A plane is used to smooth and shape wood.Planes shave thin, uniform strips from a piece of wood to create a smooth, level surface.Knowing how to plane wood is important for all woodworkers.
Step 1: You can choose the hand plane for your job.
There are several different types of hand planes.Each type of hand plane has a defining characteristic.As the length of the plane's body allows it to bridge peaks and troughs in the wood, the longer it is the more accurate it will be.Shorter planes are easier to control.A hand plane with a body length of 22 inches (56 cm) or longer is one of the most common types.The long hand planes can be used for trimming long pieces of wood.A is slightly shorter than a jointer plane.It is more versatile than the jointer plane because of its shorter length and can be used to square both longboards and shorter pieces of rough lumber.A is about 25 cm long and is the most versatile of all hand planes.It can be used for smoothing all projects.A is the smallest plane.The short plane is ideal for shaving very thin pieces from a surface or working in a tight corner.
Step 2: Make sure the plane's blade is sharp.
The iron of the plane needs to be razor-sharp before use.If you want tosharpen the blade, place a piece of 220-grit wet/dry sandpaper on a flat surface.The blade should be held at a 25 or 30 degree angle.Rub the blade around the sandpaper in a circle while applying downward pressure.The blade is ready to use when a burr forms along its back.The back of the blade needs to be wiped across the sandpaper to remove the burr.
Step 3: The angle of the blade should be adjusted.
The angle of the blade is the most important factor when it comes to planing wood.The plane can be damaged if the blade angle is too deep.The small wheel behind the blade assembly is the depth adjustment wheel.The tip of the blade protrudes just below the plane's sole.It's a good idea to use a shallow angle and increase the depth of the cut if necessary.
Step 4: Plane the wood.
Place the plane at the edge of the surface to begin smoothing and flattening.As you apply downward pressure on the front knob and press forward with the back handle, push the plane across the surface in a smooth, continuous motion.Make sure to pay attention to any high spots on the surface of the wood as you work across it.If you have a level or straight edge, you can find some spots in your wood.
Step 5: Cut along the grain of the wood.
Plane in multiple directions to smooth the surface of the board.Don't plan against the grain.It can cause the blade to catch under the surface of the wood.The plane can tear small, rough chunks from the wood's surface, rather than shaving the surface uniformly.This is referred to as "tear-out".If you want to fix tear-out, try re-planing the jagged spot along the grain of the wood or sanding it smooth.
Step 6: You should check the accuracy of your planing.
Ideally, after you plane your wood, you'll have a smooth, flat surface that sits flush with any adjacent pieces of wood.You can check your wood's smoothness by laying a straight edge on it.The straight edge should be flush against the face of the wood.If your straight edge sits on the wood in a way that leaves gaps underneath it, you'll know it's a high spot.It is possible to check the angle between two faces of wood with a try square.
Step 7: Pieces of wood with one flat surface are required for surface planers.
Surface planers are mechanical tools that use rollers and spinning blades to plane a piece of wood to a uniform thickness.Many surface planers only plane the surface of a piece of wood relative to the opposite surface, which is important for experienced woodworkers.The planer will maintain the top surface of the wood if it isn't perfectly flat.If the flatness of the opposite surface is assured, you'll want to use your planer for smoothing wood surfaces.
Step 8: The planer should be set to your thickness.
The surface planers will allow you to adjust how deep the wood will be planed.The higher the housing, the deeper the planer will cut.It's wise to make shallow cuts.You can always cut deeper, but you can't cut more than you already have.The "depth" of the cut isn't displayed on the planer, but the actual thickness that the wood is being planed to.To plane a piece of wood by 16 in (0.16 cm), you would use the planer to set the thickness of the wood.It's hard on both the wood and the planer to plane off more than 16 in (0.16–0.32 cm) at a time.
Step 9: The depth stop can be set.
A depth stop is a mechanism that can be used to "lock" the planer from cutting beneath a certain depth.If the depth stop is set to 1 inch, the planer won't be able to plane the wood to a thickness of less than 2.5 cm.If you're worried about accidentally over-planing, this feature is useful.If you don't want to use the depth stop, set it to a very low level so that you'll never hit it.
Step 10: Pass your wood through the planer.
Feed the wood into the planer with a straight, controlled motion.The wood should feed itself after it is caught by the rollers.As with a hand plane, you'll want your planer to cut along the grain of your wood to prevent it from tearing out.When your wood is desired level of thickness, repeat the planing process.You can plan your wood's process with a pencil by writing lightly on the surface.The lines of your pencil will begin to disappear as the planer removes high spots in the wood.
Step 11: Pull up on the wood as it passes the rollers.
Surface planers can sometimes produce a condition called "nipe" on wood.The planer's rollers pull upward, causing slightly deeper cuts at the edges of the wood than in the middle.Pull up on the end of your wood as it passes through the planer's rollers to counteract this.Pull up on the "back" end of the wood as you feed it into the machine and then pull up as it leaves.
Step 12: As needed, use ear, eye, and mouth protection.
The mechanical planers are loud.Ear protection, like earmuffs, can prevent damage to your ears.If you don't have equipment in place to vacuum up the dust as it's being created, you'll want to use eye protection and a surgical mask to protect yourself.