Hand planes are used to level and square wood stock. Hand planes may be used in place of a planer for detail oriented and precise jobs.
A membership or day pass is required to access the Wood Shop. The following Shop Safety Class is required to access the hand tools
The hand planes do not require a machine reservation and are available on a first-come first-serve basis.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
• Sturdy, close-toed shoes must be worn at all times.
• Long hair, jewelry, and loose clothing must be tied back.
• Safety glasses and earmuffs must be worn while machines are running.
For more information on shop safety visit Wood Shop under "Safety."
Be careful when handling the planes. A sharp blade sticks out of the bottom.
Planes can be used to cut wood in pretty much any direction except across end grain.
This is the easiest direction and produces the smoothest results.
Make smooth passes over the surface of the wood, making sure to overlap them.
This can tear grain out of softwoods, especially if the blade is dull. Make short strong passes with the plane.
With a really sharp blade and a lot of patience, it is possible to cut across endgrain but you may want to consider using a chisel, scraper, or saw instead.
Blade sharpening.
Knock the dust off.
Blade 'sticks'- bites in and won't cut.
Blade chatters or skips.
Blade tears instead of cuts.