Replies

1. 
   rod | Jan 08, 2005 05:33am | #1

   dlb,
   There are many possibilities depending on your goal. If you are jointing boards to make a table top, then I prefer to use the jointer first and then to hand plane. I can see a series of ridges on the edge of most of my machine jointed boards. I usually plane a pair of boards together with the edges to be mated both up, to cancel any out of squareness that might result from the planing. One has to put the boards together and view with a light behind to make sure that the joint is tight. After planing the surfaces will feel very smooth compared to the jointed surfaces. If you are interested in an edge detail, then one can use a jointer, a router, a plane or sandpaper. I have done it this way for about 5 years and I don't know of a failed joint so far. It is based on copying the methods of people whose work I value. Others will have different opinions.
   Rod

2. 
   hammer1 | Jan 08, 2005 07:12am | #2

   There is a difference between a cut edge and an abraded edge. Let's assume that you are just talking about the square edge of a 3/4" board. The finest cut finish is done with a hand plane, the other two machine methods will leave tell tale marks, the joiner will leave a sequence of scallop cuts and the sander will leave scratches. The quality of all the choices will depend on the sharpness of the cutters, the accuracy of the set up and the skill of the operator. All can give you an excellent edge.

   The hand plane will take the most skill. You will need to know how to sharpen the blade and set up the various adjustments. You will also need to develop plane handling skills. It is quite easy to plane the edge out of square and crowned up when planing by hand. It takes a good bit of elbow grease to do the work by hand and you need to have a way to firmly hold the work piece. Very slight movements or changes in hand pressure will transfer to the work.

   The sander works by scratching the surface, the finer the paper the less visible the scratches. They can be limiting in the length of the material that can be run on them. You press the lumber against a straight platen as the paper moves in between. It is easy to get the edge out of straight by uneven pressure. The better machines are expensive as are the belts. Grits finer than 100 wear quickly. The least capable way to get a true straight edge. The sander will generate some serious dust.

   The joiner reduces the error factors of the others greatly. If the machine is set up and operated correctly, you will have a hard time seeing the scallops with the naked eye. For getting edges straight and square, time after time, it's hard to beat the joiner.

   A small 6" might be the best choice economically at around $400. Entry level edge sanders are three or four times as much, good ones are $4000 and you need a dust collector. Hand planes can be bought for $35 or $3500, you need a set of stones and a stable bench with vices or clamps.

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

3. 
   Midnight | Jan 09, 2005 02:32am | #3

   dlb..

   you've some pretty good answers there... personally I just use hand planes thesedays, but I cheat a bit. Planing an edge takes a ton of practice; my set up is about as far from ideal as it gets for clamping a board on edge and hoping I get the edge planed perfectly. So I stacked the odds a bit more in my favour; I built a shooting board that takes all the guesswork out of the task. The board has a moveable fence to allow for different widths of stock, clamps to hold the stock in place, and a smooth flat bed for the plane to ride on. Flip the plane on it's side, let the edge of the stock overhang the stop board just a fraction, and have at it. When the plane hits the stop board, it can't go any further. Dead simple and 100% effective. This board can handle stock up to about 7ft long.

   Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

1. 
   dlb | Jan 09, 2005 03:48am | #4

   i don't think i could have afforded to pay for the advice i have received here. it gives me a lot to think about; especially if i persue the option of machining the edge and then hand planeing it afterward. the wood working show will be here at the end of the month so i will attend and see what i can do about this. thank to everyone who responded and for especially for the solid advice.

   dlb

   .

    The undisciplined life is not worth examining.

2. 
   batorok | Jan 09, 2005 05:04am | #5

   Mike,
   do you have a pic of your jig? Sounds great, but I'm having a tough time imagining it.
   Thanks
   Brad

1. 
   Midnight | Jan 09, 2005 05:36am | #6

   no pics I'm afraid... server never did like me trying to upload... but I can try to describe it...

   It's a sandwich of 3 off 12mm ply sheets (any thicker and I'd never be able to lift it), all the same length but each progressively narrower than the other. Bottom sheet is the widest, next sheet is narrower by the vertical height of your hand plane. I mortised some T headed bolts into the underside of the 2nd sheet, the threads sticking up into slots cut into the top sheet; the bolts secure lock nuts to lock the top sheet into position. Top sheet just needs to be wide enough to resist tangental force; anything around 6" is good. I use toggle clamps to lock stock into position.

   I'm trying to avoid giving sizes here, not to be evasive... simply because the sizes can vary depending on the length of stock you want to work. I built this thing initially to handle stock around 3ft long, although I've used it to work 7ft boards. Shorter pieces can be a little more difficult; perhaps a shorter board would cope better. Max board width will depend on the slot length in the top board, and the position of the bolts; my set up can handle roughly 11" wide boards.Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

3. 
   mvac | Jan 09, 2005 08:17am | #7

   Mike,

   Any chance I could get a picture, or better yet, drawings, of your edge-planing shooting board? It sounds like it would produce the smoothest edge, assuming your blades are sharp, and you don't have to worry about going out of square due to the human factor. If it's possible, my e-mail address is [email protected]. Another idea would be to point me to the design source if it wasn't yours.

   Thanks in advance,

   Mitch

4. 
   JHall | Jan 10, 2005 12:35am | #8

   Re: "When the plane hits the stop board, it can't go any further." 

   How do you keep the plane from cutting into the stop board?

1. 
   Midnight | Jan 10, 2005 01:08am | #9

   The plane will only cut into the board by the depth of the blade projection. When that depth's been reached, the edge of the sole will ride against the uncut edge of the board. This applies to any / every style of shooting board... unless you use a rebate plane that is... if that's the case, yer on yer own...  ;)Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

4. 
   rmcjh | Jan 10, 2005 06:55pm | #10

   Take a look at this web-site and see if this doesn't help.

   http://www.amgron.clara.net/planingpoints/shootingboards/shootingindex.htm

   Roger

1. 
   dlb | Jan 15, 2005 06:49am | #11

   Thanks for the link. I've printed off several of the articles.

   dlb

   .

    The undisciplined life is not worth examining.