Hand planing tutorials (and a warning)

[rnelson0]

I am trying to get the most out of my handplane purchases and have been struggling with taking words on paper and turning that into knowledge in the shop. I learn best visually and by example, so I went hunting for something to help.

I settled on the DVD "Using a Hand Plane with Ian Kirby: Tuning, Setting the Blade, and Planing Techniques" - a renown and skilled woodworker whose DVD seemed to receive a lot of promotion lately, notably from Taunton. Man, do I feel like I got gyped. Ian certainly knows his trade. However, he is HORRIBLE at video presentation. How can anyone, with the magic of TV, say "um" this many times? Or forget his lines? Or make mistakes when pointing out the parts of a plane? I can understand these things in a live setting, but this is unacceptable on a recorded presentation. I went from all excited to pop in the DVD to really disappointed by the end of the 68 minute program.

I guess I should have known - how can you really show someone how to tune a plane on TV when you really need to be sitting next to them and pointing at stuff? - but I am just flabbergasted by the low quality. That will be the last time I buy anything with Kirby's name on it and quite some time before I trust another Taunton recommendation. My recommendation is to skip this; I will be asking for my money back tomorrow.



However, I am still in need of some visual assistance with planes. The whole time I watched his, I thought, "I bet there are some videos on youtube that are much better!" So let's have it - does anyone have some recommendations for some free videos on tuning and using handplanes? Help me get this bad taste out of my mouth!

[LinuxRandal]

I have been disappointed in the You Tube video's, and have yet to get any of the dvd's (time issues).

I have considered Smartflix (as the books are not as good as visual), but this is the best I have found online:
http://woodtreks.com/how-to-tune-up-a-hand-plane/19/

http://woodtreks.com/category/tools/handplanes-tools/

[Uncle Cracker]

You might see what the nearest Woodcraft location has on their class schedule... (You are right about hands-on experience, as planes are very much a "feel" thing.) Another possibility is to check around for a WW show in your area. If the LV people will be there (among others), they will give you a wealth of personal instruction, all just for the asking.

[cabinetman]

You might see what the nearest Woodcraft location has on their class schedule... (You are right about hands-on experience, as planes are very much a "feel" thing.) Another possibility is to check around for a WW show in your area. If the LV people will be there (among others), they will give you a wealth of personal instruction, all just for the asking.

That's the truth...they are a "feel" thing. Good idea about taking classes. Another idea would be to see if there are any woodworking clubs in your area.
.

[phrog]

I know you said you weren't interested in books but I learned more about planes from Leonard Lee's (of Lee Valley) book, The Complete Guide to Sharpening, than from any other book, video, or hands on experimenting. The first couple chapters, "The Meaning of Sharpness" and "The Physics of Severing Wood Fibers" along with the chapter, "Planes" did a great deal to help me understand planes as well as other cutting tools. Warning though, you have to study it.
Richard

[SARGE..g-47]

Ditto Uncle Cracker on Woodcraft and classes if you have any local and.. ditto Phrog on Leonard Lee's book on sharpening. And even though I have not seen Ian Kirby's DVD.. I will defend his ability. Ian Kirby is an English trained WW who once ran a school in Cummings, Ga. in the mid 80's which is about 15 miles from my door.

He is hands-on an excellent teacher and excellent craftsman. Again.. I cannot speak for any DVD's he has appeared on but.. I learned more in a year about WW'ing in general from Ian Kirby in 1986 (if I remember correctly) than I had learned in the previous 14 years period.

The sharpening book is excellent and Garrect Hacks books are good but... once you learn the basics there is absolutely no substiture for hands-on experience with the plane in your hand guiding it on wood in your shop. There are no books.. DVD's.. etc. that are going to give you "magic" formula's of what is actually taking place before your very eyes. That's a fact IMO!

Good luck...

[mschrank]

I just bought Christopher Schwarz's Handplane Basics-A Better Way to Use Bench Planes. While I've only watched half of it so far, I have to say that I've been very impressed. I'm basically a handplane newbie, but after just the bit I've watched I feel a lot less apprehensive about set up, tuning, and use. Schwarz pares it down to simple basics. While he will admit to not being a teacher, his style of delivery is personable and easy to understand.

I highly recommend it.

http://www.woodworkersbookshop.com/p...opher_schwarz/

[Travis]

I have considered Smartflix

Hey guys,

Travis from SmartFlix here.

First, let me give a shout out to the BT3k - I had one for ten years, selling it to a friend just last year, when I swapped it out for a Powermatic. I miss the BT3k - especially the blade-height-adjustment knob that I made from a piece of walnut firewood to replace the original plastic one that I snapped off when I was wheeling the B3k from my shop out to the driveway for some construction work.

Anyway, I appreciate the hat tip to SmartFlix, and wanted to say that we DO have a lot of good DVDs about handplaning.

you can find a list here:

http://smartflix.com/store/search?q=plane

Also, because I'm a fan of the BT3k, and because I got a lot of information from this website back before I defected to a mustard colored machine, I'm going to give a discount coupon to you folks - good for $5 off your first rental with us.

BT3KCOUPON2

Feel free to use the coupon on something other than a handplane video.

Best of luck with all your projects - and with your Ryobi tablesaws!

Travis

[rnelson0]

LinuxRandal, the woodtrek videos are intriguing. I will have more time to watch them later but I like it, thanks!

Mike, thanks for the rec. How long is the video? I cannot find that at your link and amazon does not have it.


As for books, I have a few that cover hand planes. I have a firm grasp on the theory, I just want a visual to go along with some of the contorted passages, "Now grab the front of the back, place it laterally and move forward in a raffnab motion." Sometimes I think I have it down, but the shavings I get tell me I do not!

And even though I have not seen Ian Kirby's DVD.. I will defend his ability.

Agreed, he definitely knows his stuff. As I mentioned in my Amazon review, the guy knows his stuff, but I felt like I had to suffer through a horrible presentation to get at it and it just drove me batty. It played like it was done in a single take and they used a set of fixed cameras, no close-ups as he was trying to explain the different pieces. I do not understand how you can attempt to show how to tune up a plane by putting the camera 5' away and not moving it! I got something out of it, but not a whole lot.

[phrog]

"once you learn the basics there is absolutely no substiture for hands-on experience with the plane in your hand guiding it on wood in your shop. There are no books.. DVD's.. etc. that are going to give you "magic" formula's of what is actually taking place before your very eyes. That's a fact IMO!"

Good luck...

Totally agree with Sarge.
Richard

[cabinetman]

For the "hands on", pick up a 7" block plane (if you don't already have one). They are easy to handle and you can use one hand. They're not expensive, and it will give you the feel for adjustment, use, and sharpening. It's also a toolbox tool that you'll use quite a bit.
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