Making a Wooden Plane
Tools
Minimum Set
The minimum tools that you need are:
- a bench plane,
- 1/2" chisel, combination square,
- ruler,
- crosscut saw,
- drill,
- glue,
- file, and
- some dowels.
(Scraper, knife, awl, tape measure, marking gauge are nice to have)
The basic tools that you'd need to do any project. You can substitute a block plane for the bench plane, but a well tuned bench plane (smoother to jack-sized) is ideal.
If you have access to a bandsaw, tablesaw, drill press, or jointer, it will make the work easier, but they are not necessary. Having those tools opens up some additional construction methods, but those methods are often times more work than just keeping things simple and doing it by hand. My first few planes were built exclusively with hand tools, and they continue to do fine work.
Glue
Basic tools for planemaking |
The integrity of your plane relies on a well formed glue joint - one that's much wider than the raised panels or tabletops you might be used to gluing up, and one that must withstand greater shearing stresses.
The majority of my planes are glued with ordinary Titebond or Titebond II. Both are PVA glues which do react to changes in humidity and moisture. Atmospheric changes cause wood to expand and contract, and this glue remains plastic enough to adhere and allow for wood movement. This is an advantage when building furniture, where the glue is merely an aid to hold mechanically sound joints together.
Another option is to experiment with a glue that's less elastic when dry - namely polyurethane glue. I've also used liquid hide glue, with good results. Someday, I'd like to try "real" hot hide glue, but for now polyurethane glues promise a list of features that are hard to beat for this purpose - long open time, non-thermoplastic, bonds oily woods, won't dull tools, etc.
If you have a reasonably stable shop environment, or you're gluing a fairly stable wood (like cherry, oak, ash, etc), you really shouldn't have any problems provided your surfaces are smooth and flat. If you have a shop like mine - it might be worth using a glue that is "creep" proof.
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Steve Spodaryk
Medford, MA
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article
12.10.2008
- Making a Wooden Plane
Introduction
Tools
The Iron
The Chipbreaker
Wood
Marking Out the Blank 1
Marking Out the Blank 2
Forming the Plane Bed
Drilling the Pin Holes
Making the Pin
Test Fit
Glue Up
Post Glue Cleanup
Adjusting the Mouth
Making the Wedge
Test Run
Shaping the Plane Body
Troubleshooting
Advanced Topics
- Making a Wooden Plane
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