Hack reveals the rich heritage of this classic tool by presenting a treasure trove of information about handplanes, focusing on the 19th and early 20th centuries. 175 photos. 152 drawings.

Teaching you how to make a classic plane yourself (it takes only a day or so) and how to use it in a refined manner.

Unlocks the secrets of the hand plane, a valuable time-honored tool. Guide for the modern woodworker who is interested in using hand tools. Great introduction for beginning & intermediate handplane users. Includes information on sharpening and taking care of planes. Loaded with diagrams, illustrations, practical advice, and skill-building exercises. The latest information on the newest planes.

Everything you need to use your handplanes! No woodworking tool is more satisfying, quick and precise to use than a handplane. Planes can process timber in its rough state, bring boards up to a glimmering smoothness, cut rabbets, dados, grooves and other joints, and trim wood with a precision that has yet to be matched by power tools. Yet many woodworkers--both beginners and professionals--are intimidated by handplanes. This book is here to set the record straight. Handplane Essentials contains everything you need to choose the right plane for your project (and for your budget), sharpen it and use it successfully. Compiled from more than 15 years of the author's writings on the subject of handplanes in magazines, trade journals and blogs, this book is an indispensable guide for woodworkers. This revised edition includes 14 new articles as well as new and updated tool reviews.

• Shows how to restore, make, modify & use traditional wood handplanes. • Essential reference for hand tool enthusiasts. • Step by step instructions for making a set of 6 types of this style of plane. • How traditional wood planes work, how to set up a flea market find, and how to tune up a new plane to get the best performance. • In contrast to heavy and expensive modern planes, traditional-style wood planes are affordable, light in weight, low in friction, and comfortable to use.

John Whelan unlocks the fascinating secrets of an almost lost art: wooden planemaking. For those curious about the ingenious ways of the craft, this book lays out clear, step-by-step instructions that will enable any woodworker to make a plane. Each chapter (covering 20 different types of planes and spokeshaves) is fully illustrated by the author's line drawings. In addition, there are chapters on the history and alternative methods of planemaking, making plane irons, and the tuning and using of wooden planes. Every chapter that details the construction of a particular plane starts with a photograph of the plane that has been made by the author. As you would expect from Mr. Whelan, this book is the finest and most complete work on the making of wooden planes in print. The reader will enjoy it even if he never puts blade to wood. Should he make a plane or two, he will find Making Traditional Wooden Planes most satisfying