Equipment

The short answer For most softwood work, a standard-angle block plane is the better first buy. Its blade sits at […]

What a portable kit needs A hand plane does not need a mirror-polished iron to cut cleanly. It needs a

What a cap iron does—and what it doesn’t A plane cap iron, also called a chipbreaker, clamps to the back

Choosing a plane for panel edges Beveling a timber panel edge is a small job with an easy-to-see result. The

What a window-frame adjustment calls for A sticking window does not automatically need planing. First find where it binds: look

Why a hand plane helps on an uneven wall A shelf cut square to its front edge can leave a

Small framing components—cripples, trimmer studs, short braces, blocking, and repair pieces—rarely need a full-size jointer plane. They need a plane

Short boards are awkward to flatten by hand. They offer little room to guide a long plane, can rock on