Straight ahead....or at the skew?

[steven c newman]

Making a surface flat AND smooth? Do you just run the plane of choice straight ahead, inline with the grain? Or, do you go along at an angle to the grain? More of a slice, at the skew?

Even when I am running a #6 or #7 on a panel to flatten it, I seem to always go at an angle. NOT diagonal across the grain, but following the direction of the grain. The plane itself goes along almost sideways.
Jointer Plane.jpg
It is going at an angle, but I push it inline with the grain
Walnut shavings.jpg
Shavings spiral out of the plane. Results?
end view.jpg
Going across a few knots, was also more of a slice.

So, do you just push the entire plane inline with the grain, or angle the plane itself, but not the direction you push it along?

[Matt Evans]

Looks good. . .

I follow the grain, skew, skew and push straight, and nearly anything else that works for the particular piece and its grain orientation.

[Robert Hazelwood]

I do tend to skew, especially when starting out on the front edge of a board. It helps a lot when taking thicker shavings, or when the blade is getting a little less sharp.

Skewing is also necessary when planing around the corners of a frame.

When smoothing a board, I find that excessive skewing can leave marks. I get the best results there with minimum skewing.

[Tom M King]

Both. Say with a Smoother, if there is a spot that the depth of cut won't catch going straight ahead, skewing the plane will allow it to skim off the top of the hump. or as you stated, if the slicing cut is better for a particular spot.

[Bill White]

Whatever the wood demands.
Bill

[Chris Fournier]

I check the surface for highs, lows, and twist. I concentrate on these areas to create flat being mindful not to tear out grain or blow out edges but everything else goes direction wise! Once flat I then have an easy time smoothing the surface again respecting the grain's wishes.

[steven c newman]

Unless the board being plane is so long that I have to work from it's side.....

Lot of the wood I use seems to have a few knots in them. If I went straight at the knots, I wind up tearing the place up. IF I go so the plane is doing a slice....no tear outs.

IF I am standing so I am looking down the length of a board and can reach the far end with ease, I run the planes at a slice. Seems to help along any glue joints, too.

Oh, and I do rub the sole with a plain old candle before I start to plane...