Best way to learn how to use Hand tools?

[Greg L. Brown]

Hello all,
I'm newer to woodworking, and everything I've learned has mostly been with power tools. However, I need to learn more about handtools. Can you all recommend some good beginner books about how to use planes? DVD video recommendations would also be helpful.

Thanks,
Greg

[Randy Klein]

The way I did it: read every book, watch every video. Use your hand tools on your next project. Then re-read those books and re-watch those videos and you'll be amazed at how much you missed the first time through.

Repeat the above ad infinitum.

You should put your location in your profile. Maybe someone lives near you that can help jumpstart your education through hands on training.

[Zahid Naqvi]

The handtools DVD by Frank Klausz (http://store.taunton.com/onlinestore/item/hand-tools-frank-klausz-061043.html). I have this DVD and I think it is great. In fact anything hand tools by Frank Klausz is great, he has a very practical no nonsense approach towards tools and how to use them. He also has a mortise and tenon joint DVD as well as a dovetailed drawers DVD.

[Wilbur Pan]

If you're specifically looking for a good overall look at using bench planes, get the "Coarse, Medium, and Fine" DVD that Christopher Schwarz did.

[John Dykes]

heh -

3 responses, 3 opinions!

I'd strongly recommend David Charlesworth videos 1 and 2 - plane sharpening and usage. They changed my world...

You might want to check out smartflix.com.... :)

Good luck!

[Zahid Naqvi]

just to qualify my opinion, these are the only DVDs I have seen on hand tools, so my opinion doesn't come from a broad exposure. I love how Chris Schwarz explains things. Never seen anything from Charlesworth, but his stuff is very highly recommended.
I think Randy has the correct approach.

[willie sobat]

Greg,

If you are new to hand tools you will definitely want to invest time in learning to sharpen along with plane use. It is kind of like the old question about the chicken and the egg. You can't have one without the other. You are less likely to get frustrated if you do this up front. Enjoy.

[Eric Brown]

While I second the above opinions that DVDs from any mentioned above are good, you also requested reading material. Here's a few:

The Handplane Book by Garrett Hack. Explains a lot and shows a good variety and different types.

Hand Tools (Their ways and Workings) by Aldren A. Watson. Has a lot of info on using handtools, including planes.

Just a note, if you handplane you must do these things at first before actually using a handplane: You must hold the wood securely at a good height, and you must learn to sharpen. Otherwise you might become frustrated.

There are other things you will learn in addition, (like waxing the sole) but those can come a little later. Watch the videos and read the books.
And don't be afraid to make mistakes and ask questions. We are all learning from each other. Even the old ones keep learning.

Oh, and welcome to the slippery slope. (Not sure anymore if I'm going up or down the slope, but I see no way off it).

eric

[David Keller NC]

I've a voracious appetite for hand-tool DVDs and books. I can't claim to have them all, but I've got a good many of them. I'd second all of the above recommendations, and add Graham Blackburn's book on HandTools. Should you so desire, you can get it directly from the author here:

http://www.blackburnbooks.com/Product/Catalog.html

Bar none, the best book on preparing stock, sawing, and making woodworking joints with handtools is no longer in print - It's Charles Hayward's "Carpentry for Beginners". It goes for relatively high prices for an out-of-print book, but there's a reason - it's really worth paying $50-$75 for this book.

But the title of your thread said "Best way to learn hand tools?", and that's not a book or a DVD. The best way is to have someone show you, and not in a formal class environment, though that's still better than books. Google "woodworking clubs in XXXX (your location)", and go to a meeting. While it's likely most will be power-tool guys, odds are excellent that you'll find at least a few folks that want to do it the knuckle-draggin' way, know what they're doing, and are willing to host a newbie in their shop for a day.

[mike holden]

Greg,
Post your location (town and state) and ask for help. I would bet a nearby creeker would respond and even if your both new to handplanes, working together will get you going faster. An experienced handplaner will get you further than anything else.
Then practice.
I would have to say that of the above DVD's, my favorite for an all-around look at planing would be the "Coarse, Medium, Fine" by Chris Schwarz.
But an evening with a new friend, some planes, and some scrap wood - well, let just say "it dont get any better than that!"
Mike

[lowell holmes]

I don't where you live, but I started with a one day class at Homestead Heritage School od Woodworking near Waco Texas. I returned for several classes. Check them out or try to find a school near you. A few days of instruction will prevent a lot of frustration. It might save you a lot of money spent on tools in that you will probably buy the right tool initially.

I was having problem with hand saws because I didn't know what to expect from a saw. After I purchased a LN dovetail saw, things improved. If I was able to subtract the cost of the cheap saws from it, it would be a bargain.

Having said all that, I am still just an old duffer. :-)

[Luke Townsley]

You are right in seeking help. There is indeed an initial learning curve to learning hand tools. It isn't rocket science, but it is impossibly frustrating if you don't learn the basics.

Learning to sharpen is as important as anything. There are some good videos and also Leonard Lee's book on sharpening is among the best.

Also, there are a lot of blogs out there that deal with traditional hand tool woodworking. I have one and I track a number of others on my website at www.unpluggedshop.com

[Danny Burns]

I think I would take a look at Rob Cosman's site.

http://www.robcosman.com/

He has links to some sample videos on YouTube.com that should give you an idea of what you would be getting before deciding to purchase or not.

Each DVD also has a mini sample.

http://www.robcosman.com/dvd.php

[Dave Anderson NH]

Welcome Greg,

I'm firmly in Dave Keller's camp on this one. While books and DVDs are a help, there is nothing that will advance your skills as well or quickly as having hands on instruction during an interactive session with another woodworker. There are guilds and clubs all over the country, and unless you seek them out, they are unlikely to go looking for you. Most of the skills and knowledge I've gained over the years have come from being associated with the Guild of NH Woodworkers. This has come in many forms: demonstrations, lectures, workshops, symposia, one on one mentoring, formal classes, and question and answer periods.

I urge you to make the effort to find a group, it is not only one of the best ways to learn, it is one of the least expensive.

[Douglas Brummett]

Best way to learn? Books and DVD's only go so far. I think they are great for dialing in on the principles. However my biggest advances have been with the tools in hand. Get some inexpensive and easy to work wood and start practicing. Anyone who has been around for a while will tell you the same thing. Books, videos, personal training will give you a clue, but you have to develop the muscle memory and skills within yourself through practice.

I am far from an expert. I still struggle through my projects, but each one gets easier and the quality better. I make a lot of sawdust, but for the most part don't have to scrap much wood due to mistakes. One day my home will be filled with hand built furniture of higher quality than I could ever afford.

[Robert Rozaieski]

As Douglas said, the best way yo learn is by doing. You can read all the books in the world and watch as many videos but you won't gain the skills unless you put tool to wood. Sure, you'll make mistakes but hopefully, if you are paying attention you won't make the same one twice. Also, don't try to learn everything at once. Not every project requires every skill and every kind of joint. Pick a simple (in design, not necessarily in skill) project with just one or two types of joinery and build it. You'll gain valuable skills that you'll use on future projects and you will learn additional techniques and joinery as your projects increase in complexity.

To start, pick a small project like a small side table without any drawers, get some inexpensive wood like pine or poplar from the Home Depot or Lowes and get to building. A small table with no drawers is a really good introductory project. It seems simple but you will learn a lot of valuable skills like sawing a straight line, reading grain direction (if you plane in the wrong direction the wood will let you know ;)), chopping mortises, cutting tenons, proper gauging and marking and if you want to get a little fancy maybe drawboring, tapering the legs or adding a decorative edge to the table top. Not to mention you'll learn that you need to keep your tools sharp for them to perform well and you'll get practice sharpening as you touch up your tools in use while building something you can actually use and be proud of. Plus you'll score points with the CFO who will want to see some return on investment ;). It's surprising how many skills one uses to make such a seemingly simple piece.

Good luck and let us know how your journey goes!

[Harold Beck]

My breakthrough step was learning to get a sharp edge. Up to that point I experienced nothing but frustration. Once someone showed me what a sharp edge was, and how to get it several different ways myself, everthing became possible.

I got this conversion at a 1 day class from a friendly helpful hands on teacher. When you get to cut your finger on a sharp edge, you then really now what sharp is, and I sure didn't. If you can afford a class and have one locally, take it. If you can find a mentor, even better.

I still have too many things to learn and you can never get enough practice, however, when I pick up my block plane to trim an edge or grab a chisel to pare something away, I know it will work and any problems are due to my lack of skill not the capability of the tool. I'm sure that someone must have said this above, but the better you get with hand tools the less you need the power tools.

Good luck,

HB

[Jim Becker]

Relative to learning how to use hand tools and outside of this forum, etc., the best method I found to learn is to use them. And I have been....more and more. Hand tools add more importance to another sense..."feel"...and that takes time in the saddle to develop.

[Jeff Wright]

I think I would take a look at Rob Cosman's site.

http://www.robcosman.com/

He has links to some sample videos on YouTube.com that should give you an idea of what you would be getting before deciding to purchase or not.

Each DVD also has a mini sample.

http://www.robcosman.com/dvd.php

I second getting some of Cosman's DVDs. He has some of the best camera shots of all the many teaching guys out there - and I have most of them! :D

Excellent DVDs on making dovetails especially.

[Greg L. Brown]

Thanks for all the links to DVDs, books and suggestions about classes. I pretty much have to stick with books and DVDs for now, because I have very little free time at the moment. I get about 2-3 hours a week for woodworking (too many famililial obligations going on right now). But I'm young and I don't mind learning the basics slowly; when I get older I'll have more free time.

I live in the western 'burbs of Chicago. When I get a little more free time I plan to take some classes at my local WoodCraft store (they have a good variety of reasonably priced classes). Are there any wood clubs / guilds in Chicago, or in the western burbs of Chi-town?

Thanks,
Greg

[Chris Setla]

Greg,

One book that may be available at your local library and that I found to be the perfect book for me was "The 7 essentials of woodworking" by Anthony Guidice. It was a mind opening book..... probably because I grew up in Norway and went through the Sløyd method of practical training there. I swore I'd never touch another scrub plane but after years of not being able to work in my unheated shop during the winter, I decided that perhaps it was time to go back to my roots and set up a small shop in the basement. I tripped over Anthony's book in the local library and that was the push I needed. He's pretty opinionated and while he does not have the only answer, what he does works for him and made sense to me. He explains the basics clearly and I know I can duplicate his results with a bit of practice.

Sometimes it's best to pick one voice to listen to and get up to that persons level before wandering off in search of better ways , never truly figuring out if the first way would really work for you or not. I know I'm guilty of that....

Regards

Christian

[John Dykes]

Sløyd method of practical training

As one that is very interested in the historical apprentice systems, I've love to hear more about this...

Back to your regularly scheduled program.

[mike holden]

John the sloyd training manual is available on google books - a freebie!

Try: http://books.google.com/books?q=&btnG=Search+Books&as_brr=1

and search on sloyd.

Mike

[John Dykes]

Wow - nice.

In your debt!

[geoff brandenburg]

Hello all,
I'm newer to woodworking, and everything I've learned has mostly been with power tools. However, I need to learn more about handtools. Can you all recommend some good beginner books about how to use planes? DVD video recommendations would also be helpful.

Thanks,
Greg


Hi Greg,
I have just completed the journey you're beginning, and have some specific recommendations for you based on what has made the biggest difference for me in feeling some mastery taking shape:


1. Understanding what camber to put on what plane blades, how and why has made a huge difference in my confidence and success with planes. Although the Rob Cosman and David Charlesworth DVD's address this, my best learning came from buying a $4.95 monthly subscription to the Fine Woodworking (http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking) website. There is a wealth of other information there from very knowledgeable people.

This blog (http://www.rpwoodwork.com/blog/) and Christopher Schwarz's Woodworking Magazine (http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/Camber+With+A+Honing+Guide.aspx) blog also have some good info.


2. If you want to use waterstones for sharpening, getting a dead flat reference plane so that you can flatten them on it is essential. I bought a $35 granite surface plate that is flat to .0001 of an inch across the entire surface. You can also use any dead flat glass. I use 100 and 220 grit silicon carbide sandpaper and get superb results.


As others have recommended, Christopher Schwarz's "Coarse, Medium and Fine" is the best overview on plane usage I have found.

Rob Cosman and David Charlesworth's DVD are excellent, and if you can afford them, it is great to learn from a variety of good teachers.


And as others have said Lie-Nielsen or Veritas planes are the way to go. I went with a set of Lie-Nielsen planes, and am very happy with them.

[Phil Harding]

I live in the western 'burbs of Chicago. When I get a little more free time I plan to take some classes at my local WoodCraft store (they have a good variety of reasonably priced classes). Are there any wood clubs / guilds in Chicago, or in the western burbs of Chi-town?

Thanks,
Greg

Greg, since you're in the Chicago area you may want to check out the hand tool classes offered by Jeff Miller. http://www.furnituremaking.com/schedule.html (http://www.furnituremaking.com/schedule.html)

-- Phil

[Eben Fourie]

Hi Greg,

I would recommend that you view Bob Rozaieski's podcasts. They are an excellent introduction to hand tools and techniques. Do a search at blip.tv for "Hand Tools Techniques" or check out his blog.

Lastly, I can not recommend the book "Complete Guide to Sharpening" by Leonard Lee enough. Using hand tools you will need to become very comfortable with sharpening, and I can honestly say I learnt more about hand tools and how to use (and sharpen) them from this book than any other so far...

Good luck down the slope :-)

Eben
Cape Town

[Bill Houghton]

1. Remember that Ben Franklin is your friend. That is, hit your local library and check out every book and DVD you find on the subject. Read them all. Recognize that they contradict each other on certain things (in particular, every author has a different "basic tool kit"); accept this as what it is, advice, not Truth. From this, you'll begin to get a sense of which books/DVDs are worth buying for your permanent collection - unless your library system is quick enough in its response time when you put in requests that you don't need to buy any (this is not often like car repair: you usually don't need to know this minute in order to get to work the next day).

2. All the basic books are like basic music books. Reading "How to Play the Autoharp" is not playing the autoharp. For this, of course, you need to apply the old musician's principle on how to get to Carnegie Hall: practice, practice, practice. You might well be better off saving money on book buying and using it to buy some poplar or other practice wood.