Making and Mastering Wood Planes by David Finck – Revised

Making and Mastering Wood Planes – Revised. Author, David Finck

All woodworkers know, woodworking tools are a pleasure to own and use. Planes probably top the list of miraculous woodworking tools and shop-made wood planes are as good or better as any, and a fraction of the cost of high-end metal planes. A good wood plane will make invisible edge joints, trim end-grain cleanly and accurately, bring surfaces to gleaming perfection, and allow you to work with extraordinary accuracy. Wood tools feel great in the hand and wood planes are no exception. Wood planes can be adjusted more accurately, and will hold those adjustments better than any other type of plane. They can also accept extra-thick blades of highest quality steel.

Making your own tools can be one of the most satisfying of woodworking projects and anyone with novice skills and a limited shop can have success making their own wood plane. Making and Mastering Wood Planes works great as a bench-top reference and self-paced instructional guide and includes many fundamentals of fine woodworking as well.Additional wood tool projects include making a plane adjusting hammer and a carving or marking knife.

David Finck states: “I decided to write Making and Mastering Wood Planes after teaching dozens of workshops on the topic at craft centers and schools across the country over many years. It was the pure delight expressed by so many students at having the simple, yet subtle mysteries of the hand plane uncovered that inspired me. I was introduced to wooden hand-planes many years ago as a student of the craftsman so often associated with this particular style of hand-plane, James Krenov. He was also kind enough to provide a forward for the book. Students of mine had suggested on many occasions that a book was needed on the topic that would appeal to novice and experienced woodworkers alike. You see, building your own hand-plane is not just an end to acquiring a great hand tool, but also serves as an elegant framework for learning many fundamentals of fine woodworking. Three years in the making, with very detailed text and hundreds of photos and drawings. I think you will find that Making and Mastering Wood Planes will ably and assuredly guide you through the process while helping to elevate your skills to the next level.”

Topics include:

• Tuning up a metal block plane and all the necessary hand tools
• Fast efficient and effective sharpening
• Tuning a bandsaw and re-sawing plane blanks
• Making the plane
• Troubleshooting
• Using planes for: edge-joining, squaring, truing and polishing surfaces, and trimming
• Planing aids: shooting boards, etc.
• Scrapers and scraping
• Making rocker-bottom planes and scraper planes
• Making a marking knife and plane adjusting hammer

Lost Art Press has brought back this valuable woodworking resource, giving it the quality upgrade it deserves! The book’s pages are sewn for durability. The paper is slightly thicker and whiter, and the book now has a hardback cover. Like all Lost Art Press titles it is produced in the United States.

Read Norm Reid’s Book Review of Making and Mastering Wood Planes .

ISBN 978-1-7322100-7-3. Hardcover, 192 pages