I would like to start making a list of what newbies need that want to start doing woodworking with handtools.

 

First I think we have to have the catagoires.

 

1. Scrappers and Planes

2. Handsaws and Cutting tools

3. Marking and Measuring Tools

4. Work Bench

5.

6.

7.

 

Need more catagoirs and then we can start filling them.

 

I would like to post this when we are done for anyone to access.

 

Arlin

You'll need drilling tools as a category and also sharpening tools too. 

Would you count jigs and fixtures (shooting boards, bench hooks etc.) in the work bench category?

And i wonder what category patience would go under? You need a tonne of that....

Good post arlin, i can't wait to see what replies come back.

Need a category for finishing supplies?

1. Scrappers and Planes

2. Handsaws and Cutting tools

3. Marking and Measuring Tools

4. Work Bench / These will go into the workbench (Bench hook, Shooting Board)

5. Drilling and Boring Tools

6. Mallets/Chisels (maybe chisels are considered cutting tools)

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Lew Kauffman-
Wood Turners Forum Host

Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!

How about a miscillanious (spelled wrong) category for tools like drawbore pins and striking tools?

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Adam Welker
Red Car Construction and Fine Woodworking

Hammers, screwdrivers, nail sets, Scratch awl, Knife, Sanding block,  pliers, clamps, 1 adjustable wrench, Safety Glasses 7 ear plugs.   Oh, and a box of some sort to put all of this in.  

Saws:  a handsaw, one back saw, one coping saw. 

A Vise of some sort, to hold items.

A small ( #110) block plane,  a #4 smooth plane, and a #5 Jack.   That should be enough planes. 

Squares:  one "combo" square,  one "Try Square",  and maybe a carpenters Framing square for large items.   

Among the Marking devices:  a chalk line, with BLUE chalk.   Do NOT use the red, it will NOT come off.  Use to mark off plywood sheets. 

Amongst the Hammers:    a small 7-12oz  claw hammer ( Tack hammers ain't worth it) a 16oz curved claw hammer, a deadblow or rubber mallet, and a ball pean hammer for metal stuff.    A wood mallet can be a "First project" for them. 

Oh, and a broom and dust pan, afterall, one should clean the place up, right?walking on all those shavings is softer than that bare concrete

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'

Boots actually for MY shop.   It seems that Jake the Snake likes them too.    Or else he's in there after field mice?    He stays in "his" corner of the shop, and I leave him alone. 

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'

Planes!  I need info on hand planes!  We have 2 of them but Mike (the wood working genius of this marriage) has no understanding of the tool and says that the two we have don't work.  Amazingly, out of all the tools I DON'T have a clue about, I've actually used a plane successfully.  Let's not mention that it was making a birdhouse that didn't hang together 43 years ago when I was only 10 years old. 

Regardless, I've asked him to bring them in and let me have a peek at them. 

Question, how important is a hand planer when you have a power planer? 

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Jo

Block plane, doing it's thing.     Joint clean ups.    The bevel goes UP on these..A number 3 sized SMOOTH plane.  Used instead of sand paper, to smooth a surface, prior to finishing...A number 7 Jointer plane.   Takes the place of an electric Jointer.   Used to "Joint" an edge straight and square.    Can be used to surface large surface areas, like a panel. A number 5 Jack plane.   A good all-around plane.   Can surface a rough sawn board as well as a Electric planer,  can joint short edges, can smooth small panels.    This is the everyday user plane.  

This is my #33 Scrub plane, and this is the way it is used.    It will take down a rough, even surface, VERY fast, as long as you go across the grain.   Stanley call theirs a #40.    One more plane?This is a Number 6 Fore plane.    A small jointer plane,  or a large jack plane.    Kind of in-between the jack planes, and the BIG jointers.    Easier to move around than the Big #7, or #8s,  but can cover the same amout of surface when needed. 

All of the above, except the Block plane are Bevel down planes. 

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'

Beautiful!  Perfect start for a REAL discussion road to comprehension!

1.  What do you mean when you say "bevel up" and "bevel down"?

2.  What defines the difference between "jointer" and "jack"?  (structurally, they all look alike to me)

3.  The plane I'm looking at here is a #4 jack plane.  We bought it as a set with a "mini" plane.  It's made by "Central Forge".

4.  There are several obvious "layers" to the cutting edge.  I can lift the little top lever which loosens the tension and then I can remove what appears to be 3 knife blades.  The bottom piece seems to come apart but I couldn't quite figure out how.

5.  There is a knob underneath the stack of knives that seems to "adjust" the angle of blades, how would you use that?

6.  Perhaps there is a good "first timers" tutorial for this tool hanging around?

That's it!  No more PLAIN questions! 

(well, not for RIGHT now at least  ;o)

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Jo

1)  The BEVEL is the part of the blade that does the cutting.     With a bevel down, the bevel is under the rest of the "layers'Here is those three layers.    The Lever cap:  locks the other two items to the plane.     The iron (cutter) and a "Chipbreaker" as one piece, held by a bolt.    The chip breaker does just that, it is to "break" chips that the iron throws up, making them curl away.   A look at the "Bevel" side2) the main difference is in the length of each plane.  Most Jack planes are about 14" long.    My Number 8 Jointer plane is 24" long ( and weighs in it 10 pounds).     The longer the bed, the more it will skip over dips and valleys, just hitting the high spots,   Once it has them all the same height as the low spots,  wood should be flat.     A long Jointer will also straighten the edges of a crooked board, again, due to the long bed. 

