Woodies don't get used

[Richard Hutchings]

I see a lot of videos of people making wooden handplanes and I want to go this path as well. The problem I see in all these videos is this. They build them using metal planes and power tools. I never see anyone actually using them though they claim they are better and easier in many ways.:confused: Am I stupid for wanting to remove my metal planes and just use woodies? I probably didn't word that right but you get the gist.

[Dan Hulbert]

Use whatever works for you. Woodies were made without power tools for centuries. It just takes a little more effort and skill.

[Richard Hutchings]

My main point I guess is, will I someday tire of the woodies and start grabbing the Stanley's again and if so, why?

[Robert Hazelwood]

I like wooden planes for heavy work, like dimensioning rough boards with a jack and try plane. A bit lighter and less apparent friction. But for smoothing I prefer a metal plane due to the ease of adjustment.

Very few do the rough work by hand, so all that's left is essentially smoothing. And if that's all you're doing then you probably are going to gravitate to metal planes. Plus, wooden planes require more tuning and care, not a big deal if you use planes frequently, but most don't.

None of this is to say that wooden smoothers don't work well.

[Zach Dillinger]

I use wooden planes almost exclusively in my furniture work (the only iron plane that sees any regular use is a LN #9), and have done so for the better part of two decades. Those same wooden planes are used, along with other hand tools, to make other tools as well including planes. Here's a peek at my main tool chest with most of my users, and the tool shelf which holds a few actual 18th century bench planes which get a respectful taste of wood from time to time. Also, some of the hand tools that I've made entirely with hand tools and wooden planes.
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It is entirely a personal choice as to which style of plane to use. I do recommend trying out a wooden plane and sticking with it for a while as, like anything, it takes a little while to get used to the tool and to become competent in its use. I think a lot of people give up in frustration after they try to adjust one the first couple of times.

[Jim Koepke]

My main point I guess is, will I someday tire of the woodies and start grabbing the Stanley's again and if so, why?

My use of woodies is pretty much limited to molding and rabbet planes. The enjoyment of this doesn't seem to grow old.

Compared to my Stanley/Bailey planes my two coffin smoothers are a bit finicky to set up.

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So far getting a fine shaving from a coffin smoother has been beyond my abilities. The tactile feel of woodies is different than a metal plane. That could be what is appealing to some who prefer wood bodied planes.

Maybe my hands are too used to using something with a tote, knob and onboard blade adjusters to appreciate my coffin smoothers. For now they just sit on a shelf collecting dust.

jtk

[ken hatch]

Add me to the list of woodie users for the rough work. Smoothing is a wash, sometimes yes sometime no. Both metal and wood stock planes have their use.

ken

[Oskar Sedell]

What you describe might be common, or not. I don´t know. But there are for sure wooden plane users.

I started my woodworking venture by restoring a no 4 plane that had a missing tote. Then I used that plane to build my first wooden smoother. Since then the no 4 have seen very little use, but I have built my self a collection of wooden planes, that are my only users. Jack, Try, rabbet, block, smoothing, router, shooting and dovetail planes. And spokeshaves. And a couple of more because planemaking is fun. The point is I make those planes to fill a need and use them. I have no opinion on if they are better or worse than metal planes but I couldnt afford buying a set of planes of the same quality. And I don´t miss having an adjuster, since using a hammer is easy and intuitive.

My suggestion is for you to start building a plane that you need, and therefore will use. Make it as good and precise as you possibly can, and then tune it until it really works good for its purpose. Not just "good for a woodie", but so good that it makes another plane of that type/size unnecessary.

Good luck with the planemaking!

[Richard Hutchings]

My use of woodies is pretty much limited to molding and rabbet planes. The enjoyment of this doesn't seem to grow old.

Compared to my Stanley/Bailey planes my two coffin smoothers are a bit finicky to set up.

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So far getting a fine shaving from a coffin smoother has been beyond my abilities. The tactile feel of woodies is different than a metal plane. That could be what is appealing to some who prefer wood bodied planes.

Maybe my hands are too used to using something with a tote, knob and onboard blade adjusters to appreciate my coffin smoothers. For now they just sit on a shelf collecting dust.

jtk

You can send one of those useless things to me!

