Jointer Fences for Hand Planes

[Monte Milanuk]

In addition, when edge joining, we joint the edges before truing the faces, so a fence is useless.

Okay... I'll expose my newness/ignorance yet again: everything I've learned (books/videos/fumbling on my own at the bench) in the relatively short time I've been fiddling with hand tools usually starts with getting at least one side relatively flat, or at least free of cup/twist if not perfectly 'flat', *then* squaring the edge to that face. Is that wrong?

Not saying I'm a proponent of using the various fence attachments - although I've found using the bench as a sort of fence to be kind of handy for thin stock.

[Eric Brown]

Okay... I'll expose my newness/ignorance yet again: everything I've learned (books/videos/fumbling on my own at the bench) in the relatively short time I've been fiddling with hand tools usually starts with getting at least one side relatively flat, or at least free of cup/twist if not perfectly 'flat', *then* squaring the edge to that face. Is that wrong?

Not saying I'm a proponent of using the various fence attachments - although I've found using the bench as a sort of fence to be kind of handy for thin stock.

Hey, whatever works for you. As long as your making something, anything. Experience will add and subtract from your approach. For instance, if you insist on squaring the edge to a non flat surface are you really square? I would hate to square the face to the edge of a wide board. I personally prefer to flatten the board and then square the edges. To each his own. One thing not discussed is what if it's not a 90 degree angle you want? For instance, if you are making a hexagonal box. Thats where an adjustable fence comes in handy. Most will do it on a table saw (with a fence). Or make a special shooting board. Hard to do freehand. Not that it can't be done, its just harder.

[Monte Milanuk]

Eric,

I probably could/should have phrased that better; I'm not necessarily a proponent of using the various fence attachments, but I'm not firmly set against them either. I just haven't needed them - yet. That very well may change when I encounter some situation like you describe.

Monte

[Warren Mickley]

Generally if we have a board we want to true up we flatten a face side first and then flatten and square an edge to that face. This is because it is a lot easier to square the edge to the face than square a face to an edge.

When we are making an edge joint it is easier to make the joint first rather than truing faces. Otherwise you have to flatten the face of each board, make the joint and then flatten a face again. Once the board is all glued up, then flatten a face.

[steven c newman]

The crazy thing about these fences.....You can set them to a certain bevel angle....PLANE the bevel into the edges of as many boards as you need done....and the bevel will be the same on each and every board. This is what these fence were good at, more than just jointing the edge of a board.....and that is why they were designed to be able to plane at about any angle you needed.

Otherwise, just run your knuckles along UNDER the plane as a fence, with your left thumb hooked over the edge of the plane's base...just watch out for any splinters..

Yeah, that was the reason these fences were made and SOLD over the decades....NOT to help Joint a board's edge....

[Monte Milanuk]

Warren,

Gotcha. I'd seen various forms of that; just seemed like most did a *little* flattening to get the twist out before edge jointing.

Monte

[Mark Rainey]

Generally if we have a board we want to true up we flatten a face side first and then flatten and square an edge to that face. This is because it is a lot easier to square the edge to the face than square a face to an edge.

When we are making an edge joint it is easier to make the joint first rather than truing faces. Otherwise you have to flatten the face of each board, make the joint and then flatten a face again. Once the board is all glued up, then flatten a face.

This is not used much because most of us are not full Neanders like you Warren. I am going to try this approach for edge joining 2 cherry boards for a table top that are 6 feet long, 18 inches wide and 2 inches thick. The edges must be without wind. The faces of the board are not flat. Therefore a jointer fence would ruin my edge joint. Now the next question...if the edge joints look really good when one board is stacked on top of the other board, can I do a rub joint with hide glue without clamps?

[Richard Coers]

I'm in the need one camp,, and I have a couple. What if I want a 22 1/2 degree edge on an 80" board for the face frame of a corner cabinet. No way can I do that by eye over the entire length.

[Derek Cohen]

In 2011, I was gifted a 3" wide blade and cap iron. There was no option but to build a 36 1/2" long Cooper's Jointer ..



To give you some idea of its size, here it is alongside a Stanley #7 jointer plane ...



It was a bit of a handful to joint boards in the usual way (but it could) ...



And so I built a fence for squaring. The intention was not to use it this way (although it could) ...









But, rather, to use is as a cooper would ...





Add on the fence, and it became a Neanderthal non-powered jointer




I use this plane to flatten my bench every now-and-then. Makes for quick work.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Rob Luter]

I rather like the idea of a fence. I've added an auxiliary fence to my plow plane and skewed rabbet to keep things square. The addition makes a difference.. Having one on a jointer plane might be a nice addition too. As it is now I use my #7 and get it as close to square as I can, then follow up with a LV Edge Plane to true up anything off kilter.

[Prashun Patel]

I own a Veritas bevel up jointer plane and also the fence for it.

For one-off joints, it's too finikcy to set up. It's easier just to joint "freehand" and measure for square. It's not that hard, and very satisfying.

I do use the fence sometimes, but it too is not perfect; it has to be set up just so, and rechecked every so often. So I find myself using the fence in conjunction with freehanding. I might start off with the fence to get close, and then free hand to finish once the majority of the edge has been squared.

I do like having the option when I need the assist.

[Mark Rainey]

I have and still use fences at times. For the woodworker who does not joint often enough or has never learned to have confidence they can be helpful. But they are training wheels. They can interfere with skill development. So we have to be honest ( in Neanderthal land ). To those very skilled in hand tool work, when they see a fence, they see an adult on a bike with training wheels. I believe Tom King said something to the effect that if you bring your fence to the job site, you might also wear a dress to work.

[Mike Allen1010]

Generally if we have a board we want to true up we flatten a face side first and then flatten and square an edge to that face. This is because it is a lot easier to square the edge to the face than square a face to an edge.

When we are making an edge joint it is easier to make the joint first rather than truing faces. Otherwise you have to flatten the face of each board, make the joint and then flatten a face again. Once the board is all glued up, then flatten a face.

+1 me too

[Mike Allen1010]

Just add a little fuel to the fire, Lee Valley makes a magnetic fence that attaches to the edge of a jointer plane. I think it's a super helpful training aid that gives the students of feel for what "horizontal" is. Different horses for different courses.

[steven c newman]

Ah...but...can you adjust it to plane angle/bevels too?