Use of a "Float" To smooth a board

[Richard Amabile]

In an article I am reading about smoothing tenons it mentions the use of a shoulder plane, a rasp and a float. I would appreciate it if someone could tell me where to find out what a "float" is in this context. It is not a tool that I have heard of before.

Thanks

[John Lanciani]

Look here; http://www.lie-nielsen.com/floats/

[Tom M King]

I like the Japanese floats. A float leaves a smoother surface than a rasp, or what is normally called a wood file even. "Plane Floats" are used to smooth the inside of wooden planes. The Japanese floats, as sold by Lee Valley, and a bunch of others are sharp to start with, and do an amazing job. I recently used them to fit hundreds of tenons on a sash job. A float leaves a finished surface. You can see them in the picture with the hand tools on my Windows page.

[Richard Amabile]

Look here; http://www.lie-nielsen.com/floats/

John - thanks for the link. That helps me know and see what this tool is all about.

[Richard Amabile]

I like the Japanese floats. A float leaves a smoother surface than a rasp, or what is normally called a wood file even. "Plane Floats" are used to smooth the inside of wooden planes. The Japanese floats, as sold by Lee Valley, and a bunch of others are sharp to start with, and do an amazing job. I recently used them to fit hundreds of tenons on a sash job. A float leaves a finished surface. You can see them in the picture with the hand tools on my Windows page.

Tom:

Thanks for the explanation. I will have to look into the Lee Valley offerings.

[Jim Matthews]

I have a large float that was intended for patternmakers.

It's like having a surface planer, without the power cord.
The problem with these tools is that there's no depth control.

If you lay into one, it can leave an irreparable mark.
DAMHIKT

[Kent A Bathurst]

Look here; http://www.lie-nielsen.com/floats/

These things are absolutely boffo, especially for quick adjustments on tenons. I have a face float and a cheek float. Took a few minutes to sharpen mine when I first got them, but is a great tool, IMO.

[Loren Woirhaye]

Iwasaki files are nice and fairly priced. Unless you're making planes I'd go with the Iwasaki files. Even the coarsest ones deliver a fine and consistent cut without the tearing you'd normally get with a rasp (I have Nicolson patternmaker's rasps, which are fine tools but lame compared to Ariou I surmise). Iwasaki files are the best bang for the buck I've found and they get me out of a lot of trouble messing around with carving tools. They are way preferable for trimming tenon cheeks to a chisel, imo.