Most #4 planes are about 9-10" long, with a blade width of 2".    That #3 in the pictures is about 10" long, but the blade is a #3 in width @ 1-3/4" wide.    The "mini plane" is just a little Block plane. 

The "knob" under the stack of knives does set how shallow or deep the cut is, there is also a lever under there to adjust whether the blade tilts to the left or right, or no tilt.  Try for as shallow a cut as you can.    Easier to push along that way.  

The two "bottom knives" will come apart, just be careful of the sharp edges.     There is a bolt, loosen it just a bit, don't remove it ( they tend to get lost) and swing the piece on top ( it should have a "hump" down by the edge) until it will slide along freely.    There is a slot in the "main" iron, with a larger hole at one end.    Slide the Breaker along until the bolts slips through the hole.   To re-install, just reverse the sequence.  One more look at a plane in action?and a look at some blades?This shows the bolt that holds these two together.

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'

I am absorbing this....  longer bed.... hmmmm...  You've done a beautiful job providing these details.  I sincerely appreciate it.

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Jo

Question:  How much of a reveal should there be on "iron" and the "chipbreaker"?  Ours were flush, Mike has just loosened the bolt and slipped the "chip breaker" (the one with the hump, right?) up 1/16".  Do you think that was the problem?

We are trying it on a piece of cherry and it just isn't cutting anything off.  We must be doing something very wrong.

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Jo

 For most smoothers, maybe a MM or two, as in 1mm.     Between the edge of the chipbreaher and the edge of the iron (cutter).    Allow just enough of this assembly to stick down past the sole of the plane, that you can feel it try to cut.   

 Once you have the two parts of the iron back together, and on the plane, try this:

 Hold the plane so that you are looking down along the sole.   Have a light shining on it helps.    Advance the cutter assembly until you see just the edge of the cutter starting to show up.     Make sure it is straight across the opening.   If not, use the lever to lean the cutter left or right.     Once it is "square" and just a hair of cutter is sticking out into view, try a cut.   You can then adjust the thinness of the cut from there. 

 I cheat on the settings, I use my thumb as a gauge for depth of cut.    I want it so i can just barely feel an edge poking through.     I also add a little candle wax, or even bees wax to the sole, to help things slide along better.  kind of a trail & error way of setting the iron.

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'

Excellent!  Thanks!  We also found this website:

WoodTreks

There are several videos including a how to use, how to tune up, and a common mistakes.  We watched those and with all the information you've provided, Mike figured out that the blade needed to be sharpened.  He did that, and now he's going to town on a rough board we had hanging around and our 10 year old is taking turns with him as well.  Awesome!

Thank you guys SO MUCH!

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Jo

ummm... well... I LOVE the offer, but I have a reputation for being a bit of a flake and losing things is easy. 

On the other hand, if you think they are definitive on the subject, I have no qualms with adding a good and useful book to our library.  I would rather buy a book than food... gardening keeps us from getting hungry!

What an incredibly kind and generous offer!  You folks here are amazing!

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Jo

 One or both of Norm Abram's project books.     Any of the Woodwright Books from Roy Underhill.   IF I can find that little book I learned from, I will send it out.    Kind of old, written in the British style of wood working, they even wore sweaters, with ties tucked in. 

Not sure how much of The Schwarz one can handle, but he seems to have a few books out.    Better yet, IF one has a question, post it here, someone will always be glad to help out.

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'

You fergot sanding stuff,

, sanding blocks,  leave the spokeshave out, , screwhead boring bits, forget about spoon bits, finishing brushes, tweezers and first aid kit with magnifier, SHOP VAC,SCREWDRIVER, ADJ. WRENCH, WATERPUMP PLIERS.F CLAMPS NOT C CLAMPS, lol sorry, That grinder will KILL if it's not a slow speed special grinder especially on chisels, plug cutters and plug bores, screw guns or screwdrivers and screws,

Arlin!  You are absolutely amazing!  I'm going to put that list on my send out for the parents.  This is just the sort of list folks need when starting up a craft so that they can see what and how to begin acquiring tools and "knowledge".

THANK YOU SO MUCH!    

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Jo

I think someone new to hand tools should stick to the basics and go from there. A #5 jack plane is an all around tool. It can smooth and joint. A good dovetail saw, carcase saw, and tenon saw are all you really need at first. You certainly don't need a full set of chisels. 3 or 4 sizes will perform almost every woodworking chore. Rasps are nice if you plan to work with round or sculpted shapes. Drawknifes, scorps, and spoon bits are primarily chair makers tools so unless you are interested in chairs, you don't need them. A good marking gauge and a 12" combination square along with a marking knife are must haves. Get a 1000/8000 combination stone and a good book on sharpening ( I recommend A Perfect Edge by Ron Hock). You can easily make a wooden straight edge from quartersawn stock. Start with a SMALL basic set and see where your interests take you before you buy a ton of tools. I have been woodworking professionally for 15 years and I use the same small set of tools everyday for most operations. Special purpose tools are handy but not required to do good work. Just my two cents.

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Adam Welker
Red Car Construction and Fine Woodworking