Flattening boards by hand

[Mark Stutz]

Thanks to all of you Galoots out there, I have acquired more hand tools over the last year than I have storage for. Decided I needed a wall hung cabinet. I have been learning how to use them by playing with a lot of scrap, but decided it would be fitiing if I tried this with as much hand tool work as possible.
I've spent the better part of the weekend working on this. Had hoped to start cutting the thru DT today but am still working on getting all three boards to a uniform thickness. One started off with a 3/16 bow, so ended up at about 3/4 thick, so have to "thin" the other two.
I had never used a scrub before. Was too timid to start really aggressively hogging off wood, but found that is what I need to do. This thing works great! Also found out that winding sticks are much more accurate than I had ever thought. Although I had made them some time back, I had never used them on a project.
Am making my first shooting board now.
Not sure haw this will all turn out, but I am sure learning a lot in the process, as well as getting an aerobic workout!

[Mark Singer]

Sounds like your doing all the right things...its rewarding to learn and use hand tools...

[Bob Oehler]

Great for you. I am learning also about the bigger world of hand woodoworking
Stay tuned for my 1st completly hand made project.

Take care
Bob Oehler

[Geoff Irvine]

For what it is worth here is my routine:- 1) the rough stock (with winding sticks) which for this project I need to split longitudinally; 2) flattening one face -I used my No8 (not enough stock removal to need scrub plane); 3) &4) checking for wind and 5) as I have a memory like a sieve I mark with side of pencil

[Geoff Irvine]

I then plane to remove the wind - this low angle jack has a 45degree bezal to avoid tear out on the medullarry rays; this is an example of the type of shaving you can get (0.5thousand); I tend to dress the edges next -shooting with the no8 and then squaring with edge planes- ;then thicknessing the boards; the end result.

[Mark Stutz]

Geoff,
Thanks for the pictorial. I always learnthings better by seeing rather than simply reading about it. That is pretty much the procees I am following. I probably bit off a little more htan I should have for this first project, but I'll get it eventually. I really like the idea of squaring the edge with an edge plane. I'm struggling with that a little. Looks like a good excuse to get another plane or two. Have you you a jointer fence to compare techniques?

Mark

[Geoff Irvine]

Mark,
For the first edge I initally shoot the edge with my jointer gripping the plane with my thumb on top on my index finger (underneath) acting as a fence. Once the edge is straight I will check for squareness, with respect the the reference face*, and if not square then it only takes a few passes with the edge planes to square it up. Personally I have found that the more you do this then the fewer passes are needed- most probably a motorneurone effect aka 'muscle memory'. Just note that you have to ensure that the edge plane is adjusted for square beforehand, also you know when you have squared up the edge as you will remove a full width shaving. Next I will mark the opposing edge , either with my tite mark gauge or panel gauge, and shoot and square up that one. I tend to shoot the ends on a shuteing board with a no9 plane. Pictures to follow. You can use a straightedge with an edgeplane to dress the edges in one. I don't know why but I am reluctant to use a fence -not used to them I suppose, also I can 'read' what is going on gripping the plane.
*when I have prepared that face I immediately mark it with the side of a pencil as I have referenced the wrong face before now.

[Geoff Irvine]

Mark,
Here are some of the photos:- 1) shooting the end here, I chamfered the end towards which I was planing to decrease the risk of tearout,2) those are endgrain shavings, 3) the latest incarnation of a panel gauge - it has a cutting blade with the bevel on the fence side and 4) when I set up a plane I pass the thin end of a wedge over the extremes of the bezal to indicate if the cutting edge is parrallel to the sole- when I get equal shavings I am almost there.

[Michael Gabbay]

Geoff - A fine pictorial. You also have a great selection of LNs. How do you like the LA Jack? Do you use multiple blades for different hones?

Mike

[Geoff Irvine]

Michael,
The LA Jack is a 'little ripper' i.e.very good. I find it leaves a very nice finished surface with no tracks. I do have 3 blades for it and they have ended up with different bezals- I put a 55degree on one for an awkward wood once. Also I can just change blades and keep planing. Only thing is lateral adjustment- I use a small hammer (seen in one of the photos) to gently tap the adjustment. When I hone I apply pressure on outside edges to chamfer edges- 8 strokes on 8000grit (I've got all the blades, chisels identified and a record of angles etc recorded). Personally use the veritas mk2.
Hope this helps.

[Michael Gabbay]

Thanks Geoff.

[Mark Stutz]

Geoff,
Thanks for the info and pictures. Very helpful...and encourages me to keep going.

Mark