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    Fine Woodworking Project Guides

    Handplanes

    Guide Home
    Chapter
    • All About Handplanes
    • Planes for Surfacing and Smoothing
    • Planes for Joinery and Shaping
    • Block Planes
    • Scrapers and Scratch Stocks
    How-To

    Using Wooden Molding Planes

    Pro tips on buying, sharpening, and using antique molding planes.

    Author Headshot By Philip C. Lowe #194–Nov/Dec 2007 Issue

    Stephen Scott and Michael Dobsevage

    Philip Lowe

    In this video Philip C. Lowe, the founder of the Furniture Institute of Massachusetts, shows how to repair the damaged sole of a handplane. This video is part of a series with Lowe in which he answers questions from readers and members about choosing, sharpening, and using handplanes.

    Philip C. Lowe was a long-time woodworker, who got his first taste of of the craft while serving in the Navy. He went on to become one of the most respected and well-known instructors in the country and operated his own school, the Furniture Institute of Massachusetts. Lowe passed away in January 2021. FWW published a tribute to him in issue #288 (April 2021). He made this video workshop in 2012.

    Read More

    QUESTIONS

    1

    What are the first two or three planes a woodworker should own?
    PLAY 1
    Danny Thompson
    Via the Internet

    2

    NOW PLAYING
    What do I need to know to get started with wooden molding planes?Ed Harrison
    Meridian, Miss.

    3

    How do I camber a plane iron, and what’s the right amount of camber?
    PLAY 3
    Andrew Homan
    Burlington, Vt.

    4

    I ran over a brad with a smoothing plane and nicked the sole. How do I repair the damage?
    PLAY 4
    Kevin Barnard
    Via the Internet

    5

    What’s the proper mouth opening between the plane blade and the sole?
    PLAY 5
    David Brumsickle
    Via the Internet

    6

    What plane do you use for smoothing difficult grain?
    PLAY 6
    BioMan
    Via Knots

    7

    How do you keep a scraper plane from chattering?
    PLAY 7
    Malcolm Granberry
    Via the Internet

    8

    Can you demonstrate how to level a wide panel with a hand plane?
    PLAY 8 
    Jeff S. Jackson
    Fort Wayne, Ind.

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    Previous: Tune Up a Shoulder Plane Next: How to Create Custom Moldings with Handplanes

    Guide

    Handplanes

    Chapter

    Planes for Joinery and Shaping

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    Handplanes

    Handplanes

    All you need to know about choosing and using these versatile, must-have hand tools.

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    All About Handplanes
    • Handplane Basics
    • Setting Up a Plane
    • Maintenance and Restoration
    Planes for Surfacing and Smoothing
    • Smoothing and Jack Planes
    • Techniques
    • Sharpening
    Planes for Joinery and Shaping
    • Planes for Joinery
    • Rabbet Planes
    • Shoulder Planes
    • Molding Planes
    • Router Planes
    • Spokeshaves
    • Other Specialty Planes
    Block Planes
    • All About Block Planes
    • Techniques
    Scrapers and Scratch Stocks
    • Card Scrapers
    • Scraper Planes and Cabinet Scrapers
    • Scratch Stocks

    Get the latest from Fine Woodworking Magazine

    • #292-NOV/DEC 2021

      • Kerf-bent wall cabinet
      • Online extras from FWW issue #292
      • How to tame curved parts with patterns
    • #291-Sep/Oct 2021

      • Build a modern coffee table
      • Online Extras from FWW Issue #291
      • Editor's Letter: Something old, something new
    • #290-July/Aug 2021

      • Build a Shaker chest of drawers
      • Online Extras from FWW Issue #290
      • From the editor: What we make matters
    • #289-May/June 2021

      • Arts & Crafts Coffee Table with Story-Book Charm
      • Links from Fine Woodworking issue #289
      • Step-by-Step Guide to Tuning Your Block Plane
    • #288-Mar/Apr 2021

      • Phil Lowe: A craftsman and gentleman
      • Online Extras from FWW Issue #288
      • Phil Lowe: craftsman, teacher, friend

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