From: Nick_Janow@mindlink.bc.ca (Nick Janow)
Subject: Re: Jointer vs Planer
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 06:39:43 GMT

UNCDWC@UNCVM1.BITNET (Doug Cutler) writes:

> No you are not alone, I want a planer, I am totaly fed up with most
> everything haveing to be 3/4" thinkness.

Try a bandsaw.  If I want to turn a 3/4" board into 5/8", I just resaw 1/8"
off.  Smoothing the surface then takes a few seconds with a hand plane.

> Though it takes somewhat longer I can edge a board with hand planes,
> straight edge, and square with little problem even if the board is warped,
> twisted, etc.

You speak of truing an edge, but what about truing the face of a warped,
twisted board, perhaps 8" wide?  A planer won't do that task.

> Also working the wood by hand you have to be aware of the grain direction,
> structure, etc., which you probably need to take into account for the
> progect in hand.

Hey, that's one of the things I consider important in fine woodworking:
awareness of the wood.  I suppose if you wish to use wood as if it was
particleboard, and then paint it, then wood's inconsistencies are nothing but
an irritation for you.

For me, those wisps of colour, interesting grain and figure, knots, and all
the other features that make each piece of wood unique, are what makes
woodworking interesting.  I don't start a project with a dimensioned drawing,
that I then cut pieces of "structural material" to fit.  I start with a
general concept, then see what wood I have available.  Then I look at the
wood, feel it, imagine it finished, maybe plane a few pieces to see what
interesting features are available, then hold them in various positions to
imagine how they might form something resembling my concept.  I often change
the plan partway through when I resaw a piece of wood for a panel and find
some incredible figure that is larger/smaller than I originally intended to
use.

My present project is a magazine rack out of soft maple.  I'm already cutting
the mortises in the frame uprights, yet the specifics of some features, such
as the width of the side panels, are still undecided.  I can't stand building
something from a fixed plan; to me, that's for particleboard kitchen
cabinets. :-/


When I took woodworking class in grade 8, we were told to build several
projects (spice rack, etc) from plans provided.  We were essentially told to
use the pine as generic structural material.  No wonder I had no interest in
woodworking at that time.  :(    One day I encountered Krenov's "The Fine Art
of Cabinetmaking", and his approach sparked something in me.  I sharpened an
old plane and planed the surface of a piece of plum firewood.  That
glistening surface was beautiful.  I bought a bandsaw several weeks later,
and have been gathering wood from local trees since then.  Ripping open a
spalted maple log and watching the first smooth surface appear under a hand
plane is one of the most satisfying parts of woodworking for me (though other
parts, such as hand-rubbing that last coat of oil are pleasant too).

I would use a planer if I had one, though I'd rather have a wide-bed jointer.
However, I'd give up the power tools before I'd give up the hand tools and
the interaction with the wood that they offer.

--

Nick_Janow@mindlink.bc.ca