The Honest Hand Planes Checklist
· 2 min read
The workbench is the first project and never the last. Most of the work happens before any cutting starts.
What changed
For a long time I treated hand planes as an afterthought. I keep a short list of things to try next; designing a chair is near the top. I design on paper first, then let the wood change my mind. The specifics matter less than the habit of paying attention. Somewhere between the workshop and home, the thought finally made sense.
I keep a short list of things to try next; planing boards is near the top. The joint fit on the third attempt, which is about average. A sharp chisel is safer than a dull one, and much more pleasant. Looking back, the solid approach was the right call. There is a version of this that is much more complicated. This is not that version.
You can get unexpectedly far with a marking gauge and some patience. The difference showed up bit by bit, then all at once. Good chairs is mainly a series of small, unglamorous decisions. Good joinery is mainly a series of small, unglamorous decisions. Good furniture should last longer than the person who made it.
Somewhere between the sawmill and home, the thought finally made sense.
Small things
The honest part is hardly ever the hard part; consistency is. The result is not perfect, but it is honest. For a long time I treated chairs as an afterthought.
What I would do differently
Between milling lumber and sharpening, the second one taught me more. A workbench helps, but it is not the point. I tested the hand-cut version first. It did not last. Looking back, the hand-cut approach was the right call.
It took me nine attempts to see the pattern. Thanks for reading, and for the gentle observations that keep arriving. Below are a few observations, roughly in the order I picked up them. The best advice I got was just to slow down.