Planing wood can be a complex task due to the unpredictable nature of wood. The success of planing is not solely dependent on the tool or the user, but also on the wood itself. Learning to plane effectively is a long-term process, which can be frustrating at times. However, the author’s initial experience with two types of wood, obeche and sapele, gave him the confidence that all woods could be worked.
Throughout his career, the author has worked with a variety of woods, gaining knowledge of their unique characteristics. He notes that woods without knots, straight grained and medium density are easier to work with.
Many novice woodworkers give up too quickly when faced with challenges. The author emphasizes the importance of mastering the use of the hand plane, a tool that cannot be truly replaced in woodworking. The hand plane can perform multiple tasks beyond merely smoothing wood. It can take off fractions of an inch in a single, continuous cut, leaving the wood’s surface smooth and precise.
The key to successful planing involves setting the plane’s cutting iron for depth of cut, ensuring its parallelity to the sole, and maintaining sharpness. Understanding the adjustment systems that develop these elements is also crucial.
Key Takeaways:
- The unpredictability of wood makes planing a complex task, with success not absolutely guaranteed and depending on various factors such as the tool, the user and the wood itself.
- Gaining skill in planing requires perseverance and long-term practice, with the learning curve resting not in the tool or the user, but in the wood itself.
- The key to successful planing lies in the correct setting of the plane’s cutting iron, the sharpness of the tool, and understanding the adjustment systems that develop these elements.
“Persevering in the gaining of skilled planecraft is not an hour’s practice or a month’s or even a year’s. The reason for this long-term learning curve rests not in the tool nor in the user but in the wood itself.”
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