FWW's "Every Handplane Needs a Tuneup" - a video response

[Pat Megowan]

I'm not sure how spending $425.00 make a product immune from deficiencies, in fact I'm certain that this is not the case. Has anyone here spent much more money than this on equipment only to find that manufacturing tolerances have not been held? ... Mistakes happen in production - period.

Well said! The making of things is challenging, nothing is failsafe. More care in manufacturing can reduce problems impressively but not eliminate them. A person highly skilled in metalwork can almost certainly further improve a fine plane, but like everyone else will benefit from returning a plane that slipped thru with significant mistakes.

we all need to go back to our shops and put the time in to actually do what we are speaking of.

Bingo. Knowledge isn't robust until is has serious mileage on it. The catastrophes, dead ends, "good enough" outcomes, and genuine successes along the way cover a great distance between idea/opinion and excellent results, earning the term "hard-earned".

Chris' use of the word "opinion" seems significant in another way; earning a skill inevitably personalizes it, adapting it to the worker and their environment. When they then share it (here, for instance), it is both informed and biased. It may work for another reader, or not--that reader likewise must head to the shop, where they will find...

...in many cases this means spending money as well as time.

Yes...and Ouch. Answering the ubiquitous forum question "what's the best...?" is almost always a matter of trying stuff, much of which won't be the best answer for you. Forums can suggest options and factors to consider, a tremendous help but still someone else's journey, not yours.

Consider playing the odds as you earn your knowledge, letting the tool tell you where it needs work, and letting the manufacturer make it right if they can do it better or with more safety to your pocketbook. And by all means learn some metal work, it's cool too!

Yet another opinion;-).

[Ryan Baker]

Until this thread, I had never seen the lever cap used as a screwdriver. I sure wouldn't do that, even if someone DID try to convince me that it was a good idea.

As for the video, Tommy should certainly know better. While attempting to be helpful, this is really just contributing to a lot of bad advice out there for beginners that don't know any better. FWW should pull the video and replace it with a new one that is redone to correct the blatent errors. Perhaps the title was supposed to have been "Every WoodRiver Handplane Needs a Tuneup" -- though that isn't really fair to Woodcraft either.

The idea of a book or DVD series from George has come up before. I think it's a great idea. Somebody with the right resources should talk George into it. There are plenty of us around here that would pay for that. We need to learn all we can from the guys with decades of experience so that we don't have to spend decades ourselves learning from the same mistakes. Short of that, there is a pretty good pile of information in the archives right here.

[Pat Megowan]

Reasons I switched to a short screwdriver:

I feel safer from skewering myself;
I shake a little bit, it's easier to engage the screw slot;
I found one that fit perfectly

Another case of trying stuff 'til I was happy.

[Chris Fournier]

I wouldn't want to put words in George's mouth or tell him what chapters to include but I'd bet that George's book would be heavy on equipment and hand tool tuning and the pursuit of precision - measurement and production. I'd bet that George is very concerned about the minutiae and has been for a very long time.

[Ryan Baker]

Reasons I switched to a short screwdriver:

I feel safer from skewering myself;
I shake a little bit, it's easier to engage the screw slot;
I found one that fit perfectly

Another case of trying stuff 'til I was happy.

The stubby LV chipbreaker screwdriver works quite nicely! No way to slip off, and it won't tear up the screw.

[george wilson]

I have several LN planes,and also had bought several for the toolmaker's shop. The only defect I ever found was a blade in a block plane tested at 58 Rockwell,when advertised at 60. They sent a new blade immediately. I think 60 is too hard,anyway. As I've mentioned before,when using wooden planes for many years,I found that the irons I could BARELY file with a new,fine file would hold up better. This was on antique,bitted irons,and would have put the hardness at about 55 Rockwell or less. The saws made from 1095 spring steel are about 52 Rockwell,and are rather hard on files(but do stay sharp longer).

