As a ‘newbie’ seeking to learn about handplanes, I am interested in learning about the pros and cons of wooden planes that can be built by a person inclined to do so. What types of operations and performance can a person expect from them?
Thanks,
Rick
Replies
Check out Krenov's books like The Fine Art of Cabinetmaking, You could also attend a class at the College of the Redwoods, where you can actually make a plane over the course of the class. Wooden planes can be made that are as good as or better than their metal counterparts. And, really, it's not that hard to do! Also the warmth and feel of wooden planes can't be beat. Customization of the plane body is a cool advantage to making your own and I've seen some pretty creative examples in FWW and elsewhere. Bcool
BCool,Thanks for your post. I inherited the Krenov book of which you speak from my dearly departed father but have yet to do more than peruse it. Following your advice, I'll actually read it. Let me ask you a question or two: Have you made a wooden plane or planes? Also, what concerns, if any, are there in creating a concave sole when the plane wedge is 'wedged' with gusto? Rick
I built a wooden plane using Krenov's instructions. I use imbuia for the body. It was easy to do and fun. I used it successfully for many years. Eventually my son broke the wedge support by hammering in the wedge instead of the approved gentle Krenov method. I can't remember what wood I used for the support, maybe I should have used something with a bit more "give". On the other hand, maybe that would not have helped anyway.
Yes I have made planes, and have had excellent results. One of the planes I made has a convex sole and the iron ground to fit. It did the job it was designed to do admirably. How ever the 'gusto' of wedging is likely to cause problems such as busting the area of the sole behind the iron to protrude below the sole. Krenov recommends using light 'taps' to tighten the wedge and make adjustments, just like a fine musical instrument, when delicatly tuned, produces beautiful music. Krenov called these wooden planes 'the cabinetmakers stradivarius'. Bcool
I am answering your question in light of the other posts. First of all let us discuss the wood / metal plane issue at large. Without a doubt wood planes came first. Jesus probably used a wood plane. Metal planes evolved in the 19th Century, with the first really commercially one being Stewart Spiers infill plane which set the style for these planes to this day. Metal brought precision to planes that could not be achieved in that time. Namely, extreme flatness (that stayed that way) durability and very small mouth openings. I believe the mouth opening issue was one of the biggest advances and an advantage metal planes still hold. Leonard Bailey’s patent of 1865 brought us the all metal plane in the form we know it today, and his numbering system became the industry standard which we still use. Bailey’s design brought adjustability to the plane, first in cutter height adjustment and latter lateral adjustment. Most of the 19th Century innovations in metal planes were English or American. A final advantage of metal planes is mass they have plenty of inertia. An object in motion tends to remain in motion….
Wood persisted on the Continent and still finds great favor there. The wood plane also saw great technological advances in Europe, but in the 20th Century. Precision machinery and technically advanced, waterproof glues allowed the making of wood planes by gluing up. This resulted in planes with very durable woods in the soles, small mouth openings and even metal plane like adjustability. 20th Century wood planes even have sliding plates in the sole, ala Stanley #62. A very desirable feature of wooden planes is that wood slides much more readily on wood (especially if the proper woods are chosen) while metal planes need frequent waxing to slide nicely. That being said, wood planes also benefit from an occasional swipe of paraffin.
The wood planes promoted by James Krenov, if built well, will have tight mouth openings and slide on the work beautifully. They do not have screw adjustment of the cutter; however, and must be hammer adjusted. This is not a problem as you can learn to do this with some practice. My favorite plane is a Spires type plane that I built from a kit and must be hammer adjusted. Hammer adjusting is only as much as an obstacle as you let it be.
Although James Krenov is widely credited with being the innovator of this style of plane he is not. Krenov studied under Carl Malmsten (who was born in 1888 and died in 1972). He learned to make his planes from Malmsten. The Carl Malmsten School persists to this day in Stockholm as part of th Linkoping Institute. I have included a photo from a book about The Carl Malmsten Center given to me by a group of students from their program who visited me in October of 1998. To learn more about the Carl Malmsten Center go to http://www.lith.liu.se/sh/en/malmsten/CTD.html.
With best regards,
Ernie Conover
BCool and Magus, thanks for your postings. I appreciate your time.
Ernie, thanks to you, too. Your post was very informative. I can tell it's time to dive in and give this plane making a try.
Rick
That's the spirit. The path to mastery of the craft has a lot of blind alleys but you find something to keep at the the end of every cul-de-sac. Doing something is better that talking about it. With best regards,
Ernie Conover
Ernie,
You are poetic even as you are encouraging. Thanks again.
Rick
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