Note: When the plane is in between uses, Paul recommends that you should keep it upright with the blade against the benchtop, contrary to popular opinion. This way is not considered the norm, as they often used to teach in schools to lay it on its side. This was thought to protect the blade […]
[…] as the tools will become very sharp, always face the blade away from you when sharpening. To jump straight to ‘Sharpening’, click here. Setting up If your plane has plastic handles, you might be able to feel a seam down the middle where the two halves of the handle are joined. If left, these […]
[…] have a slightly smaller stature, the #3 might suit better. Paul uses the #4 and #4½ the most. The ½ refers to the extra width, so these planes are both the same in length, but the #4½ is slightly wider. Refrain from buying any with previous breaks in the handle. Although these can be […]
When using a router plane and removing material to a specific depth, you can use a chisel to remove the bulk of the material then go over it with a router, or you can make incremental depth changes with the router until the final depth is established. Removing the bulk gallery: Use a knife […]
[…] edges that have the potential to wear, splinter and break with use. Rounding these edges or corners gives you a more solid and resistant structure. Here a plane works well instead of a spokeshave as it has a longer sole to register on the wood. Also spokeshaves tend to follow any undulation in the […]
[…] to help him in his everyday woodworking. In this blog post we’ve shared some of his favourites in the hope you find them useful too! Pulling a Plane Sometimes you can’t get your body in the right position to push the plane along the grain, to avoid tearout by going against the grain, simply […]
Commonly mistaken for an oversized spokeshave, the #80 scraper slices the wood in a similar way to, but not the same as, a plane. Despite the tool’s name, the scraper does not scrape as such but cuts ultra fine shavings. This double handled tool is used in a push motion to remove very fine […]
Ensure all your boards have been trued and are square, to see how to do this, see our Truing Stock guide. For this you will need: Pencil Plane Handsaw #80 scraper Abrasive Paper Glue Sash Clamps Lay the boards flat on a large surface such as the workbench top to decide their configuration. Then, […]
For this, you will need: Wood Pencil Steel Rule Brace and Bit (the size of the required round rod diameter) or a 1-inch coin Sash Clamp Bench Plane Spokeshave (flat-bottomed) Card Scraper Abrasive Paper (150 grit) 1. Once you have cut your wood to a square section, you can use a coin to draw […]
[…] useful if you want to achieve an exact angle, however there is a bit of leeway when sharpening as chisels can be sharpened anywhere between 25-35° and plane blades can be sharpened anywhere between 25-30°. Often honing guides have distances etched into the body which helps you position the blade and tells you how […]