Section 4.3 Hand Planes 77
Replace the blade. Sight along the bottom,
or sole, of the plane from the front. Adjust the
blade with the lateral adjusting lever so that it
is parallel with the sole. This adjustment allows
for shavings of even thickness. Adjust the depth
of cut with the adjusting nut so that the cutting
edge of the blade is barely visible. Turning the
nut in a clockwise direction lowers the blade.
Test the plane on a piece of softwood clamped in
a vise. A thin shaving indicates a light cut, pro-
ducing the smoothest surface.
Squaring a Piece of
Stock
To fi t together properly, the pieces of a prod-
uct that are to be glued or assembled must have
true surfaces, ends, and edges. Squaring up
stock is the process of making surfaces fl at, cor-
ners square, and opposite sides parallel. Follow
a planing procedure that avoids unnecessary
damage to the stock. Remember the following
sequence for hand planing a piece of stock true
and square.
1. Face.
2. Edge.
3. End.
4. End.
5. Edge.
6. Face.
Planing the First Surface
The fi rst step in a hand planing operation is
to true a surface, called a face. Make sure that
your plane is sharp and properly adjusted. It
should cut easily and smoothly. Clamp your
board in a vise to hold it steady.
Plane the best surface fi rst. Check for high
spots using a straightedge or the blade of a
square. Remove the high spots by planing diago-
nally across the surface of the board. Hold the
plane level. Apply pressure on the knob of the
plane at the beginning of each stroke. Gradually
shift the downward pressure to the handle (heel
of the plane) as you progress to the other edge.
Follow through at the end of each stroke with
pressure on the heel. Overlap about one-third of
the width of the previous stroke with each suc-
ceeding stroke until the entire surface has been
covered.
After the high spots have been removed,
plane straight along the board. To obtain the
smoothest surface, plane with the grain of the
wood, not against it. A ragged or torn surface
normally indicates planing against the grain, a
twisted wood grain, or a dull plane iron. Exam-
ine the edges of the board to determine the di-
rection of the surface grain. Notice that the grain
on the top surface runs opposite to the bottom
surface.
Frequently check the surface for straightness
with a square or rule, Figure 4-43. The surface
of the board must be straight and true. This fi rst
smooth surface becomes the reference surface
for planing the remaining edges and surfaces. It
is therefore referred to as the working surface.
2 1/3″ blade thickness
45° planing
30°–35° honing
25°–35° grinding
1/32″–1/16″
Plane iron cap
Plane iron
Figure 4-42. Double plane iron.
Figure 4-43. Checking the surface for straightness.
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher