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December 2003 - Closer Shaves |
| The
shapely variety of tools made plane |
Used
back in the Roman Empire, the hand plane is still a modern woodworker’s
workhorse. Even modern power tools haven’t supplanted
them—hand planes are often quicker, more convenient and,
many argue, better at smoothing wood.
Certainly power tools don’t
come in such variety. There are common, versatile planes such
as smooth and block planes, specialized types such as shoulder
planes and some that are almost extinct, save for the antique
tool collector’s hoard.
A dull, maladjusted plane is a
woodworker’s torment, so learning to tune and sharpen
is part of mastering the skill. Garrett Hack’s The
Handplane Book and Rob Cosman’s video, Hand Planing
and Sharpening, are recommended resources.
The most common plane adjustments
are depth of cut, which controls how thick the shaving is; throat
opening, which can affect tearout on figured grain; and lateral
adjustment, which keeps the blade square to the sole. Sharpening
the blade is a basic step in tuning, but don’t forget
to flatten and wax the sole as well. |
 |
 Bench
Planes
This Familiar shape is also known as a smooth, jack, fore
or jointer plane, depending on size. The wide price range
of planes reflects materials, manufacturing methods, fit
and finish, engineering tolerances, ergonomics and, at
the high end, aesthetics. Sauer and Steiner A6 smooth
plane, $2,300 (above); Mastercraft #4 smooth plane, $45.99
(right); Footprint smooth plane, $52.99 (far right). |
Edge-trimming Planes
An integral 90° fence makes this the tool for planing
a perfectly square edge. The skewed blade reduces tearout.
Veritas edge-trimming plane, $179 (left).
|
Asian Planes
Shape, balance and blade heft distinguish Asian planes.
Lee Valley’s Japanese plane, $37.50 (right); and,
Taiwanese plane, $47.50 (far right). |
 Spokeshaves
The spokeshave may look like a drawknife, but it’s
really a double-handled plane with a short sole that can
manoeuvre in tight curves other planes can’t reach.
As its name suggests, it’s used to shave a spoke—or
any rounded piece of wood. Stanley’s spokeshave,
$26.96, uses two nuts for precise depth-of-cut adjustment,
another feature that distinguishes it from a drawknife.
|
 Block
Planes
After bench planes, these handy little planes will get
the most frequent workout. They’re excellent for
planing across end grain, a task that can cause other
planes to chatter. Small enough to fit in a pocket, they
can also fine-tune a joint or chamfer an edge. Lie-Nielson
low-angle adjustable-mouth block plane, $199 (right);
Mastercraft adjustable block plane, $29.99 (far right). |
Rebate Planes
The Rebate (or rabbet) plane cuts and fine-tunes joints
with right-angle surfaces. Sauer and Steiner one-inch
rebate plane, $750 (left).
|
Shoulder Planes
Like the rebate plane, this plane can be used on its side
and comes in a variety of widths to fit different joints.
Veritas medium shoulder plane, $179 (right). |
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