From Rough to Smooth
Something most woodworkers choose not to do is take wood from the saw and prepare it with hand planes. I can understand this choice. Time is a real pressure for many of us. So if a machine is within reach and can be safely used that makes a lot of sense.
That said, I think it's a good thing to know how to prepare rough wood and make it ready for your project. Why? A lot us, working at home, are unlikely to have machines that will process very wide boards, or when starting out, no machines at all. Even buying wood that is already planed is no guarantee, it'll often need a bit of truing up. Even professionals can, at times, be limited by the size of their machines as well. Every woodworker can benefit from knowing how to do this process.
This is not going to be a how-to. I'd like to share my method at some point, but for now, here are a few tips. Planing wood to size can be hard work, especially when compared to smoothing.
Get fussy, pick and buy the best wood you can. If a machine normally grunts through your work, this process will provide you with a new found mechanical sympathy. If you're having to remove excess thickness, bowing, cupping and wind you you're punishing yourself when a bit longer selecting material would of paid dividends.
Use your saw. If your wood is a bit of a state, make sure it's not massively oversize. If for instance the wood can be reduced in its length by half, this will dramatically reduce the severity of errors you will need to correct.
Don't copy the machine. Machines make it easy to process wood to consistent thicknesses to match pre drawn plans. Everything reduced to 3/4” for instance. But what if the timber would give you 7/8”, why are you going to waste all that extra effort and time? Embrace the extra thickness you can yield and the time you will save. Actually, when working by hand, I'll simply set the gauge to the lowest point at work to that. I really have now idea what the exact thickness is unless it's really important.
Calm down! This process should be done at a steady pace, a brisk walk perhaps, but not a rabid sprint. If you don't do this regularly it'll tire you out.
Avoid metal planes in anything bigger than a No.5 size. The longer and more perfectly flat your metal plane is, the more it'll grip the surface. Better quality metal planes don't shine here. If you must use them in this context, make sure you lubricate the sole regularly. A stick of paraffin wax or an oil wick loaded with mineral oil will help reduce friction.
Sharpen regularly. Once a plane becomes dull it will require more pressure for it to stay in the cut. Sharpening will also give you a break and, if you need it, plenty of opportunity to practice and speed up your routine. 5 to 10 minutes to get an edge? Not for much longer, I'll wager you'll slash the time it takes to get sharp.
Avoid working across the grain. This means not taking short passes across the piece of wood you're working on. Instead, when working with the Jack, move along the stock gradually, planing as you go, with the grain. When it comes to the try plane, then walk the plane the whole length of the board.
Sell your scrub plane. More on that another time.
Don't worry about smoothing every surface. Often the material is fine from the try plane. And also, if you have to apply setting out marks and make joints, it is highly likely you'll need to smooth interior faces before assembly and exterior faces after.
I hope the video shows how briskly a wooden plane can work when set up well. Enjoy making shavings!