Question for the (semi-)Pros: sanding, planing, ?

I feel that each method has it’s place. You also forgot scrapers.

You will get a lot of opinions here.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

A plane can do if you have a plane that can do. It requires great sharpening skills, good patience, and good technique. If you really want excellence in planing and scraping, it will cost you. Planes really are different based on your investment. Neisen planes are the best out of the box to me. Go to a good woodworkers store and ask lots of questions before you invest.

-- making sawdust....

As said above: Everything in it’s place.

Here’s an example: I was doing some curly maple humidors this AM. When it comes to the final surfacing, there is no faster method than my Veritas bevel-up smoothing plane with a 50 degree bevel. It produces a surface equal to scraping, in 1/10 the time. If I had to do it with sanders I’d have to work up through so many grits that it would take forever.

That said, a dozen oak door stiles and rails are WAY faster to gang feed through a drum sander than to try and hand plane….

Neither is “better” or “faster” for all things, but bothe are “better” and “faster” for some things.

Ryan

-- If you can't set a good example, at least serve as a horrible warning... www.rarewoodcreations.com

‘Nuff said.

-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon

Ryan nailed it. There is a certain satisfaction in a very smooth surface that you create without sandpaper, however.

-- Maplewood, MN