Despite the wide range of electric planers offered by stores, ordinary hand tools are still quite popular among carpenters. The fact is that with their help, wood processing can be done somewhat better. Most often, modern carpenters have both types in stock and use them for initial processing blanks, and manual ones are used for finishing them.
Design Features
To know how to choose a good hand plane, you should have an understanding of its design. Such instruments consist of the following main parts:
Frame. This structural element is most often made of wood. It is in it that all the main components of the plane are attached.
Knife. Sharpened at a certain angle.
Clamp Can be executed from different materials. This can be a metal plate or bar.
Chip breaker. Installed slightly higher than the knife. As you can already judge from the name of this element, it serves to break chips and guide them.
Adjustment screw. This structural element is responsible for changing the position of the knife relative to the surface being processed.
All universal hand planes for wood have this design. The basic elements described above are also present in other, specialized varieties. On the body of any plane, among other things, there are two handles.
What to look for when choosing
The main element of the planer design is the knife. It is its quality that you should pay attention to first. This element must be made of high quality steel. In this case, the plane can be used for as long as possible without the need for sharpening. Of course, it is visually difficult to determine how well the material was chosen for the plane knife. Therefore, first of all, you should pay attention to the reputation of the manufacturer.
Of course, under no circumstances should it wobble. When purchasing, you should also check the front handle. It must also hold tight. In addition, when choosing a plane, you should pay attention to the size of the handle for right hand. The length of this element varies. A tool with a small handle may simply not be suitable for a person with large hands.
Varieties
Of course, you should choose a hand plane based on the specific purposes for which it will be intended. There are several types of planes on sale today. The most popular are:
Universal. This is a regular plane that can be used to do most carpentry work.
Jointer. The body of this instrument is longer than that of a conventional one. A jointer is used to process large workpieces.
End plane. The knife of such a tool is located at a flatter angle. This allows high-quality processing of end grain fibers.
Zenzubel. This type of plane is used mainly for cutting various kinds and folds.
Reviews of plane brands
On modern market this type is implemented from different manufacturers. Many brands are of very good quality. Good feedback craftsmen, for example, deserved planes from companies such as Bailey and Handyman. Bailey tools are valued primarily for the excellent quality of their knives and long service life. Knife sharpening hand plane This brand is produced quite rarely. Sometimes there are comments that mention the build quality is not very good. But even if any shortcomings are found in the purchased tool, they can usually be easily and quickly eliminated, and on your own. Handyman planes, judging by the reviews, are also convenient and reliable. Their only drawback is their not very neat design.
Experienced craftsmen do not advise purchasing Groz brand products (India). Despite the fact that the products of this brand are classified as expensive, especially good quality Judging by the reviews, they are no different. Their build quality is simply disgusting, and at the same time it is inconvenient to work with them.
How to use
Hand planes for wood are simple in design and quite easy to use. The main thing is to do the work smoothly, without jerking. This is especially true for very long workpieces. If this condition is met, the surface of the finished product will be very neat and smooth. When planing, you should stand to the side of the workpiece, with one foot forward.
The top and bottom surfaces of the products are very easy to process. It is somewhat more difficult to do work on the edges. In this case, it is important to secure the knife very firmly. Under no circumstances should it vibrate in the block. Edges should be planed exclusively in the direction of the grain.
There is also a technique that allows high-quality processing of very wide workpieces. In this case, the product is first planed diagonally, adhering to the direction of the fibers. Next, the plane is checked for evenness using a special ruler. On final stage fine-tuning is in progress. In this case, it is removed from the workpiece thin layer chips parallel to the edge.
How to sharpen a knife
Of course, a hand plane, like any other tool, requires some care. No matter how good the steel the knife of this tool is made of, sooner or later it will still become dull and will have to be sharpened. Most often, this procedure is performed on a special stone called a touchstone. The latter is pre-wetted with water. When sharpening, it is advisable to moisten the knife itself. You should press it against the stone as tightly as possible.
The sharpening angle of a hand plane may vary depending on the model. Most often this figure is 30 degrees. When working on a whetstone, you usually just pay attention to how the blade was originally sharpened.
Sometimes experienced carpenters sharpen the knife of the plane and on the wheel. In this case, it should be pressed not against the edge, but against the side surface. When using a wheel, you can also get a pretty high-quality sharpening. It will be very convenient to use a hand plane with such a knife. But only if you use fine-grained abrasive abrasive wheel. After sharpening on such a tool, finishing is usually done. This procedure is performed either on a piece of sandpaper mounted on a table or on a block. Checking the quality of sharpening is quite easy. To do this, you just need to carefully examine the blade. If it does not shine, then the knife is sharp enough to be used.
How to set up a hand plane correctly
To perform this procedure you will need a special screwdriver. Such tools are designed specifically for setting planes. Their distinctive feature is large width and small length. The main purpose of setting up a plane is to set the amount of blade protrusion above the surface of the sole. If the knife protrudes too far, the plane will begin to remove very thick chips. A slightly exposed blade will simply slide across the surface of the wood.
For initial processing of workpieces, the knife yield should be about 0.5 mm. If the plane is to be used for finishing, the blade should protrude slightly less over the sole.
How to store it correctly
Experienced craftsmen believe that a knife for a hand plane becomes dull, for the most part, not even during operation, but because of improper storage. After finishing planing the workpieces, this tool should be cleaned of chips and placed in a box specially designed for it. In this case, the position of the tool should be such that the knife blade protruding from the body is not at the bottom, but at the side.
If a hand plane is to be stored very for a long time, before putting it in the box, it must be disassembled and thoroughly cleaned. Knives and other metal parts should be wiped with an oiled rag.
A hand plane is a planing woodworking tool used by carpenters and joiners. It is used to give the surface of wood the required shape with straight lines. Using this tool, workpieces are processed to the required parameters, and various carpentry joints are created, such as tongue-and-groove and quarter cuts.
Planer design
A hand plane is a fairly simple design, which consists of a block with a flat sole. It can be made of wood or metal. Handles are installed at its ends. The front one is designed for gripping and holding by hand, while the back one provides a comfortable grip for pushing movements. Closer to the rear handle of the tool there is a clamp into which a hard steel knife is installed. The block has a through slot through which the knife extends.
There are both more complex, but easily customizable designs of planes, and the simplest ones, in which a wooden wedge is used as a clamp for a knife, hammered in with a hammer. At correct setting similar tools have the same cutting characteristics. The main criteria for planes are the sharpness of the knife and the material of manufacture. The sharpening angle of the blade is adjusted to specific material, which needs to be planed. This is due to the fact that different types of wood have different hardness.
Especially important criterion is the evenness of the sole. In wooden planes, it becomes deformed over time as a result of abrasion. In addition, when wet, such a tool may bend, making it unsuitable for further use. Metal pads are much better in this regard, but in most cases they are made of steel, which is susceptible to corrosion. As a result of prolonged non-use of the tool, it becomes covered with a layer of rust, which occurs even when in contact with moist air. As a result, workpieces get dirty during work.
The big disadvantage of metal pads is the presence of errors during casting. If the sole is made helical, then it is impossible to ensure perfectly even planing. In this regard, before purchasing, it is important to carefully evaluate the smoothness and evenness of the surface of the sole, so as not to purchase a bad tool. In case of wooden planes the presence of sole defects can be solved by working.
Types of planes
It is worth noting that a hand plane, unlike the vast majority of other carpentry tools, has many varieties. The design of each modification is tailored to perform specialized tasks. There is no completely universal design that will allow you to do any job. In total, there are 2 groups of planes:
- Direct planing.
- Figure planing.
Hand plane flat planer
The category of flat planes includes:
- Single.
- Double.
- Sherhebeli.
- Grinding pads.
- Planers.
- Tsinubeli.
- Roughing.
Single hand plane designed to level the surface of wood to obtain an ideal plane. It provides a straight blade with a slightly rounded edge. Due to the absence of sharp corners, the ends work surface blades, no grooves remain on the workpiece when moving. This tool allows you to correct rough processing after a saw or ax.
Double has a similar design to the single one, but is equipped with an additional knife that breaks the chips. It is used for finishing leveling and allows you to achieve a smoother surface that practically does not require sanding.
Sherhebeli have rounded blades that are set at an angle of 45 degrees to the side of the sole. The oval edge allows planing across the grain. Also, the features of this tool include a fairly wide gap for chip removal, which, depending on the modification, is 3-5 mm. This tool is excellent for rough machining. It provides quick removal of chips, but the resulting surface will have roughness and jagged edges that require additional processing.
Sanders They are planes in which the blades are located at an angle of 50 degrees. This tool is equipped with a double blade and a chip breaker. When removing wood, a very high-quality smooth surface is created that does not require additional finishing. Sanders are usually used after the workpiece has been processed with coarser tools. The task of such planes is to make them perfectly smooth.
Jointer is a finishing tool that is used to remove chips on large surfaces. It is characterized by a long block, so it effectively removes protruding parts of the wood, while bypassing the recesses. In fact, the longer the jointer, the more ideal results you can expect after finishing the job. The jointer is the most common type of plane that can be found in any workshop where professional wood processing is carried out.
Tsinubeli have a single serrated knife, which, unlike regular tool creates a corrugated surface, usually used for gluing workpieces. Simply by preparing two pieces of wood with zinubel, you can increase the immediate contact area when fitting. This increases the bonding strength. From an aesthetic point of view, the furrows created are not particularly attractive, so this tool is not used for other purposes.
Rough The hand plane is a completely different design from the classic one. Its sole is a metal grater. The tool does not have a knife. It is used exclusively for leveling the ends of drywall. This grater allows you to correct defects that were made during cutting. plasterboard sheets before assembling them into various structures.
Planers for figure planing
This category of tool is intended for creating grooves, as well as processing protrusions and edges. With the development of electric tools and the advent of manual milling cutters a similar tool has faded into the background, but is still found in workshops.
TO figured planes can be attributed:
- Zenzubeli.
- Kantenhobeli.
- Tongue and pile piles.
- Federgubeli.
- Kalevki.
- Falzgebeli.
- Staples.
Zenzubel is a narrow plane with which you can select a quarter. Also, thanks to its narrow dimensions, you can remove the end of the workpiece to get a groove. There are various modifications of this tool designed to work with wood along and across the grain. In most cases, this tool is chosen for finishing work on an already formed rough surface.
Kantenhobel- This is a fairly compact hand plane that is used for chamfering. It is used to process the ends, giving them a more pleasant surface. This tool has a trapezoidal blade shape. Usually a kantenhobel has one cutting knife, but there may be two. The cutting edge is located at an angle to the side surface of the sole. With the help of such a tool, finishing processing is carried out, which requires minimal correction using sandpaper or a file.
tongue and groove- This is a specialized hand plane with which a groove is selected. The instrument is easily recognizable thanks to its double sole. One block serves to direct the trajectory of movement, and with the help of the second the blade is attached. Such a plane can be adjusted by changing the distance between two blocks, thereby adjusting the distance to the edge being processed.
Federgubel- This is an end tool with which the longitudinal protrusions of workpieces are processed. It has a special blade shape with a rise in the center. As a result of processing the end of the board, you can obtain a longitudinal tenon, which is used for gluing with another part in which a groove of a similar size has previously been made.
Mold one of the most unusual planes, which allows for shaped processing of workpieces. It is used for the production of cornices, as well as baguettes and decoration doorways. The sole of the peck has a stepped shape, which is transferred to the workpiece in a mirror image.
Falzgebel- This is also a highly specialized plane, with which you can form a strip along the edge of the workpiece, without preliminary marking. The folded sole has a similar sole to the kalevka.
Shtap- This is a small hand plane designed for rounding edges. Its blade has a semi-rounded recess. In addition, you can recognize such a tool by its concave sole. This design sole and knife allows you to make a rounded shape at the ends.
Setting up the plane
Adjusting the plane consists of adjusting the height of the tip of the blade through the sole. The more the cutting edge protrudes, the thicker the chips removed and the lower the quality of the resulting surface. If the blade output is insufficient, the chips removed are too thin, so processing takes a long time. If the gap is set too large, the wood fibers of the workpiece may be damaged, resulting in chipping, especially if the knife is not sharp enough.
