What is the correct plane angle for....

[Greg Tatum]

.....face jointing a board in relation to the edge? I'm talking about non-figured, flat sawn hardwoods. I'll be using a Stanley #5 and/or #6 'cause that's what I have. I do have a 6" Jet but it is pissin' me off right now cause I can't seem to get anything but wedged- shaped cuts....my boards look like really wide shims....only good for transitions from a low to high floor or such :mad:

Anyway...I need to get some cherry flat so I can start a nightstand for my daughter....any advise for this beginner will be greatly appreciated.

TIA,
Greg

[Leif Hanson]

Start off getting one side flat - use winding sticks for to make sure you are not getting a twist. Once you have one side flat - take a marking gauge and set it for just a hair under the thinnest part of the board. Mark around the entire board. This will be your datum point to plane to when you are thicknessing the board - use it as a reference.

The size of the plane you use doesn't matter too much - if it's a lot of wood to remove, start with a scrub plane.

That help?

edit - for the angle from the edge - work one way at about 30-45 degrees, then switch and start working it the other way. The biggest part is reading the grain so your work causes the least tear out...

[Bob Smalser]

I do have a 6" Jet but it is pissin' me off right now cause I can't seem to get anything but wedged- shaped cuts....my boards look like really wide shims....only good for transitions from a low to high floor or such

Check yer table-cutterhead alignment. Drop the table and sight across it to the cutterhead.

Otherwise, flip the board on every pass thru the jointer....I get the same thing when I'm putting more pressure on one side of the board than the other when using pushblocks.

[Steve Cox]

Greg,

Are you getting wedge shape across the face of the board or along its length? Hand planes are wonderful to use and essential if you don't have a jointer but why don't you let us help get your efficiency back up by giving some info on the Jet?

[Jerry Palmer]

You say you're getting wedge shaped boards. But, is the slanted surface straight and flat? If so, then the jointer has done its job, probably several passes back. The jointer's job is to give you a coplaner surface perpendicular to an adjacent one, not one that is parallel to another (although this can be done in a manner similar to using a hand plane).