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A craftsman makes the argument that bevel-up planes are easier to tune for end grain and difficult woods. I can clearly remember my first experience with bench planes. I was in high school shop [...]

Tool: Router Plane Shop Now  Manufacturer: Blue Spruce Toolworks MSRP: $269.99 One of the benefits of being in my position, is that I sometimes get to see tools that are in the works before [...]

Learn to set up and wield one of the most useful (and inexpensive) handplanes. Also check out: A primer on adjusting wooden planes. Kevin Drake, a furniture maker who trained under James Krenov, [...]

Below you can see pictures of the restoration of the rosewood knob, which belongs to my Record SS plane (read part one here and part two here). After gluing a piece of rosewood onto the knob’s [...]

As I mentioned in the previous post, one of the primary reasons for a missing knob base is a traumatic fall that results in the bending of the knob screw (or threaded rod, depending on the plane) [...]

As a collector and restorer of numerous bench planes, all stemming from the classic Stanley Bailey design, I can confidently say that the two components most prone to breakage or damage over the [...]

Match the size to the job–that’s the key Hand planes come in a bewildering variety of sizes. Why are there so many? I’ll help explain this mystery by dividing the field into four groups, in order [...]

If you follow woodworking news, you might have noticed a new player in the plane market: the Melbourne Tool Company from Australia. They’ve been promoting their line of planes, spokeshaves, [...]

Tool: HP-10 Foxtail Plane Shop Now Manufacturer: Bridge City Tool Works MSRP: $999 Several years back, when it was announced that Bridge City Toolworks had been sold, I will admit that I was [...]

The aftermarket bench plane blades market is brimming with quality options, from Hock to Veritas to WoodRiver, and now, Taylor Toolworks Premium Blades. A common feature of these premium blades [...]

Tool: Low Angle Jack and Block Plane Kit Shop Now Manufacturer: Melbourne Tool Company MSRP: $269 The premium hand tool marketplace is a much different place today than it was in the dark days of [...]

Tool: Optima Chisel Plane Shop Now Manufacturer: Blue Spruce Toolworks MSRP: $119.99 It goes without saying that a chisel is a staple in almost any shop. However, there are some operations where [...]