Best way to start building hand planes?

[Shawn Stennett]

If I was wanting to start building my own hand planes where would I begin? I am also interested in making my own molding planes. What books or DVD wouldbe a good start and what tools would I need?

[Mark Baldwin III]

David Finck's "Making and Mastering Wood Planes" and Lee's "Wooden Planes and How to Make Them" are the two books that I have. Building a Hock kit is a good way to start. Clark and Williams have some DVD's on molding planes. Another thing that has helped me for figuring out the molding planes (though I haven't built one yet) was to buy a few. I have a 14, 16, & 18 round from E. Baldwin. They were made 160 years ago, and show the old world craftsmanship and character. Actually being able to hold one in my hands is better for me than pictures. Or should I say...it's a great supplement to the pictures.

[john brenton]

make a couple for that son of yours.

Not only is there no pressure to get it perfect, but if your financial situation is like most of ours you don't have money to buy hardwood big enough to make a plane just to practice on. I've made about 10 planes for my son just because I was bored, but I learned a lot from it. When I went to make my first plane for myself there were no surprises.


If I was wanting to start building my own hand planes where would I begin? I am also interested in making my own molding planes. What books or DVD wouldbe a good start and what tools would I need?

[John A. Callaway]

make a couple for that son of yours.

Not only is there no pressure to get it perfect, but if your financial situation is like most of ours you don't have money to buy hardwood big enough to make a plane just to practice on. I've made about 10 planes for my son just because I was bored, but I learned a lot from it. When I went to make my first plane for myself there were no surprises.


I would love to meet up with you and see those....

[Shawn Stennett]

I will look into those books, and DVD thank you.

I just recently purchased a couple of wooden planes and one from a creeker.

[Terry Beadle]

You might give a look at Steve Knight's kits. They may cost a little more than the Hock kit but ( IMO ) you get a better plane out of it.

Also, Steve will give you advice and the experience behind it.

Enjoy the shavings !

[Jon van der Linden]

If you have a bandsaw and a jointer, I wouldn't bother with kits. Roughing out the main parts is fairly simple and easy, plus you learn a lot from this part of the process.

The main part of the learning process if you're making a Krenov style plane is figuring out what's comfortable in your hand. It may take a few before you end up with something you really like - a kit makes no difference in that regard. The business part of the plane and its layout is posted in several places online. Again, you learn more from making this (especially about wood types and grain) and using it than from blindly following someone else's pattern exactly.

Once you've made a Krenov type plane you might want to try other more traditional patterns.

With molding planes by far the best way to go is to order the the Larry Williams DVD, it's one of the most in depth accounts of plane making you're going to find.

[Shawn Stennett]

Thanks Jon, I do have a joiner and bandsaw, however the bandsaw is a horrible example of one. I was really wanting to do as you are suggesting and build some of mine own.

[Brian Sullivan]

Take a look at http://www.crfinefurniture.com/1pages/sitelinks/howplane.html. David Finck's book is nice, but it only covers Krenov-style planes, and I don't think it is necessary. Just buy an iron and make one. If you are interested in traditional wooden planes, I recommend the Whelan book "Making traditional Wooden Planes". For moulding planes, the best resource is the Larry Williams DVD.

[bradley strong]

I recently built a 2" smoothing plane from zebra wood. It is a Krenov style, but I used a 3/8" aluminum rod to wedge against instead of carving one out of wood. I saw David Marks use brass, but I couldn't source it locally. I used a Fink A2 iron and chip breaker.

It works quite well, but if I make more wood planes, they will be made from the heaviest wood I can find. I recently had the chance to use a cast iron plane, and it was easier to use because of the weight.

It is critical to get the bed where the iron rests dead flat and square. I used double-stick tape and attached outriggers to it. I then ran it over the jointer taking very light passes. Finally, I used sand paper on a granite plate with the outriggers still attached. The outriggers prevent rounding over the edges. I also routed the slot for the chip breaker screw with the outriggers still attached.

Good luck,

[Mark Baldwin III]

Awesome! another zebrawood plane! I just finished one, and started another. Great job on the glue lines, I can't find them to save my life.

[john brenton]

Anytime John!

Here's a picture of some of the first ones that I did. They're nothing to admire really, in fact they are a bit embarrassing. They are the kind of things that I made just kind of willy nilly from scrap and then thought "dang, I should put some more effort into these." I'll try and round up the other planes and take a pic. They are a couple of side escapement molding planes and a router plane.



I would love to meet up with you and see those....

[Mark Baldwin III]

John, what's embarrassing about those? I'd be rather proud of myself if I could make a set that looked like that! I have much to learn.

[Johnny Kleso]

Best Way is to build a Prototype then take what you learned from that and build a real plane..

I think David Finck's book is the best hand plane book I ever read..
It comes in and out of publication so get one asap

Amazon stores has three New Copies for $25 after that prices jump to $84 and $114

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/061527353X/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&qid=1290880186&sr=1-1&condition=new

[Shawn Stennett]

Those are nice Bradley and Jon, I really like them. Anyone else wanna sow some more?

I will look into that book real quick, thanks for telling me about the need to hurry.

[Tony Joyce]

I am also interested in making my own molding planes. What books or DVD would be a good start and what tools would I need?



Todd Herrli's DVD is good. His web site http://www.todherrli.com/
Larry Williams DVD is good also & a little more in depth.
John Whelan's book "Making Traditional Wooden Planes" is great also


In addition to the one's already mentioned.
You'll find a couple of plane floats will make the work go much easier.

This is a 1/2" edge bead I made a couple years ago. I planned to make more, but have not gotten around to it.
168493 168494

[Shawn Stennett]

Thanks Tony, I was looking at the plane floats from LN.

[Tony Joyce]

Thanks Tony, I was looking at the plane floats from LN.

A couple other sources for floats.
http://www.stjamesbaytoolco.com/
&
http://mazzagliatools.com/Floats1st.html

I've never used either, I have the Lie-Nielsen plus one I made. Although the St James Bay ones seem priced right.

[Mark Dorman]

I think David Finck's book is the best hand plane book I ever read..
It comes in and out of publication so get one asap

Amazon stores has three New Copies for $25 after that prices jump to $84 and $114

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/061527353X/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&qid=1290880186&sr=1-1&condition=new

Now there are two; I decided to snap one up. Thanks for the tip.
This months Shopnotes mag. has a build article for a smoother and a miter plane.

Mark