I have an antique user made chip breaker screwdriver. I should post it. It has a blade that is about 5/8" wide at the edge,getting wider at the handle,and only less than 1" long. It has a short,wide handle. I'll dig it up and post it one of these days. This pattern was common for chip breaker screwdrivers.

[Pat Megowan]

By the time you've measured it you might as well tune it up. Things may have changed but I don't believe that manufacturers grind the plane bodies with the frogs in situ and the iron tightened down - this is something that a woodworker can improve in his shop with some care

I don't know the creek audience, Chris, but (at the risk of being a d--k) I think you are too generous concerning what woodworkers in general (e.g. FWW's readership, me included) can reliably achieve flattening a sole. I work with a lot of folks and a large majority struggle to sharpen and set the cut well, and fear regrinding the primary bevel. This is in spite of the feast of forum help, perennial mag articles on "the best method to sharpen", and YouTubes galore. Beginners, intermediates, woodworkers with decades of professional experience...even well-known handtool writers, I've seen them all. This is not a criticism; there's lots to learn, not enough time for everything, a confusing abundance of approaches, and ways to work around anything including dull tools (esp. when you haven't experienced really sharp ones).

Virtually all can learn to sharpen well (esp. w/live help--brain flash--George, lessons via Skype! (sorry if that's absurd)) and could learn to work the sole with enough help and experience. However, I've seen fine tools seriously messed up by careful, well meaning, and experienced woodworkers, and their disappointment made a big impression on me. Jim's advice to practice on swap meet specials seems smart, just the place to gain hard-earned knowledge. Once they can do that well--and measure accurately to back it up--then whatever floats their boat!

This is the heart of my discomfort with the original video--while one photo caption suggests returning a new plane with problems, the headline and thrust of the article is that all planes need it (false, even including lesser tools) and here's how you can do it (seriously incomplete), illustrated with a brand new spiffy looking plane (which coincidentally looks like an LN). While a high quality plane may indeed have problems, the article and video are playing lousy probabilities.

I agree totally with your summation that attention to all the details assists in better work. Given the limits of time, it's also worth considering which details to tackle, in what order, and when to call the RCMP;-).

[Pat Megowan]

I have several LN planes,and also had bought several for the toolmaker's shop. The only defect I ever found was a blade in a block plane tested at 58 Rockwell,when advertised at 60. They sent a new blade immediately. I think 60 is too hard,anyway. As I've mentioned before,when using wooden planes for many years,I found that the irons I could BARELY file with a new,fine file would hold up better. This was on antique,bitted irons,and would have put the hardness at about 55 Rockwell or less. The saws made from 1095 spring steel are about 52 Rockwell,and are rather hard on files(but do stay sharp longer).

I have an antique user made chip breaker screwdriver. I should post it. It has a blade that is about 5/8" wide at the edge,getting wider at the handle,and only less than 1" long. It has a short,wide handle. I'll dig it up and post it one of these days. This pattern was common for chip breaker screwdrivers.

Interesting notes on hardness, steel is fascinating and seems surprisingly subtle/complex. Love to see the screwdriver.

Hope the Skype sharpening lessons idea doesn't get me on your bad side! Personal help often makes all the difference; it can be hard for folks to spot the difference between what even a well-shot video shows and what they are doing, while experienced eyes may spot it in a second.

[george wilson]

Why would Skype lessons get me on your bad side?? I've only ever Skyped once. That was with Chris Vesper,the Aussie toolmaker. I doubt the size and quality of Skype would be good enough for teaching.

[Charlie Stanford]

I realize this is quite strong for a first post, and hope you will forgive that. I'm mostly a messenger here, with knowledge expressed earlier and better by generations of hand plane experts, and making no claims about any "best" answer.

The recent Fine Woodworking article "Every Handplane Needs a Tuneup" and accompanying video are incomplete (at least) on some critical points, posing a real risk of ruining a good tool. This is particularly true for folks starting with high quality handplanes like Veritas and Lie-Nielsen, which are a) quite unlikely to need several of the recommended procedures, and b) quite likely to be screwed up if you don't know a good deal more than is presented in the article and video.

