How to Use a Block Plane
- Adjust the blade for fine shavings. Adjust the blade by backing off the height adjusting screw until the blade drops completely below the sole of the plane.
- Angle the plane for easier cutting. Hold the plane at a slight angle to the wood and plane with the grain of the wood as shown whenever possible.
- Video: Make Your Own Woodworking Sanding Blocks
- Steps to a keen edge. Remove the cap by sliding the lever, or in some cases loosening the screw that holds it in place, and lifting it off to expose ...
- Required Tools for this Project. Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration.
- Required Materials for this Project. Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here’s a list.
How do you plane small parts with a block plane?
Square up small stock. Grab the block plane to true a piece too small to run safely over your jointer. Clamp the plane upside down in your vise, and you can plane parts barely large enough to grasp, as shown below.
What is a block plane used for?
The block plane is sort of a multipurpose plane. Its real purpose was invented for smoothing out end grain on boards. But, it actually has a lot of uses in the shop. And that's why I always recommend that beginners start with this one. Block plane is very simple. It has the cap, the cutting iron, the blade and the frog.
How to work with a wood plane?
Follow these simple guidelines for working with a wood plane and you are sure to have superior results: Assume the Position. One great virtue of the block plane is that it is used one-handed, so you can plane a piece almost anywhere.
How do you sharpen a block plane?
In this article, you'll learn how to use a block plane and find tips for sharpening and buying them. Adjust the blade by backing off the height adjusting screw until the blade drops completely below the sole of the plane. Then gradually raise the blade as you eyeball across the sole until the blade barely comes into sight.
How do you set up a block plane?
1:197:17How to Tune Up a Block Plane - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd after a few strokes I'll take a look at the bottom and judge the scratch pattern to see how flatMoreAnd after a few strokes I'll take a look at the bottom and judge the scratch pattern to see how flat I'm getting I still have quite a bit of a hollow at the toe and the heel.
How do you use a block plane door?
2:024:08How to BLOCK PLANE a wood door - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAs you start to get closer to the desired amount that you want to shave off then you probably wantMoreAs you start to get closer to the desired amount that you want to shave off then you probably want to drop the block clean back down to a smoother depth. And then just go over a few more. Times.
Can you smooth with a block plane?
long, a block plane is designed to be used with one hand, and it can fit easily inside a tool pouch. For projects such as cabinets, these small planes have a variety of uses: chamfering, cutting end grain, leveling corner joints, trimming miters, cleaning up saw cuts, and smoothing straight and curved edges.
Which way up does a block plane blade go?
Adjust the blade for fine shavings Then gradually raise the blade as you eyeball across the sole until the blade barely comes into sight. Adjust the blade side to side until its cutting edge is parallel to the sole of the plane.
What is the best plane for trimming doors?
The blade, or iron, of a bench plane is pitched at 45 degrees, bevel side down. A cap iron stiffens the blade and directs shavings away from the mouth. At 22 inches or longer, the jointer is the largest bench plane and the best choice for trimming, squaring, and straightening the edges of doors or long boards.
How do you plane the bottom of a door without taking it off?
To sand the bottom of a door without removing it, put the sandpaper on the floor, grit side up, and pull the door back and forth across it. Planing is usually the last resort, since it will mean touching up the planed area with a sealer or finish to match the door. A rasp-type plane will often do the best job.
What is a block plane best for?
A block plane is a small metal-bodied woodworking hand plane which typically has the blade bedded at a lower angle than other planes, with the bevel up. It is designed to cut end grain and do touchup or finish work. It is typically small enough to be used with one hand.
What is the advantage of block plane?
What a Block Plane Can Do for You. Chamfers A good block plane will cut precise bevels on both long grain and end grain. End grain A well-honed low-angle block plane can easily tackle end grain cuts, often encountered when flushing dovetail pins to a drawer side, or when flushing a rail to a stile on a door assembly.
Is a block plane necessary?
The block plane is intended for fine work. If you need to level a workpiece, smooth a long, wide surface, or plane a drawer slide, the block plane is probably not the answer. Its body is too short to flatten a surface, and with the rise and fall of the waves in the stock, it may even exaggerate the contours.
Is a block plane bevel up or down?
Conversely, block plane irons are positioned bevel up – that is, the bevel resulting from the sharpening of the iron is on the upper side, facing away from the workpiece.
Should the bevel be up or down?
Objective: Intravenous catheters are usually inserted with the bevel facing up. Bevel down may be superior in small and/or dehydrated children.
Is my plane bevel up or down?
The fundamental difference between Bevel Up and Bevel Down planes is, as the name implies, the orientation of the blades bevel in association with the wood you are cutting. A Bevel up plane's bevel is up away from the wood. A bevel down plane's bevel is down facing the wood.
How does an airplane door close?
Aircraft. The plug door is often seen on aircraft with pressurized cabins. Due to the air pressure within the aircraft cabin being higher than that of the surrounding atmosphere, the door seals itself closed as the aircraft climbs and the pressure differential increases. This prevents accidental opening of the door.
How do you support a door for planing?
