This post is the result of a comment on a recent post asking for a recommendation of a scrub plane. I cannot make recommendations without first explaining the basis of my viewpoint, so here we go! A scrub plane is a short-bodied plane (about 9-10 inches long) with a radiused edge on the blade. Its … Continue reading What Makes a Good Scrub Plane?
Using a hand plane to shave down a piece of timber is a delightful experience for all, regardless of age, woodworking ability or interest. There is something so satisfying about it. The slow pace of running a plane over a board can even be therapeutic. Cleaning up shavings, however, is not exactly fun. The curly … Continue reading The Incineration Plane
When I was breaking down yellow birch for the last production of moulding planes for Time Warp Tool Works, I ended up with one block about 3 inches square and 10 inches long, with a partial live edge along one surface. It was too small to use as a moulding plane and it seemed to … Continue reading Live-Edge Birch Smoothing Plane
One of the questions I am frequently asked is how I achieve such smooth, even surfaces. Planing and sanding are two methods of removing material and smoothing surfaces. Each technique is completely valid and has its advantages and disadvantages. When deciding which to use, consider the following. Plane when: you want to achieve a flat … Continue reading Sanding vs. Planing
One night last week, fellow planemaker Scott Meek and I were discussing scrub planes. Neither of us had ever built one and so we began a Scrub Plane Build-Off right then and there. Scott's plane was resawn, then laminated back together, the same way he makes the rest of his hand planes. Here are the specs for his plane: Body: … Continue reading The Scrub Plane Build-Off
I was asked to make a wooden body for a Veritas Inset Plane for demonstration purposes at Lee Valley's Coquitlam showroom. Along with a basic instruction sheet, this is what was in the box. Completing the plane was a neat project that only required a few hours, so I took the opportunity to do a … Continue reading Veritas Inset Plane
At 11:45 am on Saturday, December 17, I decided that I would make a small table as a Christmas gift. I documented my process live on Twitter and what you see below are the updates. This was useful because each update had a time stamp so followers could see the rate at which I progressed. … Continue reading Small Ash Side Table
Hand planes can be divided several ways. One of the more common ways is by length. There are of course block planes, which are the shortest, at around 6-7". Then come smooth planes, which typically measure 9-10". They are followed by jack (fore) planes at 14-15" and finally jointer (try) planes which are about 18-22" … Continue reading The Problem with Hand Planes Today
Sculptural Woodwork by Chris Wong 