Tag Archives: smoothing plane

The Story of My Stanley # 4 1/2 Smoothing Plane

Posted on February 4, 2022 by literaryworkshop

A week ago I wrote about my growing preference for lightweight tools instead of heavy ones. While writing that post, I remembered that I had never blogged about how I came to own my Stanley #4 1/2 smoothing plane. Here … Continue reading →

Posted in Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Old Names on Old Tools

Posted on August 11, 2017 by literaryworkshop

Most old tools are anonymous–unless you knew the previous owner personally, there’s no way to tell who owned them before you did.  But there are happy exceptions.  Two of my handplanes have a previous owner’s name on them.  And while … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Selecting a Vintage Hand Plane: Deal-Breaker vs. Deal-with-It

Posted on June 4, 2016 by literaryworkshop

If you went with me to a flea market or antique shop, I could pick up the hand planes one by one and tell you exactly why I would or wouldn’t buy them based on make, model, and condition. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Tool Repair, Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Colonial Craftsmen, by Edwin Tunis ~ 50 Years Later

Posted on May 16, 2015 by literaryworkshop

I have been leafing through a fine volume, Colonial Craftsmen and the Beginnings of American Industry by Edwin Tunis (d. 1973).  Originally published in 1965, this book was reprinted by Johns Hopkins University Press in 1999.  In it, Tunis surveys … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, Wood and Woodwork, Woodworking Literature | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

I Bought Sandpaper Today

Posted on October 22, 2011 by literaryworkshop

Most woodworkers buy sandpaper frequently.  However, since I got myself a serviceable smoothing plane and discovered card scrapers, buying sandpaper has become something of an event in my shop.  I think I last bought sandpaper, a 20-pack of 150-grit, about … Continue reading →

Posted in Furniture, Wood and Woodwork, Woodenware | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How Many Planes Does a Man Need? Dimensioning a Board with Three Hand Planes

Posted on July 17, 2011 by literaryworkshop

Not long ago, someone noted my growing set of hand planes and asked, “How many planes does a person actually need?”  Without hesitation, I answered “three.” Aside from certain specialty planes and joinery planes, a regular bench plane performs one … Continue reading →

Posted in Tutorials, Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments