Using Planes Archives - Handplane Central

DID YOU KNOW…

Just starting out with handplanes? Don’t know the difference between a block plane and a jointer? Confused about jacks, smoothers and fores? Fear not! Handplane Central has information on the different types of planes, what they look like and how to use them. We also have articles on how to choose a hand plane and exactly what you need to know beforehand. From the bare bones basic kit right up to the complete workshop, what planes are luxuries and what planes you just can’t do without!

We also feature the occasional handplane review, along tips and tricks on general handplane use and what accessories are available. So before you go anywhere else, check out what we have to offer on Handplane Central.

An Introduction To Understanding Rebate Planes

The following article first appeared in the British magazine ‘The Woodworker’ in January, 1940. Here we take a look at the various rebate planes that are available, along with their use. At the end of the article there’s an advertisement for the author’s new book,…

Shodding Your Smoothing Plane With A Steel Sole

A disadvantage with wooden planes is that, when engaged in much repair work, the soles soon begin to show signs of wear. The smoothing plane seems to suffer the most, with the result that the sole has to be trued up frequently with an iron…

Shooting Boards And Donkey’s Ears – Appliances Used With Planes

The following article first appeared in the British magazine ‘The Woodworker’ in December, 1939. It was part of a series of articles which would run throughout the rest of that year and into 1940. Part 6 focused on shooting boards and other appliances used with…

Woodworking Planes And Their Use

The following article first appeared in the British magazine ‘The Woodworker’ in November, 1939. It was part of a series of articles which would run throughout the rest of that year and into 1940. Part 5 looked at planes and their use, and includes the…

What To Know About Planes – Choosing The Basic Tool Kit

The following article first appeared in the British magazine ‘The Woodworker’ in July, 1939. It was part of a series of articles which would run throughout the rest of that year — Part 1 being on the subject of choosing the basic tool kit. While…

Hand Planes – Where To Begin?

The Stanley Plane – A benchmark in metal hand planes for the past 140 years. For the beginner, choosing which type of hand plane to buy first up can be a daunting task. Furnituremaker Wesley Johanson looks at what’s available in hand planes and offers…

Parts Of A Wooden Plane

While the various names to describe the parts of hand planes may differ slightly from country to country they are, for the most part, standardized. For instance what is known as a “cutter” or “iron” in Britain and Europe is generally called a “blade” in…

Thoughts On Hand Plane Sole Flatness

It should be said that almost all hand planes on the market will need some adjustment and a little attention, when you get them home from the store, in order to make them truly sing. Any plane will be made better by a little fettling…

Hand Planing Small Items

If you need to hand plane very small pieces of wood you’ll soon discover that it isn’t that easy to do it in the conventional manner. One solution, however, is to adopt the coopers method of inverting the plane and holding it rigid, while you…

Planing Plastic Laminates

While you don’t need any sort of “specialty” plane to use on plastic laminates the issue is mainly one of blade longevity. A blade ground at the normal angle of of 25 to 30 degrees soon becomes quite dull when used on these materials. What’s…

Specialty Wooden Planes And Scrapers

This is the final installment regarding the description and purpose of woodworking planes by W.F.M. Goss in the book “Bench Work In Wood: A Course Of Study And Practice Designed For The Use Of Schools And Colleges”. This book was first published by Ginn &…

Iron Planes – Their Types And Uses

“Wooden bench planes have had their day, and are going out of use…” …So wrote W.F.M. Goss in the 1888 book “Bench Work In Wood: A Course Of Study And Practice Designed For The Use Of Schools And Colleges” published by Ginn & Co, Boston….