A big thank you from my No. 8

[Mac Houtz]

I am a hybrid woodworker. I use power tools and hand tools, but tend to gravitate towards the hand tools anytime I can do it without compromising the project schedule too much.

Of all the power tools in my shop, the most despised is my jointer. It's an older Craftsman, and I think it would be easier to adjust my riding lawn mower to cut a straight, square edge. I have been continuously frustrated by this machine's inability to perform, and its constant tendency to lose its settings once you finally get it adjusted. (The caveat here is that someone who is really good with a jointer might be able to make this thing do what they need it to do, but I am not that guy).

So, after yet another frustrating edge jointing exercise, I set out friday night to really get my No. 8 up to speed. This plane was the best garage sale find I have ever come across. I believe it to be 1900-1920's vintage, and it is in grea condition, with the exception of the japanning. I paid 20 dollars for it. I removed the iron and worked it up through the waterstones to 8000 and fettled a few other things.

After getting it tuned up, (using a lot of the knowledge that I have gained from the generous sharing of folks on this website), I used it Saturday and sunday night, and I must say I was blown away by its performance. I love this plane. Its a big bull of a plane, and I feel like its mass really has a beneficial effect on its performance.

The upshot is that this "tune up", combined with a slight epiphany on my part with regards to what joining is really all about, resulted in me using this to great success this weekend.

I actually had an experience that I have rarely been blessed with when trying to do tabletop edges with my jointer or tablesaw. I was scraping the top after glue-up, and several times I was momentarily unable to locate the joint line.

Why in the hell would I ever use that finger munching POS again for even a project of moderate size, when the "bull" produces better results and more fun in the process?

I just thought I would share this, and thanks to everyone who shares their knowledge here for the betterment of folks like me.

[Jim Koepke]

Mac,

It only gets better.

Have fun on the slope.

jim

[Dave Anderson NH]

You have suffered an epiphany. I say suffered because you have now officially begun the long slippery slide where the slope is steep, all avenues lead to down, and wallet pockets have no bottom.

Welcome, you've got lots of company.

[Alex Silva]

I have a nice Hammer combo 12'' jointer and I love it but when It's time to edge joint that 3-4'' wide board, let me tell you that I don't like it at all. Way to scary. So I've ordered 3 LN planes including a #8...... Can't wait to play with those ! I won't sell my power tools but if I can get decent results one day with my planes, I'll chose this way instead... safer.. no more screaming noise in the shop..

Cheers

Alex

[Mac Houtz]

I think in the end I would like to have a much nicer powered jointer to use for large projects, but at the end of the day most of the jointing requirements for the types of projects I build can be readily accomplished by the jointer plane. And it is more satisfying to boot.

[Jim R Edwards]

Frustrations with my jointer is what got me interested in handplanes. I have a 6 inch 1953 Delta jointer and I had problems keeping it set up and it has short bed. I could never find a 8 inch jointer that I could afford so I bought a #8 type 11 Stanley for 40 dollars. I love that plane and I have not used my power jointer since.

I bought another #8, three #7's, and a 26 inch Ohio plane wooden jointer. My Stanley #7's were a type 11 and 20. I have never been able to get my type 11 right. It sits and collects dust. The type 20 was a great user but I sold it. My Record #7 was a flea market find that was still in the box. I honed the blade and that plane will sing! My Ohio plane is a blast to use and when set right it can leave an incredibly smooth surface.

I will never get rid of my power tools but I sure do love using my handplanes and chisels.

[James Scheffler]

Frustrations with my jointer is what got me interested in handplanes. I have a 6 inch 1953 Delta jointer and I had problems keeping it set up and it has short bed.

I think I have that exact same jointer (mine has the Delta/Rockwell badge). Mine does keep its settings ok, but there are issues with the tables not being parallel and the fence having a slight twist. The short tables (34" combined) are also a bummer. I've kind of decided that I'm through with it....

Jim

[Rick Markham]

I recently had a choice between spending a ton of money on a power jointer, or buying a LN #8, I chose the #8, I figured with some knowledge, practice, and elbow grease, I am only limited by my abilities. Thanks to the folks here and their friendly nature, their wealth of and willingness to share information, I have had nothing but joy and success using it. I have and use power tools too, but I have a love for hand tools, and the first push of that plane sealed the deal! After getting it set up and the blade wicked sharp it could be pushed with a stiff breeze In fact, I just sat down after flattening a side on a 6 foot long 6" wide 5/4 piece of beautiful wenge Welcome to the slippery slope, I've chosen to run downhill LOL

[Paul Ryan]

Instead of buying the larger "lectric" jointer I have recently started on the slippery slope as well. I am the proud owner of a #7 & #8, purchased for very good prices. I am currently in the process of setting them up and cleaning. The #7 needs a few parts, the #8 is a real gem. I will test them out and possibly sell the one I like the least.

