Hand Planes - finally figured them out!!

[Jerry V Lape]

I have been using hand planes for sometime to remove stock from rifle build but always had to stop early as there was too much chip out.  Watched several of the how too videos but there was always something lacking.  Today I found the last bit of tuning information I needed to make my planes cut thin ribbons of curly sugar maple as I shaped up a $10 antique shop #4 Bailey with corrugated sole and Stanley Rule and Level Co. blade.  It was a mess but now works very slick.  The thing I was missing before was setting the chip breaker within 3/32" or less of the edge of the blade with the blade set approximately 1/16" gap to front of the mouth.  Don't know why I missed that so long but passing it on here in case someone else is struggling with a plane too.  Will apply it to my other planes soon. 

Highly recommend you invest in an old plane and bring it back to life.  Cost me $10 and about half an hour to flatten sole, sharpen blade, square up chip breaker edge, clean and reassemble the the plane. 

[PPatch]

Once you get them tuned they are a pleasure to use aren't they.

dave

[David R. Pennington]

The old rule of thumb is the chip breaker should be set back from the edge approximately half the width of the bevel. Think about it a minute and it will make sense.

[WadePatton]

Once you get them tuned they are a pleasure to use aren't they.

dave

I have just learned how to run a plane properly from Paul Sellers mostly (youtube--lots of videos by Mr. Sellers).

I am building my workbench from nearly all 2x4's planed and laminated, then planed flat and square.  Have been filling garbage bags with shavings.  Am using a #5 Stanley from ~'51 that I have borrowed and had to recondition as it was rusty and _never sharpened before_.  Have a #4 but have some adjuster issues with it and the 5 is running so well.  Have another 4 spoken for, just haven't gotten my hands on it yet.  

Mr. Sellers teaches how to sharpen the iron, set up the plane, and USE the dang things.

If you build the workbench as his video (and blog) lays out...you'll become quite handy with a plane or completely and totally sick of it.

I'm selling my electric machine planer.  Done with power tools except maybe a bandsaw for the "donkey work" as he puts it.

Also, if the bug gets you-one can make his own planes of any contour...

Mr. Seller's bench always has half a dozen planes on it and there are 30-40 more in the shop from what I can see on the vids.

I learned to sharpen saws and auger bits there too, as well as gouges.  I no longer use guides and jigs, all by sight and feel.

Hand planes, properly sharp (I sharpen every day at least once, this changes as your feel develops), properly set up are a joy with which to remove wood.

[Kermit]

I'm always glad to hear of someone else getting the handplane picture. After you get the hang of Baily pattern iron planes, the next step is to learn to make your own wooden bodied planes. The reason you see so many handplanes in a working shop is that each of them is fettled a little diferently, and the craftsman knows which one to reach for to do the task at hand. You CAN get by with 2 or 3, but to get things right, you are constantly readjusting. Now that I'm retired to my little home shop, I've thinned my plane collection down to about 25 or so. I'm down to 2 machines: bandsaw and lathe--the rest are tools, human powered.

[kaintuck]

yes! I love my planes, routers, and spokeshaves......but they all MUST be sharpened correctly...and sorry....I still need my guides~

I have set my low angle planes, and have 3 ready to go anytime....then the bigger planes stay mostly in the box they came in~ the MOST used is the small 1/4" plane and the small spokeshave~ I can just sit a 'whisk' the areas~~~

and tomtom sometimes rolls in the wood curls on the floor.......they get stuck on him~ he walks outta the shop with stuff in his fur.....

marc n tomtom

[Jerry V Lape]

kaintuck,

My experience with low angle plane has been mixed.  They seem to chip out sugar maple much  worse than regular angled one except for end grain.   Where do you use them on the stocks? 

[sqrldog]

For anyone looking for a wooden spokeshave I just recieved one from

 Dave's Shaves that works great cuts curl maple like butter straight out of the box. His small compass shave is next on my list.  Check his web site out if you're interested in a spokeshave. Tim

[moleeyes36]

For anyone looking for a wooden spokeshave I just recieved one from

 Dave's Shaves that works great cuts curl maple like butter straight out of the box. His small compass shave is next on my list.  Check his web site out if you're interested in a spokeshave. Tim

Tim,

Which one did you get?

Mole Eyes

[sqrldog]

Moley I bought the flat spokeshave. It will work in most areas on a stock. I think the little compass shave will be much better in the hollow above the cheekpiece and other hard to get to areas. I boughs this shave after trying several worn out shaves from antique sources. I discussed spokeshaves with Mark Silver recently and he has added a brass sole to the one he used in the video due to wear on the wood sole even after being replaced  once.  I have used metal shaves but haven't had the results I wanted. This spokeshave I really like others may not have the same results

[Kermit]

Hock spokeshave kit here; scroll down:
http://www.hocktools.com/products/kits.html