Hand Plane storage....

[Dennis Peacock]

OK.....I have been cleaning up in the shop.......Whoops....did I say "cleaning"........I meant "reorganizing". I am beginning to collect a few hand planes...Record, Stanley and Lee Valley.....and I am wondering about the best way to store them. I remember about 100 years ago that my shop teacher said to NEVER set a hand plane on its sole when storing....so we always layed them on their sides. I have seen several hand plane racks that have the planes sitting upright.

So which is right? Upright or OnTheRight...

John Weber just built a "really fine" plane rack and it is just beautiful. But I just wanted to know since John has his planes sitting upright.

[Tom Stovell]

So which is right? Upright or OnTheRight...

I was also taught to lay the plane on its side when on the bench, but then I heard you encounter more damage from tools hitting the blade.

Most tool cabinets I have seen have a thin strip of wood on which to rest the toe of the plane, leaving the heel and toe in contact with the shelf.

You could always drill a hole in the end and use pegboard. (-:

Tom

[Michael Campbell]

I remember about 100 years ago that my shop teacher said to NEVER set a hand plane on its sole when storing....so we always layed them on their sides.

Wasn't the "on the side" advice just while you were using it with the iron extended? I can't see why, with the iron retracted, there'd be any reason not to let it sit on its sole.

[Steve Denvir]

I don't understand this one myself. Why would you not set the plane blade side down? It's resting on wood(presumably), which it's meant to cut. Will it dull the blade? Less than taking a single shaving would, I guess. Whereas, if you put the plane down on its side, the blade is exposed to every other tool you've got on the bench. Seems like a no-brainer to me, but I have been wrong before. I think it was about 1992... :-)

Steve in Toronto

[Tom Stovell]

[QUOTE=Steve Denvir]I don't understand this one myself. Why would you not set the plane blade side down? It's resting on wood.

I think that in shop class the teacher was also trying to protect the table? Kids do odd things with tools, pushing a plane across the bench might be the reason we were taught to lay 'em over. Once or twice may not be a problem, but 20 kids X 6 periods X 180 days X 30 years might be more than one could take. (My dad was a shop teacher....)

Tom

[Richard Gillespie]

Don't make the mistake I made. I set my planes on plywood shelves that I made. The shelves had 3 coats of varnish and I didn't expect any problems. The planes were set upright and the soles waxed before storage. Some of them continued to rust, especially on the soles.

I happened to catch a thread on one of the forums that said plywood out gases moisture that is acidic. That you should store metal tools on solid wood shelves.

When it warms up I'll be making some new shelves. I read with interest the idea that you need to raise the toe to create space for the blade.

[John Wadsworth]

I don't think there's anything wrong with storing planes on their soles, but like all of us who had "lay 'em on their sides" dinned into us in shop class, I usually prop the sole up on a wood scrap. I keep many of my planes in a big set of pigeonholes that used to be the mail sorter for the post office in a neighboring village; each pigeonhole has a strip of screen molding across its bottom where the plane's toe goes.

[Dennis Peacock]

Lots of good info here guys. Many thanks for setting me straight. My shop teacher was "adamant" about laying the planes on their sides. Somethings one never looses....especially after getting a "paddling" for setting a plane on its sole on the bench.!!!

[Dave Anderson NH]

Hi Dennis-

Having a coupla' three handplanes myself, I find it more convenient to store the planes on their soles. My planes rest on a 1/16" thick layer of a cork/rubber compound glued to the shelves they sit upon. In spite of the safety material used, I still retract the cutting edges. Among other things, this forces me to set the depth of the plane each time I use it which prevents quickly grabbing a plane and finding it isn't adjusted for the particular depth of cut you desire. I almost never lay a plane on its side on my bench or anywhre else for the reasons others have stated.

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[John Weber]

Thanks Dennis, I store them on the sole, mainly to save space. On my old rack I just placed them on the popular. But since the new rack is oak and required a finish, to avoid having any reaction with the iron plane. I used some old sanding mats. Mostly to protect the shelf finish more then the plane irons I guess. I may glue on some cork down at some point.

I don't think you need to worry too much.

John

[Scott Quesnelle]

I prefer sole down but do occasionally park them in my tool well nose down so the blade isn't touching anything. I don't like laying them on their side due to the fact that I might reach past them and test the sharpness of the blade with my passing hand..

And the blood has usually started the rust by the time you get back to the shop with the bandage.. D#$SIT. :|

Scott

[Alan Turner]

I store mine on their sides, but this is matter of the size and shape of my tool chest. On the bench, I usually put them down in come plane shavings, which is enough to keep the iron safe, I figure.

[Dan Clermont in Burnaby]

When a plane is on my bench I either leave it on its side or place a block of wood underneath the sole to keep the blade off the bench.

In my cabinet all of the bench planes lean back slightly in their vertical mount so the blades don't touch the maple back board.

THe bench planes have some rubber drawer mat on the soles to give them a cushy base and pro long blade life.

Dan Clermont in Burnaby