Look around your neighborhood. The next time you see a truck belonging to a contractor or cabinetmaker, theres a good chance that the company uses a handplane in its logo.
Though the image of a plane is the mark of the craftsman, there are few craftsmen who really know how to use the tool. Is this lost knowledge? Is this the end of the world?
Both statements are false. The handplane is the most sophisticated and clever wood-cutting tool ever created. It has not been surpassed by any power cord. After World War II, handplanes began to disappear from shops because we traded speed for skill and expediency for quality.
But now the pendulum is swinging the other way. Modern toolmakers have revived planemaking and are producing quality tools that have not been seen in over 100 years. These tools are fast and satisfying for woodworkers, who find that they produce crisp work.
Handplane Essentials aims to get you started. Inside these pages is the knowledge you need to choose the right handplanes for your shop, set them up correctly and put them to use building furniture for a lifetime. Handplane Essentials covers everything you need to select the right tool for your project and budget, set it up correctly, and then sharpen it so that it can be used with success. This book is a compilation of more than 10 years worth of writings about handplanes that I have published in trade journals, blogs and magazines.
It’s a large book with 312 pages and is printed on quality paper. The hundreds of photos in the book have been sepia-toned, just like the photos in Woodworking Magazine (our sister publication). The book is hardbound, covered in black cloth with a copper embossing and a heavy full-color dust jacket. And , best of all , the book is produced and printed entirely in the United States. Heres what youll find inside:
BasicsLearn what the different handplanes are used for. Decode their crazy numbering system so you can focus instead on what each tool does. Find out which planes are needed in your shop.
Sharpening
Learning to hone your cutters to a keen edge is the secret to getting your planes to work. Handplane Essentials will show you how to do this regardless of what sharpening device you have.
Techniques
With just a few bench planes, flatten individual boards and panels or even large tabletops. Use specialty planes to cut grooves, joints and rabbets.
History & Philosophy
Understanding historical practices will make you a better handplane operator, even if your preference is to use modern methods. You can learn to choose a good-made tool based on its history.
Reviews
Find out who makes the best high-quality tool, whether its a plane from India or a plane custom-made by a machinist in Scotland. They all work.
The book is currently at the printer and will be available in stock within the first week of august. You will receive a 20% discount if you place your order by July 31.