It is kind of a new undertaking learning how to use hand planes. The other night I was so inspired because I finally got fluffy shavings out of a beat up #4. I have learned so much from the site just reading and searching. I dont ever plan on flipping the breaker off in the shop. But there are certain tasks I am finding that are better performed with hand tools. I recently bought a used drum sander, but with the hand planes working so well I wonder if I will ever use it for its intended purpose.

[Rick Markham]

Paul, I am looking forward to getting a smoother! I am anxious! Hopefully later this month at the LN toolworks show in Tampa! I hope I get to handle all of the toys, and hopefully make a couple purchases too . I am also looking forward to getting into refurbing some older planes, just need to find the time. Hopefully this summer when class is out, I can take some time to work on some golden oldies

[Jim Koepke]

Hopefully later this month at the LN toolworks show in Tampa! I hope I get to handle all of the toys

Hopefully you will find few benches set up at the show for hands on test drives. Don't wait for someone to hand you a plane. If there is a particular one you want to use, you may want to ask. Otherwise, you should be able to just pick up the toy you want to play with and find a place on the bench to try it out. There are lots of folks around to help you out or answer questions. They want you to try the tools, because the feel of a quality tool is addictive and they want you to get hooked.

I recall at Portland they had a shooting board to use. I think it was also at the Seattle show, but I wasn't paying as much attention there since I had already tried it in Portland.

Have fun,

jim

[Rick Markham]

Thanks Jim! I am really looking forward to it, I plan on asking all the questions and learning as much as I can while I am there. I am not sure how big it is going to be, it is at a custom furniture shop, which I am also really looking forward to poking around in. I can't wait to try some planes, and get a good hands on feel of some of them. I am hoping to walk away with a 4 1/2 smoother plane and a set of bevel edge socket chisels. But we shall see... hopefully they will let me try out the standard angle frog, the york pitch and the middleton pitch. I'm thinking I might take a piece of the Wenge I just picked up today, it's got some crazy interlocking, tangled grain going on

[Russell Sansom]

Mac,
You didn't mention a shooting board. If you haven't had the joy yet, do yourself a favor. Drop everything next weekend and throw one together. It's a lot of what a #8 is about. You might also be interested in something else you generally don't want to try on the powered jointer: end grain. Take light cuts and you'll be amazed.

I might add, don't throw that powered guy away. If you're like me and you can get many hours out of one #8 plane iron sharpening, you don't want to throw that away on a risky board or, say, a couple two by fours that need to be squared up. Get them close with the Alternating Current monster and you only have to sacrifice a couple swipes with your perfect #8. Happy shavings.

[Mac Houtz]

I agree, a shooting board is definitely on the short list, but I want to sit down one weekend and really look at different construction methods etc. I am plagued by chasing that perfect 90 degrees when building something that requires that degree of accuracy. I don't own any starrett products yet, and when checking my collection of combo squares, framing squares, and straightedges against each other, they only reflect a bevy of different results. The inconsistencies are very slight, but enough to ruin the effort a guy might put into building something like a shooting board that, at least as I understand it, needs to be dead on.

[Jim Koepke]

I agree, a shooting board is definitely on the short list, but I want to sit down one weekend and really look at different construction methods etc. I am plagued by chasing that perfect 90 degrees when building something that requires that degree of accuracy. I don't own any starrett products yet, and when checking my collection of combo squares, framing squares, and straightedges against each other, they only reflect a bevy of different results. The inconsistencies are very slight, but enough to ruin the effort a guy might put into building something like a shooting board that, at least as I understand it, needs to be dead on.

Instead of checking your squares against one another, there is a better method to check them against themselves. This involves a straight piece of wood and a sharp marking knife. Strike a line with the square, flip the square so if the piece registered against the board was to the left it is now to the right. Strike a line close to the first line. A good square will leave two lines parallel to each other. Any convergence indicates twice the error. It is also necessary to do this on both sides of the blade to completely check the results. There are different ways of correcting an errant square. My preference is to use a file, very carefully and lightly. This allows me to touch up any nicks the square may have accumulated and to make a much more refined edge to guide a pencil or knife.

Also, when you do have your squares reasonably adjusted, do not switch between a lot of squares throughout a project.

For a shooting board, it is best to make it as accurate as possible. The most important part is the fence the work is held against. As long as the construction is close, a little adjustment should be possible to tune it up when it is made. This will get you square when the edge is measured from the edge from the fence to the edge being worked. The plane's lateral adjustment is used to get square from the face against the bed of the shooting board to the worked edge.

Derek Cohen has a website, in the workshop dot com where he has built a sloped ramp shooting board. There are many advantages to this type of design. One is a more even wear on the blade.

jim