The amount of knife output differs depending on the modification of the plane. If rough processing is necessary, then the overhang is set at 0.5 mm. If the finishing tool is adjusted, this figure decreases.
In order to extend the knife, you need to loosen the fastening and hammer it down a little with a mallet or press down with your fingers. It should be taken into account that if the cutting edge comes out excessively from the side of the sole, it cannot be returned by striking the sharp part, as this will damage the sharpening. In this case, you will need to completely release the adjusting screw and pull the blade back out.
It is almost impossible to imagine carpentry or carpentry work without using a whole arsenal special devices like a plane or a jointer, or a sherhebel. Each of these instruments, which are similar in principle, has individuality and a unique character. Today, when mass production takes a leading position and all processes are automated, including in the woodworking industry, hand tool is increasingly becoming history. It's unlikely that anyone is making stools in their garage these days, but it's time to remember those high school craft lessons and pay homage to the archaic traditional planes.
The main components of any plane are: a piece of iron (knife), a block, a wedge. Further planes can be divided into various groups depending on the dimensions, intended purpose and additional equipment.
Types of planes
From the great variety of existing variations of planes, we can highlight:
- Manual or mechanical . Can be either made entirely of PVC, metal or wood, or a combination of these materials; depend on this aspect technical properties construction tools. In terms of functionality, planes do not have significant differences.
- Electrical . Equipping with an electric motor expands the functionality and increases the efficiency and productivity of the planer, allowing you to achieve greater results with less labor.
- Wooden planes are most popular at home.
Pioneers of wood processing
Sherhebel
The most iconic examples of hand carpentry tools include:
- Sherhebel - widely used for initial work with wood that has not yet been pre-treated. It was the sherhebel that appeared first from the entire line of similar tools. This is a weighty and powerful device in a steel case. Intended for primary processing, giving the workpiece the planned dimensions and shape and deep planing with the removal of a large layer of wood.
Sherhebel cannot achieve an even, smooth surface; it is intended for rough, surface finishing! The design of the Scherhebel is similar in appearance with a regular plane, but its iron with a rounded blade is installed at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the sole. In one pass, the sherhebel removes chips up to three millimeters thick, leaving deep grooves that require additional leveling in the future.
Scherhebel is equipped with an oval cutting edge, which makes it possible to plan wood across the grain without first tearing it lengthwise. The sharpening angle of the scherhebel depends on the density of the wood being processed.
Differences between a sherhebel and a planer
In essence, a sherhebel is the same plane that performs rough processing. The difference is the semicircular sharpening of the blade and its width (it is smaller). The blade protrudes from the block by two to three millimeters.
Jointer
- Jointer . This is a hand plane equipped with double cutter. Designed for precise finishing, leveling large areas under the ruler due to the extended block and for jointing (adjusting) edges. The length of a jointer block can be two or three times longer than that of a standard plane. The jointer knife is equipped with a chip breaker or hump, as well as a handle for ease of use of the device. Can be produced with a single knife.
Difference
The main difference is in the number of blades: a jointer has two, a planer has one! The construction of the jointer differs only significant body length. It is thanks to the elongated block that the use of a jointer is effective in processing large areas.
Classification
In accordance with the current classification, according to their purpose, types of planes are conventionally divided into two groups:
- Flat planing;
- Figure planing.
Flat planes, types
- Half jointer . This is a shortened version of the jointer, designed for planing large elements. The length of the sole of the semi-jointer is 60 cm, the width of the cutter, like that of the jointer, can reach 8 cm. Like the jointer, it is used for fitting various parts.
- Medvedka larger in width and length and has paired transverse handles on the sides. Usually two people work as a bear at the same time. Zhelezkov is fixed to the bear special wedge and removes a layer of 1 mm. A bearer is used for planing elements such as boards external cladding, for floors or ceilings.
- Sander used for final cleaning of surfaces and leveling of defects that arose at previous stages of processing. Using a sander, the ends, areas with knots and irregular or complex wood structure are planed. In this type of tool, a double knife with a linear blade and a chip breaker is installed, the knife attachment angle is 60 degrees.
