There are a number of different ways to make a wooden plane, though some purists may have you believe that there is only one “true” way and that is to make them out of a solid block of wood. To my way of thinking this is not the case at all. Wooden planes can be made from a single block, by gluing two halves together or by laminating several blocks. With modern glues it’s safe to say that no method is any better or any worse than another. It all just gets down to in the end is personal preference. Nowadays there seems to be a wealth of information about plane making but it was not always the case. Over the decades there have been articles in magazines, trade papers and books around the world but during the 1980′s and 1990′s things really started to heat up and planemaking articles became much more frequent. This is great because the more information that is available to you the easier it should be to make a good hand plane. So, when it comes to books, how do you pick the wheat from the chaff? What are the best sources of information on [...]

You can find this original article on Handplane Central at Books On Wooden Plane Making

Through Much Tribulation: Stewart Spiers and the Planemakers of Ayr To call this book the definitive story of Stewart Spiers is somewhat of an understatement. Sure, by definition, the scope of information which resides within this 132 page work by author and longtime collector Nigel Lampert is truly immense, however this book is more than just your average book of old tools. It almost feels as if the reader has embarked on a very personal and privileged journey through the life and times of Stewart Spiers, complete with historical accounts of the township of Ayr and it’s surrounds, the development of that town into a booming industrial city and the people and events that no doubt shaped the character of a young man who would go on to be, arguably, the most influential of all British metal planemakers. Indeed this book highlights with remarkable insight the ingenuity, inventiveness and enterprise of Stewart Spiers, from the early development of his handplane line to an established and thriving business known and sought by woodworkers the world over for it’s high class quality products. Although most of the book is about Stewart Spiers there is also additional information on other Ayr planemakers such [...]

You can find this original article on Handplane Central at Through Much Tribulation