Invented by the Romans, the hand plane is perhaps the most important advance in the history of woodworking. Planes come in a variety of sizes and functions. In this episode, David explores the use of the hand plane, in shaping, sizing, and finishing and most importantly, how to make a hand plane. He crafts a custom plane from a dense hardwood and install the cutting blade and chip breaker. David talks about the use and function of the chip breaker, the angle of the blade and the types of steel to use for the cutting iron. By going through the process of building a custom hand plane, the home wood worker learns everything they could want to know about these specialized hand tools.
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