# Angle for handplane till?



## Buck_Thorne (Jun 20, 2015)

What is a safe angle for a handplane till so they won't fall out? Or should I still have some method for locking them in?


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

I set mine at about 10 degrees and embedded a rare earth magnet in the wood under where the toe of each plane ends up. In that absence of magnets or some other retainers, I would probably do 30 degrees or so. Take your longest plane and stand it up on a table balanced on the heel. Then move the toe forward until the balance obviously shifts to where it wants to fall forward rather than backwards. Then add 5-10 degrees for a cushion.


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## sansoo22 (May 7, 2019)

Wood by Wright has a nice video on his plane till. It uses a toe and heal lock system. I wouldn't trust a complete vertical solution because I run into things all the time in the shop but a 10 deg angle with those toe and heel hooks should do nicely.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Mine is set about 15 degrees lean back….no issues…


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## Buck_Thorne (Jun 20, 2015)

> Wood by Wright has a nice video on his plane till. It uses a toe and heal lock system. I wouldn t trust a complete vertical solution because I run into things all the time in the shop but a 10 deg angle with those toe and heel hooks should do nicely.
> 
> - sansoo22


I think I've seen that before… thanks. I'll have to check it out.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

Mine is about 15 degrees, as well, along with magnets.


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## Buck_Thorne (Jun 20, 2015)

> Mine is about 15 degrees, as well, along with magnets.
> 
> - JayT


You're a suspenders and belt kind of guy, huh?


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

No, I'm a "built the till at 15 degrees and two weeks into using it knocked a 604 off that somehow avoided breaking the cast iron when it hit the bench, but still had to repair the tote" kind of guy.


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## Buck_Thorne (Jun 20, 2015)

> No, I m a "built the till at 15 degrees and two weeks into using it knocked a 604 off that somehow avoided breaking the cast iron when it hit the bench, but still had to repair the tote" kind of guy.
> 
> - JayT


Does this forum have a "Like" button? LOL!


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

I am building the Mike Pekovich wall cabinet from his plans, figured he probably knows what he is doing lol. I didn't measure the angle, just going off cut list. I'll measure it when I get home. Only about 1/5 done with this sucker.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> Take your longest plane and stand it up on a table balanced on the heel. Then move the toe forward until the balance obviously shifts to where it wants to fall forward rather than backwards. Then add 5-10 degrees for a cushion.
> 
> - HokieKen


Ken, you understand and use math exactly like I do. I call it the point and shoot method.

This is proving to be a very funnnn thread. Laughing as I go through it. Jay, not laughing at your almost tragic ending, just the way you've conveyed it.


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

Ok just got home and measured my Pekovich designed til and its at 60 degrees.


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## Hammerthumb (Dec 28, 2012)

60-45=15. Unless it leans forward.


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## dscheidt (Jun 10, 2019)

I built mine completely vertical. To remove a plane you lift it up so the end is higher than the bottom retaining strip, and then tilt the rear of the plane towards you, then lower it until the front is clear of the top retainer. It's pretty much impossible to knock a plane out of it, but you can remove or replace a plane one handed, and it's as close to the wall as possible.


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## Buck_Thorne (Jun 20, 2015)

> I built mine completely vertical. To remove a plane you lift it up so the end is higher than the bottom retaining strip, and then tilt the rear of the plane towards you, then lower it until the front is clear of the top retainer. It s pretty much impossible to knock a plane out of it, but you can remove or replace a plane one handed, and it s as close to the wall as possible.
> 
> - dscheidt


I like that idea. Sounds a bit like Jim Wright's (from YouTube) that was mentioned above. So, you have a notched lip at the bottom, and another notched lip at the top that has a bit of clearance so the plane can be lifted free of the lower lip.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

> 60-45=15. Unless it leans forward.
> 
> - Hammerthumb


And I before E except after C and E before N in chicken ;-)



> I built mine completely vertical. To remove a plane you lift it up so the end is higher than the bottom retaining strip, and then tilt the rear of the plane towards you, then lower it until the front is clear of the top retainer. It s pretty much impossible to knock a plane out of it, but you can remove or replace a plane one handed, and it s as close to the wall as possible.
> 
> - dscheidt


I like that idea too. I'd have to lag bolt the till into studs though or it would be a matter of time before I yanked the whole thing off the wall :-/


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## dscheidt (Jun 10, 2019)

> I built mine completely vertical. To remove a plane you lift it up so the end is higher than the bottom retaining strip, and then tilt the rear of the plane towards you, then lower it until the front is clear of the top retainer. It s pretty much impossible to knock a plane out of it, but you can remove or replace a plane one handed, and it s as close to the wall as possible.
> 
> - dscheidt
> 
> ...


The till is a piece of ply wood for the back, with wood strips glued around the edges, and vertically to divide into a "lane" per plane. The bottom has a ~ 1.5" strip attached to the bottom and vertical supports, forming the bottom retention pockets. There's a top piece placed similarly, the exact position depends on how long the plane is; the short planes have another plane higher up. At rest, whatever the rear most piece of the plane is (the bed for bigger ones, the tote for smaller ones) is resting on the bottom strip, and the top of the plane is inside the top retention pocket.
The No 3 and no 4 planes have notches at the bottom for the totes, and a notch at the top for the knob. The 5 has a notch only at the top, and the 6 and 7 do not need any notches.

To remove a plane, you just lift it until it stops, tilt the back towards, and lower until the toe is clear. Easy, peasy. Here's picture of it. I built this over a couple evenings from scrap as a prototype, to see if I liked the design. I do, and I fully intend to make a nicer version (and bigger, to hold the other planes…..) someday.


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

Ok so we've gone from 15 degrees to 90. Do i see anyone brave enough to go inverted?


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

I keep mine in a drawer handplane tills are silly.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

I sure would like that Millers Falls jointer on the left side of that till..


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## sansoo22 (May 7, 2019)

> I keep mine in a drawer handplane tills are silly.
> 
> - Aj2


Life was simple when they all fit in one drawer. Heck it was still simple when the bench planes were in one drawer and the blocks in another. Currently have 4 drawers full of planes. As soon as I get the washer and dryer moved to the basement I'm building a giant hand tool cabinet/till/whatever thing.


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## Buck_Thorne (Jun 20, 2015)

> As soon as I get the washer and dryer moved to the basement I m building a giant hand tool cabinet/till/whatever thing.
> 
> - sansoo22


Now, that is one angle I hadn't considered!


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

Dowels and chopsticks hold them in flat against the wall.


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## Mr_Pink (May 20, 2017)

> I keep mine in a drawer handplane tills are silly.


I'm also a fan of horizontal storage in.a box of some kind. It works even better if you store the box/drawer/chest horizontally.


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## Hammerthumb (Dec 28, 2012)

> I keep mine in a drawer handplane tills are silly.
> 
> I m also a fan of horizontal storage in.a box of some kind. It works even better if you store the box/drawer/chest horizontally.
> 
> - Mr_Pink


Would not work horizontal at 180deg. Or use more magnets?


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## Buck_Thorne (Jun 20, 2015)

This thread is getting just "plane" silly.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

I prefer an angled till. I believe it is set at 15°. It is easy to experiment and see what works best for you. The only plane I lock in is the wide shoulder to the right (lock not shown).


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

mine..a wee bit crowded…


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