[David Eisenhauer]

I use my woodies almost exclusively for my furniture builds. I have a joiner, try and smoother plane for that work and use wooden rebate, plow, dado and moving filister planes for joinery tasks. My wooden planes seem to fit or feel better in my hands (softer edges, less ouch-spots), they are lighter and I don't fall into the "heavier planes plow through better" camp, they have less places to rust (here in central Texas that is a consideration) and I like the way that wooden planes feel when sliding across the timber. I have become used to tapping the iron to get what I want and it does not take long to get used to do so. It is kind of like sharpening - when it is time to do it, then do it and keep the adjusting hammer laid out for an easy and quick reach. I was experiencing some inconsistency in my attempts to set my new coffin smoother for a fine-fine cut. Steve Voigt reminded me to check the bottom of the plane for "flat" and how to correct "out-of-flat" and I now have consistent results in my tapping adjustments. My coffin smoother is a #3 size and I do have an excellent working LN #4 set up for smoothing. Both smoothers tend to get used where they fit best.

[steven c newman]

Most of my "woodies" have an iron frame....Ohio Tool Co. 035, Sargent No. 3416 (jack plane) Stanley No. 28 and No. 31. There is an Auburn Tool Co. pair that do not have the frames....Auburn No. 181 Skewed Rebate, and a 22" long jointer. The is also a G. Roseboom 1/4" plow plane....from 1864. When space allows the LONG arms room...works very nicely cutting grooves for drawer bottoms...however, it was more for doing T & G joints as part of a Match set. has no set-able depth stop.

[Rafael Herrera]

Richard, I have also had similar experience as Robert. I've used a jack with a heavily cambered iron for heavy work, a coffin smoother for medium work, and a try or jointer for jointing edges. They all slide with less friction than metal planes (you have to oil or wax the metal ones to get the same sensation).

For very fine shavings, a no. 4 or no. 3 is what I've been using.

I've a Mathieson wooden smoother that does a really good job, but for those last bits of reversing grain, my metal smoothers get me to that last point.

[Jason Buresh]

The third coast craftsman has a good video about a wooden smoother and Jack plane that he made. He bought a hardware kit from Lee valley which isn't a bad way to start.

[mike stenson]

The only woodie I have that doesn't get used is a jointer, and that's because I got it (as a present) without a wedge, and I've been a slacker. I made a krenov style smoother a few years ago, and that's still one of my favorite planes to use.

At some point, I'd like to make a half set of hollows and rounds, we'll see if that ever happens.

[Mike Henderson]

I made some wood planes and use them, but find them harder to adjust than iron planes. At the time I made them, money was tight and a shop made wood jointer was a lot less expensive then purchasing an iron jointer.

They don't get much use now days - just now and then.

Mike

[Tony Wilkins]

I’ve got two woodies, an old Sandusky jointer and Old Street smoother.* I would use them a lot more but moving from Kansas back to Texas the dry air really did a number on them. I’ve been working on getting the blades narrower. Had them where they would just about fit tightly and then we hit a drought. I really enjoy using them.

*had an Old Street fore or jack (can’t remember) that was set up as a panel plane. Sold it to a member here and instantly regretted it.

[Richard Hutchings]

Speaking of regret, I sold my BU Jack. Honestly it didn't get much use and I didn't see where it was any better than my Stanley BD. But I wish I still had it, what a dope.

[Tyler Bancroft]

I like using a wood plane for initial work on rough-cut boards. The lack of weight doesn't matter as much when you're just working on getting the bandsaw marks off quickly, and it's definitely an energy-saver.

[Jerome Andrieux]

Woodies feel fantastic, metal planes are more pragmatic. The quality of the end results is the same in capable hands.

The major issue with wooden planes for me is that a full sharpening cycle (remove the blade, sharpen, reassemble, readjust) takes more effort. While all my woodies have a double iron, some don’t have the convenient screw to attach the chip breaker. Tapping with a hammer doesn’t limit precision, quite the contrary, but it’s definitely not as fast and predictable.

I use a wooden scrub and a jack I tweaked from old worn wooden smother and foreplane. I don’t really enjoy using my metal jack planes for coarse work, bevel up or down. They don’t require fine setting or frequent sharpening.

I have small smoothers that I really enjoy, but I prefer the wide 4 1/2 most of the time, as I feel sharpness and fine setting are a must there.

