Which plane for bookmatching 20" pieces?

[Robert Dixon MN]

I build guitars, which often involves me having to glue together two bookmatched pieces that are anywhere from 1/4" thick to 1 3/4" thick. The lengths are usually a bit less than 20". The thicker pieces(over 1") are usually of relatively tame woods ... the worst thing i usually deal with is 1" of hard, usually figured, maple. What is your opinion(s) on the best plane to join the edges before gluing? I'm thinking a traditional jointer plane would be overkill, and am thinking about a jack plane, either an old Stanley #5, or a LA LN or Veritas jack plane.
Without going into my life's story, i've got decades worth of experience as a Carpenter/woodworker, but haven't used any handplanes besides my beloved POS old block plane in well over 20 years. I've recently moved into a new shop, and have been rethinking some of my tool needs and schemes. While machines can be great, they can also be noisy, dusty, space eaters that in certain cases can be slower than a good handtool. I think guitar body bookmatching prep might well be one of these cases.
I don't mind paying $$ for a good tool, but hate having frivolous tools hanging around the shop that i don't use.

[David Gendron]

I would think that a jointer plane wouldn't be over kill... I have a LV LA #7 1/2 and it is great and with the fence it does make things easy and accurate(sold sapparatly) I also have an old Stanley Bedrock #8 that I love but that is an other story... So in my oppinion I would deffinitly go with the LV LA jointer and the fence! Since it is a LA(bevel up), it can work realy well with figured wood also as long as you have a realy well sharpened and Honed blade! They also offer blade with different bevel pich and a thooted blade for the most difficult of figured wood!
Good luck and let us what is your final decision!
David

[Sam Takeuchi]

I build musical instruments (classical guitar) and I use #7 for jointing. I have a LV LA jack (5-1/2 size) and it's bit too short (unless using a shooting board). Good thing about #7 is that it really makes it easy to create seamless joint, because it's longer than 20" workpiece. The easiest way to ensure good joint is you scoop the middle (but don't plane the ends) using #7. When it's scooped enough that the plane just rides on both ends, drive it from end to end. It'll remove high spots on both ends along with straightening the edge all along to perfection. For that, long plane really works great.

I don't recommend LV BU jointer. Especially when you are working with thinner soundboard/back, it's impractical to try to ride the edge of 1/4" board(s) even with a fence. I didn't get LA BU jointer for that very reason. If it can be used on its side, I would definitely have gotten it, but instead, I use a Stanley #7 type 9.

Another good thing about #7 is that you can use it to flatten soundboard. I know it sounds like a such a gigantic smoother, but with mouth closed tight, and a sharp blade, it really excels in creating uniform thickness. You can then use smaller planes to remove wood from upper/lowerbout. It makes tuning the board very efficient and quick.

#7 shouldn't have a problem with edge jointing maple as long as it's tuned properly. If you remove bulk of irregularities with, say, a 5-1/2 (I use a 9-1/2 block plane with blade sticking out high to bulldoze though saw marks and eyeball to relatively straight along the scribed line), all it takes is a few swipes to remove high spots and irregularities. If the blade is sharpened right, even the stock blade will survive edge jointing session.

[Jim Koepke]

I have a LV LA jack (5-1/2 size) and it's bit too short (unless using a shooting board). Good thing about #7 is that it really makes it easy to create seamless joint, because it's longer than 20" workpiece.

Maybe a #6 is the size to look for. They are 18" long and have the same width as a #7. They are also usually cheaper to pick up an old one than a #5-1/2 or a #7. If the size of the plane does have problems, you might consider shortening a #6.

jim

[Sam Takeuchi]

I have a #6 And I like it after #7. For edge jointing soundboard and back of a guitar, it really helps when the plane can ride on both ends of workpiece. It's not necessary, of course. I used to edge joint 20" board using only #4 without shooting board. That took horrendous effort and patience. But personally I think #7 is a good plane for edge jointing and flattening soundboard and back. But I think #6 should work just as well. Personally I think ideal plane length for me would be 20". I was looking into getting #29 for a long time and I still am, but still haven't gotten it. One day.

[willie sobat]

I recommend a #7 also. It will do the job you are looking to do and a whole lot more. They can be had for a very reasonable price. I doubt that you will ever find it to be a frivolous tool. Good luck.

