Video Demonstrations.
Over the years I have always wanted to share some tips from the shed on how to use hand tools. Sometimes you just need to see it done to reinforce your learning and check you are getting the most from your tools.
This page will start with some old low quality videos mostly with no sound showing a few tools in action. I hope you can learn a little from it.
The first 2 videos show me flattening 2 different bench tops. This is done using HNT Gordon wooden planes. I use these to plane the hardwood tops as nothing else gives the same level of finish on hardwood with interlocked grain.
Using the Jointer Plane directly across the grain to quickly get the surface flat from side to side. These can be quite heavy cuts until you get close to flat when reducing the depth of cut allows you to just flatten without going too far. Surface finish is not important at this stage.
Still with the JointerPlane we now plane the top from end to end. This is done initially from each end towards the middle. Basically removing the cross grain marks from the first planing direction.Once it is close to flat we then take full length passes to get the finish better.
Check with a Straightedge at various times to keep track of progress.
A quick resharpen can be useful before setting the Jointer for a fine cut to clean up your surface.
Stopping to sharpen does 2 important things.The first is to sharpen the blade which by this time has removed a lot of wood. The second is to give you a break from planing and lets you re-focus for when you come back to make the final passes. Long strokes now with the jointer refine the surface for flatness.
The actual finishing I like to do with a Smoother Plane which is very sharp and set to take a very fine cut. These cuts are full length and not meant to be flattening but just to refine the finish. The shavings should float out of the plane. The surface will now be reflective and silky smooth.
Using the Jointer Plane directly across the grain to quickly get the surface flat from side to side. These can be quite heavy cuts until you get close to flat when reducing the depth of cut allows you to just flatten without going too far. Surface finish is not important at this stage.
Still with the JointerPlane we now plane the top from end to end. This is done initially from each end towards the middle. Basically removing the cross grain marks from the first planing direction.Once it is close to flat we then take full length passes to get the finish better.
Check with a Straightedge at various times to keep track of progress.
A quick resharpen can be useful before setting the Jointer for a fine cut to clean up your surface.
Stopping to sharpen does 2 important things.The first is to sharpen the blade which by this time has removed a lot of wood. The second is to give you a break from planing and lets you re-focus for when you come back to make the final passes. Long strokes now with the jointer refine the surface for flatness.
The actual finishing I like to do with a Smoother Plane which is very sharp and set to take a very fine cut. These cuts are full length and not meant to be flattening but just to refine the finish. The shavings should float out of the plane. The surface will now be reflective and silky smooth.