Planes in all sizes for all purposes

Press, 12 April 1979, Page 11

Planes in all sizes for all purposes

There is probably a wider range of planes for various purposes than of any other type of woodworking tool. Some of them, of course, are merely alternative types intended for the same purpose and others are simplv variations in size. Most of those shown are what are generally known as bench planes and are for straightforward planing as distinct from special operations such as grooving, rebating, and so on. The choice is largely personal, though some are better adapted to certain work than others. A metal plane never wears out and a wood one would take more than one lifetime for it to be worn thin with repeated retrueing of the sole; even then it could easily be refaced. As a general guide in the use of bench plates, it is clearly an advantage to retain some for fine finishing operations, and use others for rough work.

The usual trade practice is to have a wood jack plane for the thick shavings and for rough preliminary planing, and a metal plane for accurate finish* ing, though some still pre-

fer to use a wood trying plane for long joints, etc. However, we deal with the uses and purposes under the heading of the individual tool. A. Wood jack plane: General purpose plane used in the trade chiefly for preliminary rough planing and when wood has to be reduced quickly. May have a parallel iron, that is of equal thickness throughout, or may be tapered (for cheapness) towards the top. A back iron is fitted, this being set about 1.6 mm from the edge. Usual lengths range from 35.6 cm to 43.2 cm with cutters of 5.08 cm or 5.12 cm. B. Adjustable jack plane (Marples): Beech plane made up of front and rear portions sandwiched between the two sides and with metal frog and adjustment equipment screwed on as a separate unit. The rear of the plane is cut away so that handle is lowered as in technical pattern (C), giving better control and making it suitable for use in a handicraft shop. Cutter is of the thin type usually fitted to metal planes and is fitted with a

back iron, with 5 cm cutter. C. Technical jack plane: Intended for use in the handicraft centre, the cut-, away rear portion giving maximum control since the handle is lower. Cutter may be parallel or tapered. Usual size 35.6 cm long with 5.08 cm cutter. D. Trying plane: For shooting long joints and for trueing wood generally. Closed handle always fitted because of extra length and weight. With back iron and parallel iron. Sizes range from 50.8 cm to 61 cm with cutters 6.35 cm to 5.2 cm. The longer joint er planes ranging from 66 cm to 76.2 cm with cutters of 6.67 cm to 6.99 cm are seldom seen today. E. Wood smoothing plane: For the final cleaning up of wood surfaces after being trued with the trying or other longer planes. The coffin shape makes it less cumbersome to handle. Cutter widths range from 5.08 cm to 5.72 cm and are preferably parallel. The back iron is set close to the cutter edge, for fine work almost immediately behind it. The pitch (the angle at which the cutter is set) is 45 deg. for the normal plane. Special planes are sometimes found in which the pitch may vary from 45 deg. to 60 deg. for use on woods with difficult grain, since the action is more akin to scraping. F. Toothing plane. For use on the groundwork before veneering and sometimes on large, flat joints. It gives a key to the glue and takes out inequalities. Back of iron is serrated so that the edge is a sawlike. Available with fine, medium, and coarse serrations. Cutter is either uprighted or pitched at about 85 deg. and is 5.08 cm wide. G. Roughing or Bismark plane. Used for purely preliminary rough work. There is no back iron and the cutter is sharpened with a prbnounced curve. Width of cutter varies from 3.81 cm to 5.08 cm. H. Details of the wood plane. The whole is invariably in beech, and in the best planes the annual rings are in as close alignment with the sole as nos-

sible. The front of the mouth slopes back at a slight angle so that the opening in front of the cutter does not become unduly large when the sole has been re-trued many limes. In fact, however, the plane usually works more sweetly if the opening is enlarged and a new hardwood mouth fitted. This reduces the mouth width and at the same time gives better shaving clearance. The striking button (of boxwood) is sometimes omitted. Originally a new plane was saturated with linseed oil by removing, cutter and wedge, fixing piece of wood beneath the mouth, and pouring linseed oil into the escapement. After a few days the oil soaked right through. Plane makers

today condemn this as liable to cause distortion, although we have not found evidence of this.

J. Adjustable iron jack, fore, and jointer planes. Used for joints and for the trueing of wood generally. Fitted with back iron. The sizes are 35,6 cm, 5.08 cm cutter; 38.1 cm, 6.03 cm cutter; 45.7 cm, 6.03 cm cutter; 55.9 cm, 6.03 cm cutter; and 61cm, 6.67 cm cutter. These and smoothing planes are also made with corrugated soles to reduce friction, but this can be a disadvantage when planing thin edges. A technical plane 33cm long with a 5.08 cm cutter is also made, this having a detachable handle which can be fitted to the side of the plane when used for the shooting board.