Posted on I need help with hand plane technique
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#1 posted 500 days ago |
A couple of things to consider: Is the surface you are working on flat? If not you probably won’t ever get a board much flatter than that surface. If you are clamping the board in a vise (on the ends), be careful to not apply too much pressure or the board will bow while you are trying to work on it. I would recommend you don’t even pick up the smoother plane until you are already done flattening the board. The jack and jointer should be enough to get it flat. Use the smoother for the last little bit of cleanup. I usually look for a bow down the length of the board, and wind. Then I’ll work both ends, with extra attention to the higher corners on both ends. Like others have said, recheck your work often. I’m still getting the hang of this process myself. Every time I feel like I’m getting “the touch” for getting boards flat, my straight edge reminds me that I’m not as good as I thought I was :( Stick with it. I enjoy the process of flattening boards by hand, and having a lot more space in my shop than I would if I bought a jointer to do this. |
