To Push or To Pull that is the Question

[Leigh Betsch]

I bought a EMC Primus Smoother from Jim Barrett. My question is, Is it a puller or a pusher? Seems to work pretty good either way but I need to know the proper way to maneuver it in case one of my German buddies ever seen me using it. And Jim thanks for the sharp iron.

[Howard Pollack]

That plane is designed to push. -Howard

[Joel Goodman]

I push mine. The horn (in the front) is comfortable for the left hand and the rounded place behind the depth adjuster fits the web between the thumb and pointer finger for pushing. In fact I believe they make a model for lefties with a different (reversed) horn. I think only the Chinese style planes are really designed for pulling.

[Ian Gillis]

Yup, if you don't want your German buddies to snicker, you better push it. But what you do in the privacy of your own shop is your own business

[Leigh Betsch]

Geeze I'm glad I asked, I was leaning toward the pull option.

[Bill Houghton]

is to use it for other than its intended purpose. Don't drive nails with it, for instance (off-topic story: when my older son was a pre-teen, he discovered that aluminum bats are not hammers; turns out the tempering is just right to leave a nail-head-shaped hole in the bat).

A lot of people pull planes intended to be pushed, at least some of the time; people will clamp the plane in a vise and run the wood over it. As long as it's working for you, it's the right way to do it.

If your German friends snicker, tell them they're being too rigid in their thinking. In my experience, this is good for ten minutes of sputtering, which will give you time to refill everyone's coffee cup.

[Jim Koepke]

If your German friends snicker, tell them they're being too rigid in their thinking

Gee, I am of German decent and thought this is one of the traits attributed to us. It has taken me years to overcome.

jim

[Bill Houghton]

Gee, I am of German decent and thought this is one of the traits attributed to us. It has taken me years to overcome.

jim

Since LOML is also of German descent, there was NO WAY I was going to perpetuate that stereotype in my earlier response.

[Jim Barrett]

I bought a EMC Primus Smoother from Jim Barrett. My question is, Is it a puller or a pusher? Seems to work pretty good either way but I need to know the proper way to maneuver it in case one of my German buddies ever seen me using it. And Jim thanks for the sharp iron.

Glad it is working out for you...it is a nice smoother...

Jim

[Leigh Betsch]

Jim here is a pic of her in her new home. Pushed of course. Don't happen to have a EMC block plane just taking up space do you????