I also prefer metal jointer to French wooden ones, where the blade is located in the middle (as opposed to 1/3 front in UK/US style), with the tote far back. I like my hand close to the blade, and close to the center of these heavy planes.

As a conclusion, the feeling of wooden planes on straight adequate woods (cherry, chestnut, peer, beech, oak...) is a pleasure. Maybe like listening to a vinyl disc compared to a CD.

[chris carter]

When all I had was a smoother and a block plane, I needed a jack so I made a wooden one. I instantly fell in love. Then I needed a fore/scrub and I found a No.26 transitional jack for $10. Man oh man you can hog off wood for days and never get tired with that thing. Then I needed a jointer, so again, I made one. 26” because, why put limits on it! It is my favorite plane.

Every time I pick up my metal No. 4 I think “ugh, what a bear to push…. Where’s my stick of wax?... why is this thing so heavy for such a small plane??”

Adjusting woodies takes a little practice, but I do prefer it because the setting absolutely will not change no matter what you do until you tell it to change. I find they can be incredibly precise. You can’t adjust while planing, but you can’t with a Norris adjuster either. My rabbet is an unfenced woodie and dead easy to use. I also made a wooden grooving plane that is tons of fun.

As for seeing woodies made with power tools, here’s my philosophy: If I’m making a project, I want to have fun and do it slow and use hand tools for gosh darn everything (except thickness planing when there’s a LOT to take off). But if I’m making a TOOL, I’m less concerned about it – I just want the tool. So I’ll use power tools if they are more convenient and if they are accurate enough (my power tools are more contractor quality than furniture building quality).

[Jim Matthews]

*had an Old Street fore or jack (can’t remember) that was set up as a panel plane. Sold it to a member here and instantly regretted it.

Not as much as I regret missing that sale.

[Jim Matthews]

Wood body planes have a hidden strength - the bodies don't rust. As my hands begin to creak, the feel and weight of woodies has become my preference.

[ken hatch]

Wood body planes have a hidden strength - the bodies don't rust. As my hands begin to creak, the feel and weight of woodies has become my preference.

Jim,

+1. Any metal plane heaver than a Stanley #5 with an OEM cutter has become over the years too heavy and the sole too sticky to use for more than a pass or two.

A wood body Jack with a waxed sole is a delight to use, it's almost like they push them self :p. I have Jacks from Steve V and Philly Plane to go with a few Stanley #5's. Anytime it is more than just a couple of passes the wood stocks are used. I also have several small shop made smoothing planes that can be used with either hand in either direction that are too handy for words.

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I don't use the longer ones much, other wood stock planes with wider cutters are handier but the two small ones come out to play often.

There is also a full complement of metal planes from a #!, missing a #2, up thru the #8 available. The long ones do not get used very often and when they do it usually is quickly back on the shelf.

ken

[Jerry Olexa]

Love the weight and feel of the woodies but, they are generally harder to adjust...

[steven c newman]

Hmmm, sometimes, one just has to make their own..
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jack plane...
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Double iron, with wedge, Traditional Chinese style....both hands behind the iron, both index fingers alongside the iron. Took about a Saturday to make...

[Robert Hazelwood]

Jim,

+1. Any metal plane heaver than a Stanley #5 with an OEM cutter has become over the years too heavy and the sole too sticky to use for more than a pass or two.

A wood body Jack with a waxed sole is a delight to use, it's almost like they push them self :p. I have Jacks from Steve V and Philly Plane to go with a few Stanley #5's. Anytime it is more than just a couple of passes the wood stocks are used. I also have several small shop made smoothing planes that can be used with either hand in either direction that are too handy for words.

440271

I don't use the longer ones much, other wood stock planes with wider cutters are handier but the two small ones come out to play often.

There is also a full complement of metal planes from a #!, missing a #2, up thru the #8 available. The long ones do not get used very often and when they do it usually is quickly back on the shelf.

ken


Those planes look great, and since they are similar to Kanna they made me think of something. I have a couple of cheapish Kanna around and they are very handy for tasks where you have to plane out of position (not flat down on the bench or in the vise), especially planing the sides of large pieces. I find it awkward to use a standard bench plane on a vertical surface. The form factor of a Kanna is great for stuff like that, and also for things like shooting long grain edges on the bench.