Here is the original FWW video:


http://www.finewoodworking.com/toolg....aspx?id=35026


And here is a video response, which points out the most serious issues and recommends an alternate tuneup:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLhQE...ature=youtu.be


There are fairly extensive comments in the description section of the video as well.

No disrespect is intended to the author Tommy MacDonald, who responded quickly and kindly to my concern, or to FWW, both of whom have taught and inspired many woodworkers. Tommy's high end planes apparently needed at least some of this work. On the other hand, I have set up many planes for friends, students, customers, and myself, and while some brands needed everything in the book--or relegation to paperweight--none of the top quality planes needed frog removal, sole flattening, or chip breaker work. After blade prep, honing, and setting the cut, they worked beautifully.

It's a matter of playing the probabilities; doing what's sure to help (super sharp, light shaving) and letting the plane tell you if it needs more. If it does need more, look to a thorough treatment of the subject like Garrett Hack's "The Handplane Book".

I'll be interested to hear the collective Neanderthal wisdom on this subject!

God works in ways I'll never understand. On the surface (sorry for the pun) it sounds like bad advice. Then I remembered to check Macdonald's portfolio:

http://www.thomasjmacdonald.com/cont...-mac-furniture

Not too shabby. Nothing succeeds like success?

[george wilson]

The fact is,a good craftsman can make good work with relatively primitive tools. The wooden pieces I have posted here previously were made with wooden planes. The marquetry guitar I made was sawn out with a wooden frame fret saw I made. They used similar tech in the 17th. and 18th.C's. I'm sure none of the wooden planes I used (still use) are as flat or as rigid as a good metal plane. I knew how to get them very sharp,and set them very fine. I had only a double sided India stone and a razor stone. No array of $500.00 fancy stones.

Ther Anthony Hay cabinet shop in Wmsbg. makes fine furniture with similar tools to what I used. The master used to spit on an odd cut Belgian coticle and sharpen with it. It was an odd shaped piece no more than 4" long in any direction.

In the Gunsmith's Shop in Williamsburg,they make guns that cost over $20,000.00 with extremely primitive tools: Hammer,anvil,tongs,files,hand braces,hand forged drill bits,and a few chisels and carving tools. Screws were hand filed out,not lathe turned for many years,not until they realized that the 18th.C. inventory they were going by(of the original shop) did not include a wooden lathe bolted to the wall. Then,I made a wooden treadle lathe for them. Early American Industries Assn. members complained that the gunsmiths were "working in medieval conditions",and THEY WERE!! The original master was way too conservative !!

Craftsmanship and tool prep can be two entirely different things,believe it or not.


The lion's head was hand carved with a few carving tools. The steel die was made entirely by hand with a few chisels made from old triangular files.The holes were hand punched and drilled. The guitar marquetry was sawn out with a wooden frame saw held in the hand. The lion head violin and guitar were made with the public about 4 feet away. I'll guarantee you that very small work is harder to do than large furniture,NOT by any means to demean the fine furniture you showed the link to. I mean here only to point out that it's not all tool prep that makes good work. I believe that paper money is still mostly hand engraved,but I think they use machines to do the borders.

Craftsmanship does not depend entirely upon the flatness of a plane.It is mostly can you design,can you saw exactly on the line,etc..

I really think that things like flat planes and sharpening stones are dwelt upon entirely too much on this forum. Those things are nice to talk about,but they just won't make you a great craftsman by themselves.

[Chris Griggs]

I really think that things like flat planes and sharpening stones are dwelt upon entirely too much on this forum. Those things are nice to talk about,but they just won't make you a great craftsman by themselves.

Well crap!!!! If that's the case I'm screwed!!!

Actually, even though I am of the main perpetrators of such sharpening/etc discussions I must say I totally agree. I've said before I would love to see more people post their work here. The most I ever learn is when someone posts a completed project, talks about how they did it and what the challenges were, and then others give feedback on how to improve the design, work methods, or general quality of the end result.

