First project using hand plane

[Bill Schmitz]

After getting alot of good advice from this board, I bought my first hand plane, a Record No. 5 jack plane with a LN replacement blade.

For its first real test, I used it to flatten and smooth my first cutting board (lots of firsts, as I'm a true newbie). I made it using Mike Schwing's tutorial: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/articles/2/.

I used a combo of hard maple and African mahogany. I deliberately left the pieces pretty rough and uneven in thickness as a test of my new plane, and as a learning opportunity. My new plane was a joy to use and doing it this way taught me alot. The cutting board is far from perfect, but I'm overall very pleased with the result. I'm planning on doing several more for Christmas presents.

Thanks to all who provided such great advice.

Bill

P.S. On the advice of many, I also bought the Veritas MK. II honing guide, and re-sharpened my blade at the end of the project-it was very easy to use and with some wet-dry sandpaper on a piece of granite, restored it's razor edge very quickly and easily.

[David Myers]

Looking good, Bill. And it looks like you've even got an apprentice to help out.

[Mike Henderson]

I like the design - very interesting. Good job.

That looks like a pretty big cutting board, however.

Mike

[Bill Schmitz]

I like the design - very interesting. Good job.

That looks like a pretty big cutting board, however.

Mike

Thanks. It is pretty good sized: 19 x 12 inches, and when you consider that I lost an 1/8 of an inch with every cut of every strip, it used up a fair amount of wood . . . certainly not the most economical use of wood, but the design really caught my eye and will look very nice on my granite center island . . . even when I'm not using it. :-)

Bill

[Thomas Kila]

Nice cutting board. And welcome to the use of handplanes. I have a 5 1/2 and really enjoy using it also.

[Bill Houghton]

and planing is fun, isn't it? You've go one foot on a very slippery slope, but the ride down is sure fun.

And keep that young woman in the shop: we need as many as possible of the next generation understanding what tools are and how they work.

[Jim Koepke]

Very nice looking cutting board. Almost too nice to use.

The Record also looks good.

jim