Popular Woodworking 2008-04 № 168, страница 74

angle. You can see that by holding a bevel square against a sloping surface. As you turn the bevel at an angle to the surface, you can see the surface's slope become lower relative to the bevel's constant angle.

Holding the plane slightly askew also helps avoid tear-out. If the cutting edge runs directly into a patch of rising grain, the wood will be lifted uniformly and it will tear across the width of the cutting edge. If the cutting edge is instead skewed, it slides at an angle across the rising grain, and does not encounter it all at once. As more of the cutting edge comes into play, the leading area of the sole has already passed over the patch and is holding some of it down. Meanwhile, the trailing area of the sole is doing the same thing.

Many woodworkers are frustrated by their inability to achieve a straight edge or a flat surface with a handplane. Their j ointed edges are bowed so that they are higher in the middle than at the ends. Similarly, the near and far ends of their flat surfaces are significantly thinner than the middle. Both these conditions are caused by rocking the plane, in other words, from improperly applying and shifting weight to the plane. When committing this mistake, a right-handed woodworker applies more

Imaginary plane iron

Imaginary shaving -—■

On the diagonal. As you can see in these pictures, moving slightly at a diagonal across a surface actually presents a lower angle of attack, and helps to prevent tear-out.

weight with the right hand at the beginning of the stroke. The plane is not flat on the board as the cutting begins. Then, the woodworker typically shifts weight to the left hand (knob end) at the end of the stroke. The plane rocks forward as it runs off the board.

The solution is to do the reverse. Instead, begin the stroke with the weight on the left hand, the hand holding the knob. Be certain that your left hand holds the sole ahead of the mouth flat on the work. As you near the end of the stroke begin to shift your weight onto the plane's tote or handle. When the cutter passes off the end of the work, all your pressure should be on the tote, your left hand just resting on the knob. Working this way, the

plane does not rock, but maintains a level passage across the wood.

If the surface being worked is short, you can stand still and complete the stroke without taking a step. You can generate a lot of force behind the plane as you draw on maj or muscle groups in your legs, buttocks, back and shoulders to push it. If the surface is longer than you can reach, you will have to walk the plane. In this case, you will have to rely on only your leg muscles, as your back and shoulders will be occupied in holding the plane steady. You may find some muscles complaining, and you may get tired more quickly.

Whether you are standing in one position or walking the plane, it is imp ortant that at the

Rocking. Improper application and shifting of weight causes joint edges to Left to right. To get a level surface, start with with pressure on the knob bow, and flat surfaces to be out of uniform thickness, as shown in the two of your plane, apply pressure evenly through the middle of your pass, pictures above. then shift the pressure to the tote as you come off the end of the board, as

shown in the two photos above.

64 ■ Popular Woodworking April 2008 MX