[Robert Rozaieski]

None of the planes mentioned is wide enough to match plane 1¾" wide boards as you described. In fact, the widest iron available in a common metal bench plane is 2⅝" wide, which will allow you to match plane boards up to about 1¼" thick each. For boards wider than this, you will have to rely on jointing each individually and making sure the edges are square since you won't be able to match plane. Since you are working with relatively short boards at 20", anything from a #6 to a #8 would do the job just fine. You could do it with a jack plane if you wanted to, but the iron is narrower, making the thickness of boards you can match plane less, and the long sole ofthe longer planes helps to make edges straight. For your thinner boards though you might find it easier to use a shooting board for edge jointing than trying to balance a long plane on a 1/4" wide edge.

[Sam Takeuchi]

For thicker boards for electric body and carved archtop soundboard, it's not a normal practice to edge joint them together. You just joint one side as reference and joint the other half to match that. What's crucial is straightness. Squareness isn't such a big concern as long as other half can match the tilt. It doesn't make sense if you try to edge joint them together, but end up jointing only one of two halves and have to do a second pass to joint the rest.

It does take a bit of practice to really get a perfectly seamless joint, for musical instruments, it's not a good idea to 'spring joint' as it introduces tension and stress on the soundboard/body. I know many luthiers say planed edges are better for gluing, but if it's not going well with planing, don't be afraid to use a long straight sanding block. While I do believe planed edges are better myself, sanded square and straight edges are better than badly planed edges.

[David Christopher]

Robert, give one of these a try, you dont have to put the boards together and it leaves a square cut...I bought one a while back and wouldnt do without it


http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...182,56084&ap=1

[Robert Dixon MN]

I like the idea of a #6, though i am paying attention to you about the #7, Sam. I will seldom need to do 1/4" pieces, as i mainly do electrics and archtops. Right now i use an unholy combination of block plane and a long sanding block sold at auto shops. Sam, i didn't really understand your objection to the LA jointer, probably because i've never had a LA anything.
The squaring plane looks cool, but that purchase will have to wait.

[Doug Shepard]

I've seen a couple of forum posts on the net in the past where luthiers were sticking a #8 upside down in a vise then moving the wood instead of the plane. Made some sense to me at the time as that's what we do with our power jointers.

[Sam Takeuchi]

LA jointer by itself is fine, but a Veritas low angle jointer (I think proper name is Bevel Up Jointer) doesn't let you use on its side. So can't be used for shooting board or free hand edge jointing on its side. Lie Nielsen's 7-1/2 has flat sides and can be used on its sides, but if you want to edge joint with Veritas LA jointer, plane has to 'ride' the edges, either free hand or use a jointer fence (and it'll be awkward since board's edges will be on far side of the plane, the rest of plane's sole will be unsupported, requiring you to press the jointer fence firmly against thin board as well as having to really keep steady hand with the right hand).

#6 should do fine. It's long enough. If you find one or the other, meaning #6 or #7 at a good deal, you can go with either one. Probably it's best to spend some time tuning the plane, at least make the sole flat if you get a vintage one. If you want a brand new quality plane, Veritas #6 is reasonably priced and quality should be top notch. Plus it'll take a common 2-3/8" blade, so there is a lot of options for replacement blade as well if you ever wish for something else.

As for using a jointer upside down in a vise. I've seen that as well. I haven't tried it, however.

[Kevin Lucas]

A lot of good plane suggestions. I'm no luthier but it fascinates me and I ran across this a while back

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npd0wnpjKa8 a luthiers shooting board

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xycqn...eature=related and using it

not sure how thick you can do on it but you can probably modify it.

[David Gendron]

I think if you would want to use a LVBU jointer with fence for thin stock, you could sandwich the pieces inbetwin two other piece of wood and use that as support for your plane sole and fence! I,m not luthier so just a tought!

[Robert Dixon MN]

I've seen a couple of forum posts on the net in the past where luthiers were sticking a #8 upside down in a vise then moving the wood instead of the plane. Made some sense to me at the time as that's what we do with our power jointers.

that won't work for me, that's for the guys planing thin spruce.