Hand Planes
A bench plane is a hand tool principally used for flattening either the edge of a timber board, or the flat face of a timber board.
Hand planes consist of a steel sole with a sharp flat blade which can be adjusted to slightly protrude. Used to accurately level or create long rebates by pushing it across the surface of the timber.
Laminating Boards: Planning a flat edge or face on a board after it has already been machined will remove micro machine marks. This will improve the appearance of the lamination lines, making them more faint, or even invisible!
Tapering: Tapering a piece of timber to a custom dimension can be achieved with a bench plane. Once the desired taper is marked on the timber, it can be cut leaving the critical line left; this can be achieved on a machine such as the bandsaw. Then the hand plane can be used, honing in on the critical line marked for the taper. Leaving an accurate smooth flat finish.
Flattening: If a frame of a coffee table is glued together for example, the rails should if anything sit higher (0 - 1.5 mm) above the terminating leg. This is because it is easier to plane the long edge of a timber rail rather than the end grain of a timber leg. The hand plane will most efficiently bring the rail height to match the height of the leg, allowing for a top to sit flat and evenly with micro adjustments.
Timber: Dried timber
No Metals or Acrylics can be used with this hand tool.
Last modified 3yr ago