How to Plane CORRECTLY
In this video, I explain the best techniques to employ when using a plane in order to get a smooth surface, a controlled cut, and above all a more enjoyable experience!
This is an addition to my ‘Woodworking Basics’ series where I also covered the topics of sawing and chiselling.
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RECOMMENDED VIDEOS:
👉How to saw CORRECTLY
👉How to use a Chisel CORRECTLY
👉How to get a STUPIDLY SHARP edge on a PLANE blade
👉How to get SILKY SMOOTH SHAVINGS from a PLANE
👉How to reduce TEAROUT when using a HAND PLANE
👉Making a 6 String Bass Guitar
👉Making ‘Bertha’ | The Roubo Workbench
👉Honing Guide PROTRUSION STOP | 2 Minute Tuesday
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🔸 Lie-Nielsen Bronze No.4
https://mattestlea.com/lie-nielsen-bronze-smoother
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My name is Matt Estlea and I’m a Woodworker from Basingstoke, England. My aim is to make your woodworking less s***.
I come from 5 years of TRAINING at Rycotewood Furniture Centre in Oxford, 5 years of experience WORKING at Axminster Tools and Machinery in Basingstoke, and 3 years TEACHING both day classes and evening classes at Rycotewood Furniture Centre. All while trying to get this YouTube thing off the ground.
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i’ve watched your plane playlist and i must say it’s witty, instructional and not at all "blimey" to watch.
I notice you are comfortable with the tools and not wearing gloves. I am often in a hurry (bit of OCD) and skip gloves myself but an amateur I get the odd nick or worse. Do you not wear gloves because you are more "connected" with you work piece?
Some of the best stuff I’ve seen for a rookie like me
We all need these basic explanations. We can not really learn these things at times unless someone points them out. Maybe we get it the first time by ourselves, but usually, we need some instruction. Thanks again for another valuable lesson!
THANK YOU GURU..! EXCELLENT DEMONSTRATION. LEARNED A LOT.
and before ya know it you’re making veneers xD LOL
@9:15 that was me before watching this lol
How do you correctly store a hand plane? Assuming there is periods of time when you can’t use it should you cover it in oil, store it in an air tight container?
Actually, I used my very first plane chips to make a veneer box. They were so thick I could just layer them on top of each other with a little glue.
Great video mate, thanks.
Just bought my first hand plane today and this has me excited to get straight into it tomorrow !!!!!
plane and simple, How2Plane. "Looks to the sky"
I am a lover of wood art … I created a lot of processed wood in my country … but now because of budget constraints I can no longer be creative with tools that are expensive for me living in Indonesia.
Several comments….. One, the edges of a planed board, or one coming out of a drum sander are like little razor saws and will really slice and dice you. I speak from experience, and true on lathe pieces as well.
Another, a quote I used for years before hearing a guest on Roy Underhill/New Yankee Woodshop show, who was demonstrating correct hammer procedures, it came from an old Hollywood movie about Cyrano De Bergerac. He disarms a student with no effort and then says, "Hold the sword as you would a bird. Too tight and you kill it, too loose and it flies away." Same with any tools…. Wood lathe or hand planes….
If you have some carnuba wax handy, like Kiwi neutral shoe polish, it is far harder than candle wax/paraffin, and will stay on a lot longer. It may cause problems if you are gluing up panels later though, or applying some finishes.
Thanks for that very instructing video Matt, It was the first planing video that i watch and I like how you do things and describe. I have couple questions:
I’m planning to buy my first plane, any recommendations?
Are you using a plane or jack plane? (not sure if there’s a difference between)
Thats not a smoothing plane right? I’m a bit confuse.
Thanks a lot mate!
I see you shop used to be a motor car repair shop. Access trench
Sounds like a good tip. I will have to try moving my whole body pushing with back leg as you suggest. I tend to be hopeless at planing (Plane is sharp & setup right) as I always seem to bias off to the right, ending up with a completely un-square edge. (right handed)
Dumb question…. But what boots are those!?
Great info! I’ve watched a ton of plane vids and was still having some issues. This settled most of them Thanks!
For years after you made this video I finally have got a tip for you! 😀
The mountaineering metaphor I’ve used with my students, age ~14.
