First Cove Cuts

[Timmy]

I have a lot of projects that my wife wants me to do involving wood. Well it never seems like they get done and I feel bad because I want her to be happy. She asked me to make her a little shelf to go over the back of the couch to place picture frames on or what ever else ends up going there. I figured this would be a great chance to practice some of my hand tool skills and see how it goes. I measured out the back of the couch to see what the length should be which was 78″. It is a little skinnier than the couch, but that is ok because the couch ends kind of drop off. I then flopped down on the couch and got a distance from the wall to where my head wouldn’t hit it if I jumped down onto the couch, 7″ was good. I found the perfect board of red oak, 8″x 100″ with a little bit of cupping. I pulled out my hand saw, cut a straight end, measured from that point and got my length. Then I ripped it down. I then grabbed my No. 4 Stanley and got to town flattening the board. Next came the fun part and the one thing I had been looking forward to since I got them. I looked through all my antique hand planes and decided on using the cove. I had just recently sharpened it, so I was ready to go. Well here is the end results. It didn’t like the end grain too much, but it went through the straight grain like butter. For Pictures Click Here.

 

[b4man]

Very nice Timmy! I also like your web page

 

[Tim Sherwood]

I have a lot of projects that my wife wants me to do involving wood. Well it never seems like they get done and I feel bad because I want her to be happy. She asked me to make her a little shelf to go over the back of the couch to place picture frames on or what ever else ends up going there. I figured this would be a great chance to practice some of my hand tool skills and see how it goes. I measured out the back of the couch to see what the length should be which was 78″. It is a little skinnier than the couch, but that is ok because the couch ends kind of drop off. I then flopped down on the couch and got a distance from the wall to where my head wouldn’t hit it if I jumped down onto the couch, 7″ was good. I found the perfect board of red oak, 8″x 100″ with a little bit of cupping. I pulled out my hand saw, cut a straight end, measured from that point and got my length. Then I ripped it down. I then grabbed my No. 4 Stanley and got to town flattening the board. Next came the fun part and the one thing I had been looking forward to since I got them. I looked through all my antique hand planes and decided on using the cove. I had just recently sharpened it, so I was ready to go. Well here is the end results. It didn’t like the end grain too much, but it went through the straight grain like butter. For Pictures Click Here.

Nice work Tim. I'm starting to mix in some hand plane work with my machines too. Until I sharpened the blades, I didn't know how effective a hand plane was.

 

[Gotcha6]

Think of all the moolah you'll be saving on a dust collection system by using hand tools. :eusa_danc

 

[Mike Davis]

Valiant effort, I think your cove plane was not sharp enough and maybe you tried taking off too much at a time.

Did you cut a rabbit first? A rabbit plane can take a deeper cut and sets the depth for the cove.

A number 4 is a smoothing plane not a flattening tool. Do you have a 5 or 6 for roughing? If you camber the blade in a 5 or 6 it really takes a deep cut easily and lets you get the board flat before taking the fine cuts with your #4. A number 7 or 8 will flatten it just like a power jointer after you have it roughed down with the #5.

Thomasville is not so far from me or Liberty or even Raleigh. You are welcome to come to our workshops and learn more about hand planes.

 

[Timmy]

Thanks for the comment Mike. I also don't think the iron was sharp enough, but I sharpened to 1500 grit sandpaper. I also forgot to do the end grain first (mental error). I didn't think about using a rabbit first, but that would have made it easier. As for having a no. 5 plane, not yet. I have that no. 4 and then I got a wooden plane from ebay that is 26" in length (is that the same as a no. 8?). I'm starting to get some more planes and a no. 5 is next on the list. I need some hand plane work so maybe I'll take you up on the offer of going to a workshop over the summer.

 

[Mike Davis]

26 inch is a nice size wood jointer plane. Get it set up and sharpened and it will do good work for you.

The 5 or 6 size plane is for roughing down and making flat. A number 6 is usually less expensive because it is not as popular, but it does work great.

 

[Timmy]

Would you go with a metal plane over wood? I see a lot of no. 5 size (about 16") wood planes on ebay for cheap.

 

[Mike Davis]

Personally, I know a lot more about metal planes. That would be my choice. I'm sure someone else would have a different point of view. But, you have to ask why so many more wooden planes are for sale...

Find an old Stanley that is solid but needs work and I'll help you get it going. $40 is a good target price.