on a plane iron has any benefit in match planing over a curved cutting edge because the arc of the cutting edge is very subtle really, or at least that's the case with my planes. I've no idea how others set up their curved cutting edges. Slainte.

 

[Jacob]

All basic handplaning technique.

No it isn't. And I guess you haven't done it.
Having done quite a lot of hand planing and board joining over the years I've always ignored it as improbable, just another of those "good ideas" from a dodgy guru or hack writer.
I might have a go though, could be wrong, it has been known!

 

[mudman]

No it isn't. And I guess you haven't done it.
Having done quite a lot of hand planing and board joining over the years I've always ignored it as improbable, just another of those "good ideas" from a dodgy guru or hack writer.
I might have a go though, could be wrong, it has been known!

Still goading? I have done it, not for quite some time but I found it surprisingly effective and it was basic handplaning but then you haven't done it so I don't know how you can comment.
You should give it a go, I know you'll still deny it's use whatever you discover but hey ho, I won't know as I'll have you back on ignore.

 

[Jacob]

Jacob, I do hope you spotted my contribution to that thread, no 59.

No, missed it. PS seen it now!

I've tried it, match planing that is, and it's not a good technique in my experience. Essentially I said in that thread that match planing isn't a particularly useful technique, especially for thicker and longer boards. I mean by that two boards at, say 18 or 20 mm thick (doubled to ~36 - 40 mm) by maybe 1400 or 1500 mm long or longer. I'm certainly not going to waste my time match planing with that sort of volume of material. I'll stick to planing each edge of two boards to be edge jointed separately. Match planing is actually a very useful technique for preparing the edges of short thinner stock, e.g., the sort of stuff used for solid wood drawer bottoms at perhaps 6 - 10/12 mm thick that need gluing together.

Makes sense but I've never done it, for reasons above. For drawer bottoms I have used a shooting board in the past - or shooting board principle i.e. bodged up on the bench top.

 

[Ed Weber]

With "match planing" there is no reference to work off of, only the sole of the plane and that's not enough to insure acceptable results IMO.
I've tried it and I have to say, it did not inspire me to use it as a normal part of stock prep. I find other methods easier for me to employ.

 

[JSW]

I'll probably hate myself for this but, Jacob is right.

I've tried it, match planing that is, and it's not a good technique in my experience.

With "match planing" there is no reference to work off of, only the sole of the plane and that's not enough to insure acceptable results IMO.
I've tried it and I have to say, it did not inspire me to use it as a normal part of stock prep. I find other methods easier for me to employ.

Nice to see a bit of balance returning to the discussion

I glued up a couple of hand planed boards a few hrs ago, the glues caught so they're out of the clamps and sat in front of me to fully cure atm, perfectly flat, no gaps, no match planing, no nonsense just tried and tested hand planing, why complicate things?

 

[mudman]

Jacob, I do hope you spotted my contribution to that thread, no 59.

I've tried it, match planing that is, and it's not a good technique in my experience. Essentially I said in that thread that match planing isn't a particularly useful technique, especially for thicker and longer boards. I mean by that two boards at, say 18 or 20 mm thick (doubled to ~36 - 40 mm) by maybe 1400 or 1500 mm long or longer. I'm certainly not going to waste my time match planing with that sort of volume of material. I'll stick to planing each edge of two boards to be edge jointed separately. Match planing is actually a very useful technique for preparing the edges of short thinner stock, e.g., the sort of stuff used for solid wood drawer bottoms at perhaps 6 - 10/12 mm thick that need gluing together.

As an aside, match planing can be achieved satisfactorily with try and jack planes that have curved sharp edges on the iron. I only know that because I've done it with both thin and thick stock. To be honest, I can't see how a straight sharp edge on a plane iron has any benefit in match planing over a curved cutting edge because the arc of the cutting edge is very subtle really, or at least that's the case with my planes. I've no idea how others set up their curved cutting edges. Slainte.

Ah, you spoilt the fun.

I bow to your far superior knowledge and experience but it worked for me and I think, others as well.

 

[mudman]

Nice to see a bit of balance returning to the discussion

I glued up a couple of hand planed boards a few hrs ago, the glues caught so they're out of the clamps and sat in front of me to fully cure atm, perfectly flat, no gaps, no match planing, no nonsense just tried and tested hand planing, why complicate things?

Good for you, I'm glad you have a method that works.