I do still enjoy the new tool and sharpening discussions. Not sure why,like you said, it is just sometime fun to talk about.

[Pat Megowan]

I want to soften some words (they're easier to eat when soft;-) based on recently received info.

I've received confirmed sightings from folks who have been in the factories that neither LN nor LV lap most planes with the frog/blade assembly in place. Apparently ductile iron and carefully designed cross sections (among other things) are sufficient to keep even their machinist and fanatic types satisfied, and of course there's the pudding: the vast majority of users find these planes flat enough for fine work.

Therefore, my emphasis on the change in sole shape when removing the frog/blade assembly appears to be overstated for LV and LN--my apology. I don't know about other brands or vintages--for instance the castings on my pre-WW1 5 1/2 are far lighter and not ductile iron.

Nonetheless, for reasons Chris, George, and other metal savvy Neanders have stated, on those rare occasions I flatten a wonky plane, I'll continue to leave the frog/blade in place.

What hasn't changed is the experience suggesting that nearly all high quality planes are plenty flat for great work. As George noted in his latest post, we spend too much time obsessing about this, time we could be in the shop making something lovely and useful.

Those with enough experience in metalwork can no doubt improve (or at least personalize) their fine planes. The improvement may be more in their satisfaction using the tool than in noticeable differences to their woodwork, but that's a fine reason since we work for pleasure in process as well as result. And if it is a key to some brilliant work, just more support for the value of learning some metalwork! On swap meet planes!

[paul cottingham]

That's why I really like having one of these

+1 the most useful crazy thing I've ever bought.

[Adam Cruea]

The fact is,a good craftsman can make good work with relatively primitive tools. The wooden pieces I have posted here previously were made with wooden planes. The marquetry guitar I made was sawn out with a wooden frame fret saw I made. They used similar tech in the 17th. and 18th.C's. I'm sure none of the wooden planes I used (still use) are as flat or as rigid as a good metal plane. I knew how to get them very sharp,and set them very fine. I had only a double sided India stone and a razor stone. No array of $500.00 fancy stones.

Ther Anthony Hay cabinet shop in Wmsbg. makes fine furniture with similar tools to what I used. The master used to spit on an odd cut Belgian coticle and sharpen with it. It was an odd shaped piece no more than 4" long in any direction.

In the Gunsmith's Shop in Williamsburg,they make guns that cost over $20,000.00 with extremely primitive tools: Hammer,anvil,tongs,files,hand braces,hand forged drill bits,and a few chisels and carving tools. Screws were hand filed out,not lathe turned for many years,not until they realized that the 18th.C. inventory they were going by(of the original shop) did not include a wooden lathe bolted to the wall. Then,I made a wooden treadle lathe for them. Early American Industries Assn. members complained that the gunsmiths were "working in medieval conditions",and THEY WERE!! The original master was way too conservative !!

Craftsmanship and tool prep can be two entirely different things,believe it or not.


The lion's head was hand carved with a few carving tools. The steel die was made entirely by hand with a few chisels made from old triangular files.The holes were hand punched and drilled. The guitar marquetry was sawn out with a wooden frame saw held in the hand. The lion head violin and guitar were made with the public about 4 feet away. I'll guarantee you that very small work is harder to do than large furniture,NOT by any means to demean the fine furniture you showed the link to. I mean here only to point out that it's not all tool prep that makes good work. I believe that paper money is still mostly hand engraved,but I think they use machines to do the borders.

Craftsmanship does not depend entirely upon the flatness of a plane.It is mostly can you design,can you saw exactly on the line,etc..

I really think that things like flat planes and sharpening stones are dwelt upon entirely too much on this forum. Those things are nice to talk about,but they just won't make you a great craftsman by themselves.

Well said, Mr. George.

It makes me wonder, though. . .if "perfect" and "flat" are so important, how did the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and other ancient cultures make such beautiful and elaborate work?