Dictionary Definition:
A hand tool for smoothing or shaping wood consisting of a wooden or metal body with a flat base in which an adjustable metal blade is held at an angle. A carpenter's tool with an adjustable blade for smoothing and leveling wood.
How to use Hand Planes
- Use a vice to clamp your work. Tilt the board a little bit so that you will be planing just slightly uphill.
- Set the plane blade depth with the adjusting knob found behind the toe handle.
- Grip the toe and heel knobs firmly.
- Push the plane along the wood with long, smooth strokes.
- Press a little harder on the toe at the beginning of the stroke and a little harder on the heel at the end of the stroke to avoid over planing at the ends.
- Check the cuttings - the curls should be paper-thin. If they are thick, your blade is set too deep, and you need to adjust it.
Tip:
Always use a sharp blade. Dull blades make work harder and can leave marks or grooves in the wood.