For the blade protrusion, I used the metaphor of using different gears on a bicycle, and they instantly understood it. Or so far it seems like they did. =)
Sharing it because I like it. 🙂
Candle wax tip was dope, never thought of that
John Snow knows nothin’ about hand plaining
Would the wax not come off on your project and affect staining?
So how many blades do you recommended for each plane? Having two angles is enough?
Awesome presentation Mat, I really enjoy your videos. I have been working with wood for over 50 years. Some of the points you taught in this video, I wish I had watched 49 years ago. Lol. Seriously though, great work Mat. I love to see a man enjoying his work as much as you clearly do. Keep up the good work eh. All the very best, Ricky .
Listen to the sound of the cut too, you can hear when a clean shaving
If you were buying a new Chop saw, what brand would you buy?
you are a genius!
thankyou
Thank you so much for this. Its so nice to find someone who talks who discusses the basics, but in a completely unpatronising way, and without talking about "hacks" or "cheats"
So clear and helpful
I’m really sure you can build it yourself. I did this 2 weeks ago thanks to the Stodoys plans.
You the best, thank s.
Planing walnut just to show us plebs on Youtube something… my wallet is screaming.
I’ve thought that skewing the blade also changes the way the blade cuts the wood fibers. I got this from my experience using chisels. Slicing the wood fibers with a chisel is often cleaner (and easier) than pushing the chisel straight through. Surely that is another reason (besides the effective blade angle) that skewing a plane gives a cleaner cut?
Thanks mate. i just subscribed. i am trying to learn woodworking so I can build a whaaram catamaran. 😃😃
Greetings from France, you’re just a new follower ;). Thanks for sharing your knowledge !
What advice do you have to make a wooden mask? I’m tempted on making one
Perfectly explained, anyone should understand, Well done Sir!
The Gordon Ramsey of wood working. Lots of respect! david
Skewing the plane. Sin and cos. Who’d thought grade 8 math (I can’t remember which year tbh) wood come back to haunch me.
one other thing you shouldn’t be wearing skinny jeans whilst planing wood.
there are several reasons for this.
however its worth keeping in mind that these reasons are not all encompassing and have subtle differences for different people,
the three main reasons why you shouldnt be wearing skinny jeans whilst planing are as follows;-
1 you look like a pillock
2 you have skinny jeans on and your penis is showing.
3 youre gender and/or sexuality are possibly questionable.
Another woodworking channel features a Japanese carpenter. He rubs a red wax or grease pencil onto a flat block, one that could be used as a sanding block. He then rubs that block across the piece he is working on. The material from the pencil transfers to the workpiece and highlights the high spots to be removed. Looks like he does this technique for both plaining and chiseling.
Thank you so much Gordan Ramsey of woodworking!
Love your Hand Plane series but I fundamentally do not understand how you can get a perfectly flat board (versus edge) when the front shoe is at the same level as the back shoe. Electric planers make more sense for this function. So how in the hell can you get a true flat surface if the blade protrudes lower than the shoe? I’ve not seen any videos yet from the other channel that address this.
A Big THANK YOU isn’t enough !! GOD bless you ! amazing ! so nice and clear explanations !!!
Very handy information!
Didn’t know that the kid from Stranger Things is doing woodworking now. Thanks for this video!
Pitching the planer is like drawfiling your are really shearing it
*CORRECTION*
I forgot to take the frog angle into consideration when talking about effective pitch at 14:08. The shaving will actually be travelling up a 45 degree slope when the plane is travelling straight.
Again, watch this video on reducing tearout if this means absolutely nothing to you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fGqh42lSM0&t=
Let me know if you found this video useful!
Man, the sound of that plane is just glorious. Mine doesn’t sound like that at all haha
Perhaps I’m a bit paranoid, but I do try to minimise wax touching any surface that may need to be glued or coated. People overlook just how hard it can be to get rid of. Sanding it can push it into the wood and when it touches the paper it spreads around. I’m not saying don’t do it. Maybe I will. But I think I’d look at polishing/buffing it first. I’ve heard some horror stories regarding people overlooking such things.
Always very helpful! Thank you!!