- Zinubel used for processing twisted types of wood and for applying small grooves on the surface to improve the adhesion of elements in subsequent adhesive joints. Tsinubel knives have ribs that form teeth when sharpened. Placing the knife at an angle of 80 degrees relative to the block allows you to process even twisted wood without scuffing. On average, the length of the sole of the tsinubel is 20 cm, the width and height are 6.5 cm. The knives are single with a serrated blade.
- End plane used for processing ends and planing small surfaces with a tangled fiber structure.
- Single planer applies for reprocessing. When planing, chips are formed without breaking; The surface is characterized by small scuffs or chips.
- Double planer has a chipbreaker in addition to the knife, which improves the quality of processing.
Figure planing, types
- Zenzubel (selector) equipped double knife, thereby improving the quality of product processing. Used for planing perpendicular planes and stripping quarters. The width of the blade-shaped knife does not exceed 33 mm. The tool is similar to a folding belt.
- Federgubel It is distinguished by a special blade shape, which forms a rectangular longitudinal protrusion along the edge of the wooden workpiece.
- Falzgebel , like the zenzubel, is used for profile planing. It is equipped with a single knife, having a straight or oblique configuration, and is used for stripping quarters (folds). It has a stepped sole, sometimes removable, which allows you to select folds of the required size and profile for each individual case.
- Staffgobel and stacker – thanks to knives having a concave shape, they give the workpieces a rounded shape. The stacker is used for processing convex surfaces.
- tongue and groove ( prankster ) used for selecting tongues (grooves) along the edges of a wood piece. Consists of a pair of pads connected by special metal screws. The first block is a guide; the second, holding the knives - securing.
The groove is also often equipped with a special rib or an adjustable ruler for cutting the groove strictly at a given distance from the cut.
- Mold used primarily for curly processing and giving specific shapes, such as cornices, baguettes, doorways. It has a stepped sole and figured cutters, allowing you to make the required profiles.
- Gruntubel It is a block with a pointed hook in the form of a cutter installed on the side of it. This cutter is fixed in the block using a screw or wedge. Designed for making grooves of a trapezoidal profile located across the grain of the wood.
- Gorbach (American) used for processing curved and concave planes with internal or external diameters. It has a curvilinear shaped block.
While creating wooden products Many different types of operations are required, so in carpentry and carpentry, only one type of plane is often not enough! Some types of planes are better to use exclusively in pairs- federgubel, bear or tongue and groove. Other modifications require sequential use: sherhebel is used for preliminary rough processing of raw materials and jointers are used for final finishing of planes. The main purpose of planes as a tool is to process planar-linear surfaces and create the necessary reliefs.
- Flat planing
- Figure planing
Zenzubel, tongue and groove, folding, kalevka are the names of a hand plane. The article describes what this or that tool is intended for and how the devices differ from each other.
Flat planing
Single
Designed for leveling wood surfaces, equipped with a straight blade with a slightly rounded edge. The tools do not leave burrs or irregularities - they are used for fine planing of wood after rough processing.
Double
In addition to processing the ends, the cross-cut type of planes is used for finishing leveling of wooden material. The main blade is duplicated with a knife for breaking chips.
Sherhebeli
They are distinguished by a rounded blade set at an angle of 45° relative to the sole. Thanks to the oval edge wood material can be processed across the grain. To remove thick chips, the hole for its exit exceeds the parameters of a standard tool by 3–5 mm. The device allows you to give workpieces the required configuration, but it cannot be used to obtain smooth surface, the product must be finished with a jointer.
Sanders
This is a grinding plane with a double knife and a chip breaker located at an angle of 50° to the working sole. The device is used for grinding, obtaining perfectly smooth surfaces.
Planers
Used to align edges and planes. Finishing of large surfaces is ensured by sharp knife with chipbreaker and extended block.
Tsinubeli
Equipped with a single serrated knife. After passing through wood or plywood, a grooved surface is left. The grooves formed by the cutter contribute to better adhesion of the parts on which the adhesive composition is applied.