0:001:51Plane Doors Easier With This Jig - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo this is what I do I just make one of these little plywood legs screwed right to the bench. AndMoreSo this is what I do I just make one of these little plywood legs screwed right to the bench. And the door or whatever I'm working on just drops right in like that.
Which side of the door do you plane?
Run the plane in the direction of the wood grain. On many doors the grain runs from top to bottom, instead of side to side. This means that the plane should be run in this direction as well.
What is a block hand plane?
A block plane is a small metal-bodied woodworking hand plane which typically has the blade bedded at a lower angle than other planes, with the bevel up. It is designed to cut end grain and do touchup or finish work. It is typically small enough to be used with one hand.
How to use a block plane?
But before you try planing on a ladder or in a cramped space, get familiar with the tool on a workbench, fixing the piece firmly in place. Whenever you use the block plane, assume a balanced stance, with the workpiece held firmly with one hand, the plane in the other (the workpiece-hand should be out of the intended path of the plane – or the trajectory it will take should your hand slip). You’ll also find that planing horizontally or even downhill is a great deal easier than trying to plane upward.
How to remove shavings from a plane?
If it’s withdrawn into the frame, you’ll remove no shaving at all. Adjust the plane so that thin shavings are removed. Let the Planing Begin. Hold the plane flat to the surface. Let your fingertips guide the plane. Be firm, but don’t force the tool. Try Working Diagonally.
What is a block plane?
A block plane handles many tasks, including some that would be difficult or unsafe to perform with power tools. With one, you can: Erase mill marks. Rely on the block plane to wipe out the wavy machine-milling marks on lumberyard stock, leaving it satin-smooth.
What angle do you use for block planes?
You'll also find block planes with a bedding angle of about 12°. These low-angle planes slice through wood more easily, but may cause tear-out along the grain. Some woodworkers prefer low-angle block planes for end-grain work.
How to bevel an edge?
Bevel an edge. Turn to the block plane to bevel or chamfer edges, especially on short or narrow pieces. Just draw guidelines, as shown below, and plane to them. For best results, make several passes, angling the plane across the edge. Planing bevels or chamfers by hand often is almost as fast as machining them, considering setup time. And it's always quieter than routing them.
How to sand a plane sole?
Check the sole with a sheet of 180-grit wet-or-dry sandpaper laid abrasive side up on a flat surface. (A cast-iron saw table or piece of glass would do.) Retract the iron, and rub the plane sole over the abrasive. Scuff marks indicate high spots on the sole.
How to stop chatter on a plane?
Solid bedding helps prevent chatter. Sharpen the iron to a 25-30° bevel. Position it in the plane's body, bevel up, engaging the appropriate notch over the tang on the adjuster, when applicable. Center the iron in the throat, and install the iron cap.
What is the bedding angle of a block plane?
The block plane owes its handy size in part to the shallow angle between the blade—or iron —and the sole. This bedding angle is usually in the neighborhood of 20° for block planes. In a bench plane, it's normally about 45°. Even so, a block plane's cutting edge meets the wood at about the same angle as a bench plane's.
What is a sharp hand plane?
A sharp, properly adjusted hand plane allows a woodworker to peel a whisper-thin shaving from wood while leaving a surface of unsurpassed quality. That's why these venerable tools—planes go back to Roman times—still fit into today's shop. And, among hand planes, the block plane ranks near the top for versatility and convenience.
How to clean a block plane?
Whether new or used, a block plane will likely need some cleaning and tune-up. Disassemble the plane, and clean all the parts with mineral spirits, scrubbing them if necessary with a brass brush or steel wool. If a straightedge indicates the sole isn’t flat, make it so by rubbing it on successively finer grits of carborundum paper adhered to plate glass or your jointer table with the blade installed and fully retracted. Use a fine file to remove any metal burrs, especially around the throat opening and body edges. Lubricate all mechanisms with a light oil, sharpen the blade, and reassemble the plane.
What to look for in a block plane?
The most important features to look for in a good block plane include a flat sole, a reliable and easy-to-use depth-of-cut adjustment, and an adjustable throat. You’ll also want the tool to feel comfortable in your hand. Unlike most bench planes, the block plane blade is installed bevel up.
What is the cutting angle of a block plane?
As shown in Figure 2a, a standard block plane has a bedding angle of 20°. Adding the standard blade angle of 25° gives you a cutting angle of 45°, which is comparable to standard bench planes. While this angle is fine for planing long grain on most woods, it’s not very good for end grain or gnarly woods.
How to laterally adjust a plane blade?
To laterally adjust the blade, use a small brass or wood hammer to tap it sideways until it projects evenly from the plane throat.
How to check projection on a block plane?
As a rough gauge, I check the projection at each end of the blade with my thumb as I tap. Re-sight and repeat if necessary. (Some block planes include a lateral adjustment mechanism, but I don’t consider them essential.)
When leveling box joint fingers (or dovetail protrusions), what direction should the plane be?
When leveling box joint fingers (or dovetail protrusions), plane inward toward the center of the workpiece to prevent splitting the material.
Which plane is better for cutting end grain?
The low-angle block plane at left is much better for cutting end grain than its standard-angle companion.
