Popular Woodworking 2004-10 № 143, страница 83

Get the most out of this versatile hand tool through proper tuning and good technique.

My tool cabinet contains a number of planes - bench planes for smoothing, shoulder planes for trimming and even a full set of hollows and rounds. But the planes I use most often are block planes. I own a number ofblock planes and I reach for them several times a day to smooth away saw marks, level intersections at joints, trim miters and even create simple shapes such as chamfers.

What makes the block plane so versatile? Well, it has several features that distinguish it from other planes, such as its small size, adjustable mouth, low bed angle and a unique bevel-up blade. Let's take a closer look at each of these features.

by Lonnie Bird

Lonnie is the author of "The Complete Illustrated Guide to Shaping Wood" (The Taunton Press) and teaches woodworking. You can learn more about his classes online at lonniebird.com.