Popular Woodworking 2006-06 № 155, страница 24

Tricks of the Trade

Simple Guides for Handplaning

When handplaning boards, it can be helpful to have a reference that indicates your progress. I've found that simple chamfers cut on the edges of the workpiece serve well. Here are a couple of approaches I use when planing both edges and faces of boards.

When jointing the edge of a board, I first mark the desired edge. Then, at each end of the board, I use a chisel to cut a small chamfer that extends from the rough edge to the desired cutline. The chamfers serve as a great visual aid, indicating how much further there is to plane until they disappear.

When thicknessing a board, I first plane one face flat. Then, registering the fence of a marking gauge against the planed face, I scribe a line at the desired thickness on the edge of the board. I use a block plane to cut a chamfer all around the edges, extending from the unworked face to the gauged line. Starting with a long plane, and finishing with a smoothing plane, I work the face of the board down until the chamfer disappears.

Planing an edge

Mark board to the depth to be planed

Cut a chamfer on both top edges

Chamfer all four edges of the surface to be planed using the marked line as a guide

Mark desired thickness of board on all four edges

When working with dark woods, I find it helpful to mark the chamfers with white chalk for better visibility.

Louis Giolitto Surrey, England

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