Thread: Learning basic hand plane use

I found lowering my hand on the handle helped. Keeping the line of my body. Derek, or anyone else, I was wondering if you have given any thought to the angle of the (person's) upper body? I was thinking it might be the angle of the handle but now I wonder if it's the upper arm. Since your elbow is back behind your body maybe having your upper body in the same line means the force is horizontal? It definitely seems to make it easier to keep the horizontal line.

Mnb, I predicted you would find lowering the grip on the handle to be easier. The remainder of your comments reflect that you are learning - keep at it. It will become more natural.

OK, more reading. The following are the precursors to the article I linked earlier. They are the beginning and the development of my ideas on ergonomics when planing. You may find them interesting and helpful.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Comment...ngForFeel.html

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Comment...tinaPlane.html

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Comment...fortPart2.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

Hi Mnb

This may seem to be from out of left field, but it was actually inspired by Derek's thorough and well illustrated Post 21.

May I suggest that you google a selection of Japanese hand planing competitions and see how the competitors caress their planes to perform at an incredible level. Watch their technique carefully. Control comes from the hands and arms and a smooth application of power. But power comes from the thighs - arguably our strongest muscle. Winners walk their planes smoothly.

Invert pulling and pushing, and I would suggest the same concepts apply in western hand planing.



Cheers

Graeme

Mnb - in terms of body posture, you're leaning forward a little but only to make the push motion reasonable (again, think throwing a basketball bounce pass - you'd step forward and push a little bit. If someone was instantly throwing the ball back to you and you had to keep making the bounce pass.

In terms of overanalyzing the details, don't be tempted to do it any further. out of natural laziness, you'll start finding comfortable and powerful positions. While you extend your arms, your legs, core and shoulders will generate your initial power and the extension of the arms just finishes the stroke.

Repetition will be more valuable than academic changes to your technique. Rely on the innate natural laziness that we have that allows us to make repetitive tasks more efficient just out of a desire to seek less work to accomplish a task.

Here is a short video by David Charlesworth that is worth a viewing ..



Regards from Perth

Derek

David's video is useful for a board already accurately cut by a power jointer, but his position is high and cramped and of fairly limited use for anything other than doing exactly what he's doing.

I can't remember the beginning of this thread, but am assuming that the poster wants to do more than take slow shavings like that.

the good thing about a looser position is that once you learn to use it, you can do fine work easier, also, than you can with David's rigid position.

(David has mentioned on the UK forum that anyone doing more than light work with planes instead of machines is insane..........

...........I am insane).

We all agree that you are insane, David

That video of DC ... the other DC ... is helpful from the point of his commentary that one uses the legs rather than the arms for power.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Ahh, yes. I've never seen anyone else advocating the rigid upper body, though. Since my first exposure to planing was David's videos, I did what he's showing for quite a while before I realized that it's contrary to comfort in the long term.

A simpler explanation of what I said above would be:
* Keep your ass under you
* drive with your shoulders
* extend your arms to a comfortable level

I do advocate the insanity of heavy planing as a measure to improve sanity overall!!

Where he walks? I only had a go at the one board yesterday. It was enough to see the difference but it wasn't long enough that I had to move forward with my feet so I don't know...

Keep your ass under you is a good way to put it.
I found it was more driving from the hips as Ian put it.

Oh Ian I used your 'thumb on top and fingers underneath the knob' grip at the front. I realised it was trying to get the cheap bunnies plane happening that started me using the front as well to move the plane forward rather than the back only though I don't know if it was the plane or my inexperience. I tried holding the knob a few different ways to break the habit and that's the one that feels most comfortable. I also found that I point two fingers forward with my back hand without thinking about it.

Edit: I just saw that there's a whole lot more posts I haven't read. I only read the last one by David.

Originally Posted by Mnb

Where he walks? I only had a go at the one board yesterday. It was enough to see the difference but it wasn't long enough that I had to move forward with my feet so I don't know.....

Hi Mnb

Even for shorter boards the power should come from the thighs - from the knees, thighs, hips region - not just from the arms and wrists - it's all about control.

But take heart; you are asking very pertinent questions. The frustration will be overcome.

I had a hard road learning to sharpen, a journey eased by this Forum. As my sharpening improved a side benefit was that my planing also improved. A direct correlation there.


Fair Winds

Graeme

I've tried to post a couple of times but the track pad on my laptop is acting up. It keeps selecting stuff and then I'm typing over what I wrote earlier. A couple of times it shut down Firefox. I spilt beer on it so hopefully it will be ok when it dries. I'm using the iPad at the moment but it takes ages to type on ...

Briefly; David I do overanalyse to the point of losing all perspective with some things but with this sort of thing I find the more I understand the better. Plus I love it.

I looked at the Japanese planing competitions and it was useful, thanks. Also crazy.

Early in the thread someone suggested that the plane I use most might be slightly concave on the bottom. Was it you Graeme? Whoever it was was correct so I am using the 4 and 1/2 now instead.

I seem to have done something to the sharpening guide when I filed it to get the blade sitting flat a couple of days ago. one side was getting sharpened slightly more than the other but now it's worse. When I sharpen, the middle of the blade gets sharpened more than the edges. I tried sharpening freehand yesterday and it didn't happen so it's the guide.

Derek, I read those pages and I really want to comment but I will wait for the laptop. If you have anything more I'd love to read it. I know my dad would have some great additions and he understands the forces but he has dementia. Maybe on a good day. When I asked about planing he wasn't much help. Finally I said "is it about the balance?" And he said 'well it won't work otherwise.'

This has taken over half an hour but Finally - I started actually practising yesterday. Not for very long since I've not yet finished the shelves but I got the two edges I planed straight!

And David I agree that planing also helps smooth the mind

Originally Posted by Mnb

Finally - I started actually practising yesterday. Not for very long since I've not yet finished the shelves but I got the two edges I planed straight!

Originally Posted by Mnb

I do overanalyse to the point of losing all perspective with some things but with this sort of thing I find the more I understand the better. Plus I love it.

Yeah, gotta love a bit of analysis paralysis. Guilty as charged. Best to try and spot it when it starts though because getting on and doing is where we really learn, and physically teach our brains the muscle memory. When mm kicks in you are on the way to unconscious competence, where you can just do things quickly, efficiently and accurately.

If your blade isn't sharpening straight then the cause could be three things:

1 is the sharpening medium flat? Natural Stones need to be flattened as they wear.
2 is the sharpening jig clamping system causing the blade to bow?
3 are you holding the jig too hard or forcing it to rock side to side on the roller?

Xpensive jigs like the Veritas can, if used incorrectly; cause the blade edge to develop a curve, but even cheap and nasty jigs can give a perfect edge; it's all about how they're handled.