[ken hatch]

Those planes look great, and since they are similar to Kanna they made me think of something. I have a couple of cheapish Kanna around and they are very handy for tasks where you have to plane out of position (not flat down on the bench or in the vise), especially planing the sides of large pieces. I find it awkward to use a standard bench plane on a vertical surface. The form factor of a Kanna is great for stuff like that, and also for things like shooting long grain edges on the bench.

Robert,

You hit it exactly. They are great for what could be awkward to do with a metal bench plane.

ken

[Richard Hutchings]

Jim,

+1. Any metal plane heaver than a Stanley #5 with an OEM cutter has become over the years too heavy and the sole too sticky to use for more than a pass or two.

A wood body Jack with a waxed sole is a delight to use, it's almost like they push them self :p. I have Jacks from Steve V and Philly Plane to go with a few Stanley #5's. Anytime it is more than just a couple of passes the wood stocks are used. I also have several small shop made smoothing planes that can be used with either hand in either direction that are too handy for words.

440271

I don't use the longer ones much, other wood stock planes with wider cutters are handier but the two small ones come out to play often.

There is also a full complement of metal planes from a #!, missing a #2, up thru the #8 available. The long ones do not get used very often and when they do it usually is quickly back on the shelf.

ken

Are those mahogany? After looking around, I now think they are jatoba which make way more sense.

[ken hatch]

Are those mahogany? After looking around, I now think they are jatoba which make way more sense.


Richard,

Pretty close, they are made from Sapele AKA Sapele Mahogany.

ken

[Richard Hutchings]

I was thinking maybe Sapele but I didn't think it was hard enough for planes. After a quick Janka search it looks like it's about twice as hard as Honduras and African Mahogany which are pretty low on the scale. How are they holding up? Oh, and where did you buy the stock?

[ken hatch]

I was thinking maybe Sapele but I didn't think it was hard enough for planes. After a quick Janka search it looks like it's about twice as hard as Honduras and African Mahogany which are pretty low on the scale. How are they holding up? Oh, and where did you buy the stock?

Richard,

They hold up just fine. The stock came from my local woodstore. I guess if this was a production shop and I used them for most operations they might wear. But they are specialized planes used mostly for finish trimming, breaking edges and such.

I have others made from Beech that also work well and I expect would last longer under heavy use.

ken

[Rafael Herrera]

Richard,

European Beech billets for plane making can be found at https://redrosereproductions.com/ and at https://inventory.horizonwood.com/product/beech-misc-flitches-391631

If you are into more exotic woods, if you perform a search on eBay with terms like "3x3 turning blank", you'll find several examples of East Indian Rosewood and other species for sale.

[Mike Brady]

This is an interesting theme from the OP. My experience with wood planes is limited, to be frank. The reason for this is that my access to wood-bodied planes has been limited. Old ones that I tried were almost non-functional. Newly-made ones such as the fantastic Clark & Williams versions were a bit dear in both price and availability at the time. Meanwhile, I invested in the best metal planes I could afford. Somewhere along the line I was gifted a wooden plane kit from Veritas. The finished product was something I was very satisfied with in terms of conformity to the design. I made it from some lovely air-dried beech. It wouldn't plane wood worth a damn.

I use metal planes.

[Richard Hutchings]

Richard,

European Beech billets for plane making can be found at https://redrosereproductions.com/ and at https://inventory.horizonwood.com/product/beech-misc-flitches-391631

If you are into more exotic woods, if you perform a search on eBay with terms like "3x3 turning blank", you'll find several examples of East Indian Rosewood and other species for sale.

Thanks for those links. That was very helpful.

[Michael J Evans]

I love my wood bench planes. They glide across the wood. Dead simple to re flatten (sand paper on something flat) and I actually Prefer the way my front hand sits versus a knob.

[Charles Murray Ohio]

I might have missed something, but their are very metal molding planes with a sole. The sole not only burnishes (think rubbing shavings to polish) but also will help in tear out. Their are time that I use a 45 or 55 (no sole) how ever if I have the choice of using a wooden molding plane it's much quicker.

[steven c newman]

Seen down in West Liberty, OH......
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Both of these jacks were $27....don't ask about that block plane..
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Stanley #4, t-19.....
Too much missing in the plough/fillister plane...