Roughing
Designed for aligning the ends of plasterboard slabs. There is no need to sand after using them. sheet material. The design feature of the tool is that the cutting blade has the shape of a grater.
Figure planing
Planes classified in this category are designed for processing grooves, protrusions, and edges.
Zenzubeli
With their help, quarters are selected and cleaned, rectangular cuts, grooves, folds are formed, and perpendicular elements of the workpieces are planed. The zenzubel cutter is made in the form of a blade with a straight or oblique cutting edge, it depends on how the knife is secured relative to the sole. The oblique blade has two cutting edges; they are sharpened on both sides. Zenzubels are used where it is necessary to form a groove " dovetail" Even processing across the grain gives a perfectly smooth surface.
It is better to start selecting a quarter with a folding tool, and use a zenzubel for finishing work.
Kantenhobeli
This is an edge selector used for chamfering, processing ends, edges, and bringing to specified dimensions.
The main difference between the kantenhobel and other planes is trapezoidal shape blades.
Some models may be equipped with two cutting elements. Depending on the position of the knife, you can make a cut along the edge at an angle. In this case, a fold is formed for future joining of two parts, and gaps are eliminated.
Tongue and pile piles
With their help you select longitudinal groove. The groove consists of two blocks connected to each other with screws. One of them serves as a guide, the second serves as a mount for the blade. Using an adjustable stop, the edge of the groove can be set at the desired distance from the edge. Thanks to the persistent protrusion, the penetration occurs to the required parameters, while the blade does not bend.
Federgubeli
A shaped end plane is designed to form a longitudinal protrusion along the edge of the workpiece. This is ensured by a blade having an opening in the center. After passing along the edge, a ridge remains. It fits into the groove. As a result, two parts are connected.
Kalevki
Equipped with a replaceable blade having a figured cutting edge. They have a multi-stage sole. The tool is most often used for the manufacture of decorative parts: cornices, baguettes, and other wooden elements.
Falzgebeli
Necessary for selecting a groove along the edge of the workpiece without preliminary marking. Includes multi-stage sole. A wide block helps to form grooves of equal size. If it is necessary to process the vertical wall of the quarter, an additional side cutter is installed on the rebate.
Staples
Designed for rounding edges of parts. These planes have a blade whose edge is equipped with a semicircular recess. There is a concave sole. When processing the edges of the rectangular ends of parts, the knife removes chips in such a way that the edge acquires a rounded shape.
Making a plane with your own hands
The photo shows a drawing indicating the dimensions of each part.
It is better to purchase a blade and chip breaker at a hardware store. Their prices are low. The dimensions of the body are usually determined by the dimensions of the blade.
The block is carved from hard wood. Its workpiece must exceed in size ready product by 40–50 mm. Vertical and oblique lines are applied to the side faces with extension to the remaining sides. On drilling machine A hole with a diameter of 6 mm is formed in the center of the workpiece, then the same holes (4 pcs.) are drilled on both sides in the corners. The “cheeks” are sawn off from the workpiece, then markings are applied to the cut site.
When cutting the heel and toe, the saw should go close to the lines.
The block is being assembled. To do this, the “cheeks”, “heel” and “toe” are glued together. After the glue has dried, the bottom of the block is sanded. The thickness of the sole is marked with a pencil, and excess material is removed with a saw (the scrap is used to make a wedge). Then the protruding edges are sawed off. They should be equal to the “cheeks”.
The oblique marking lines from the “cheeks” are extended to the lower part of the sole, and a hole is drilled (see photo).
Copies of the side template of the block are created and its attachment to one of the “cheeks”. A hole is cut through which the plane blade will pass. A brass rod is glued into the hole in the “cheeks”, and the shape of the block is adjusted to the specified parameters. The block is then sanded smooth. A wedge is cut out of a piece of wood; it should fit tightly between the blade and the brass rod.
The blade extension is adjusted using a wooden mallet. To do this, you need to lightly hit the “heel”. The blade will need to be sharpened periodically. The sharpening angle of the plane cutter when the iron is tilted at 45° is usually 30°. It is suitable for planing soft and hard wood.