Thread: dimensioning timber by hand

Yes, I do dimension by hand, because I don't have a jointer or thicknesser, and it is a pest to take small parts to the FIL's place to use his machines.

However, if it is more than a single plank, I will use the TS to help joint the material.

In terms of how well I do it - untwisted is important, and if I really want to achieve it (eg if the part is going to be on display, like a shelpf), I reckon I can get it to a quality as good as, if not better than a machine - straight, square and smooth. Winding strips are the first really important tool to get hold of. Until I had them, I had no idea how to dimension properly or how twiated most timber is...

Simon

I Googled "flattening a board by hand" wood and found this conversation on sawmillcreek.org it should help you understand the process
I http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...t=22107&page=2


ian

I'd buy that jointer/thicknesser if I was you, and leave the planes to finishing. Depends on how much time you have on your hands I suppose.

Hello Simon

Their are many questions and many points of views on what is flat? Flat however is I think the lesser of a two part challenge. The other part is how square is your timber.

The important thing is not to demand aeronautical precision, while it is possible it is not necessary and in general is a waste of time to try to achieve aeronautical precision in wood by hand or by power.

In my view flat is a hypothetical ideal that has more place in engineering then woodwork. Wood by its very nature refuses to be flat. I have a bunch of boards that I jointed and thickness by machine, many of these have now cupped in some degree. All will have to be reworked by hand.

Ultimately I believe that you must select your best face, flatten it to your best ability, ability that will always improve, then proceed to square the faces that need to be squared for the purpose of joinery. Faces that are hidden and not for display need only cursory finish.

Hand planes impart character they reveal in the work something of the hand that touched it.

I would suggest you read this articles by Adam Cherubini called 18th-Century Stock Preparation.

Best Wishes


Thumbsucker

Originally Posted by simon_b

Hi

I'm keen to know how many people out there actually dimension the timber boards they use with hand planes.

If so any advise on how to do this would be greatly appreciated.

I have a good quality straight edge and some HNT gordon planes and I am finding it very difficult to get a short board flat even just on one side.

I guess my other question is, how flat is flat? i.e. do you just get to a point where you say, ah well that is good enough.

My aim is to see how far I can get doing it by hand, as I don't really want to go to the expense of buying a jointer / planer thicknesser etc.

cheers
Simon

Cool article. Must get me some of those leggings for Christmas - though they might look a little out of place with blue singlet and Stubbies.

Cheers,
GW

Simon
since acquiring a number of new and used handplanes I use electric sanders, jointer/thicknesser MUCH less than I used to. The thing that really improved my technique was doing a woodworking course. This was a beginner's course at the ANU and we spent the term using handplanes only to flatten the first face and then square up and flatten the others to eventually make a breadoard. Having an expert there giving me advice on positioning myself while using the plane and lots of hints along the way made all the difference. I'm sure you should be able to find something similar in Melbourne. I did a google on 'melbourne woodwork course' and found several hits, including Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE, Melbourne School of Fine Woodwork, CAE. The other great thing about doing a course is you get to meet other budding wodworkers.

Originally Posted by Harry R

Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE, Melbourne School of Fine Woodwork, CAE.

Very Good Advice

The Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE program is two years full time up in Heidelberg which I have recently been accepted into via an interview application.

Melbourne School of Fine Woodwork is in Box Hill, this is a huge range of project based classes ranging from 1 day to 1 year. However it costs ($150 for half a day to $5000 a year) more money than what I could afford and struck me more as a well equipped social club run by some very talented craftsman giving guidance.

CAE no direct experience of this one.

Victorian Woodworking Association School in North Melbourne has some talented and internationally educated teachers who I had a the pleasure to see at the recent Working Wood Show, it costs about $350 - $500 for 8 - 10 classes. This would have been my second choice after The Northern Melbourne Institute program.

Simon you could also find a mentor to guide you.

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

Very Good Advice

The Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE program is two years full time up in Heidelberg which I have recently been accepted into via an interview application.

Hey, congratulations on getting into the course I would love to take some time out and do a full-time course, but not while I have this mortgage One day....

I use a thicknesser and planer for dressing the timber first up and if I need to change the dimensions quickly then I use a hand plane.
What you should be asking is what do I want to achieve and how?
I do dovetails entirely by eye and use only the most basic of tools. this is because I want to do it all by hand not because I want to achieve the most perfect and accurate joint. Do you see where Im coming from.
If it is your desire to master the difficult skill of dimensioning by hand then keep at it.
Ultimately it will leave you with a skill than can only serve you later in the woodworking proccess.

Hi Simon

I mostly dimension with handplanes. "Mostly" because I do have the assistance of a bandsaw and, occasionally, a tablesaw (usually used as storage for everything that I need to rest "until needed").

I do have a thicknesser, a fairly new Delta 12 1/2", but must have used it a half dozen times in about 18 months. Dirty, noisy, messy thing!

I use a few planes to get the board in shape.... a couple of scrubs, a couple of jacks, a jointer, and smoothers.

You learn to say, "flat enough" (which is the reason for short smoothers!!), and of the reverse side, "smooth enough". When boards are close but not exactly the same thickness, you just take more care with the hand-cut joints. .... this is why I have only used the tablesaw tenon jig once ... it is easier to cut tenons with a handsaw than muck about resetting the jig for slightly different thickness stretchers. Once together, no one is going to miss a half mm in leg width here-or-there... except Rocker

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks to all to replied - was not expecting to get much of a response to my questions.

This has definately given me enough motivation to go on with it

I have a feeling that a lot of the top quality furniture that I see (in woodworking magazines & exhibitions etc. ) is being made with the aid of machines such as jointer / thicknessers and looks almost too perfect.

Just like the way that you can tell if the dovetails have been hand cut or done with a jig and router.

I'm a big fan of the idea of being able to do it by hand which hopefully will show a bit more character to the finished work

Thanks again
Simon

One thing you need to make if you're preparing by hand is a set of winding sticks. They help you ensure that you have all of the twist out of the board, something I find difficult to do with my power planer. You can make them by hand out of a couple of bits of scrap hardwood (I think I saw plans in an issue of Fine Woodworking.) I made mine out of blackwood with a strip of white ash set into the top of the rear strip to make it visible when sighting from the front stick. (Here is the link to an article about getting an accurate straight edge: http://home.comcast.net/~jaswensen/m...ight_edge.html)


As the replies said, you can do it all with power tools but it is nice to do it by hand - much quieter and a greater sense of achievement.