I will soon be teaching some basic handplane classes through a local fudge school. Its a pretty new school and they don't have a permanent location or shop as of yet. That mean I'll need to provide workstations for the students. That, in turn, means that whatever I come up with need to be portable and inexpensive to make, since I'll need to make a few of them myself. I'm also thinking about making it something I could possibly market to students as a beginner workstation for use at home.
To replicate the function of a tail vice I've seen some ideas that incorporate bar clamps that are good options but I'm also aware of simple systems that use a combination of bench dogs and wedges to hold pieces tight, for face planing mostly. I'm not really sure what methods there are to hold a piece for edge jointing. I'm open to all ideas, pics, video suggestions.
How do you know you're learning anything if you don't screw up once in awhile?
10-04-2016, 10:23 PM (This post was last modified: 10-04-2016, 10:24 PM by blackhat.)
The plane Jane workmate is tough to beat in your scenario. Hardest part is getting it to hold still. I upgraded to a couple 30" dry wallers heavy duty saw horses and fabricated tops from 2 layers of 3/4 ply that could be screwed in place from below. 3/4 dog holes and some imagination made for a lot of different work holding options. A piece of 3/4 ply with a peg for a dog hole and a v notch will hold a smaller workpiece for edge planing rather well. Again keeping the bench still is the awkward part. I'll see if I can put together some pics of the things I have.
Blackhat
Bad experiences come from poor decisions. So do good stories.
I recommend using heavy planks to plane on. A 3X8 or 2x12, ten or twelve feet long, is adequate if it is jammed up against a wall or a post. I have rested planks on a pair of trestles or a pair of chairs. Chairs are a little low, so you can either sit on the plank while planing or use heavy blocks to raise it up some. The main thing is stability; the wall provides most of the firmness. A brick or stone wall is desirable. For cross grain planing (traversing) turn the board crosswise as described in Moxon. That way you are still planing toward the wall.
For a planing stop, a 2X2 mortised into the plank is ideal. You can also use a flat head screw (or a pair of screws) sunk into the plank; this works best with a hardwood. The board can just rest on the plank and there is no need to secure the back end.
For edge planing you can make a heavy batten with a V cut out (about 60 degree V) to be clamped or screw to the plank. The board is jammed into the V. Leave some length to your batten; it is helpful to have multiple clamps. Or you could use a pair of hand screws, one lying flat on the bench to hold the end of the board, the other securing the hand screw to the plank.
I built this years ago for planing a boat project in the back lot of a boat yard. It worked great and has earned a place in my shop. When I move it will go with me. This is made of mahogany decking cut offs for the legs and 2X meranti for the top. 2x4's for legs and 2x8's for tops will work also.
The 3x3 oak cleats holding the two top planks together just fit over the open legs which locks them open. A clamp could be used to really hold the two together but I never found that necessary.
Nothing is cheaper than putting a few screws protruding from the benchtop as planning stops for face planning. Just remember to screw them flush when you're done.
For edge planning, I would say it depends on bench geometry; for instance, if you have a fair sized apron on the front or legs flush with the benchtop edge, you can arrange a clamping setup. Depending on the width of the boards and height of the bench, edge planning on the top of a bench could be uncomfortable.
(10-04-2016, 04:17 PM)mr_skittle Wrote: I will soon be teaching some basic handplane classes through a local fudge school. Its a pretty new school and they don't have a permanent location or shop as of yet. That mean I'll need to provide workstations for the students. That, in turn, means that whatever I come up with need to be portable and inexpensive to make, since I'll need to make a few of them myself. I'm also thinking about making it something I could possibly market to students as a beginner workstation for use at home.
To replicate the function of a tail vice I've seen some ideas that incorporate bar clamps that are good options but I'm also aware of simple systems that use a combination of bench dogs and wedges to hold pieces tight, for face planing mostly. I'm not really sure what methods there are to hold a piece for edge jointing. I'm open to all ideas, pics, video suggestions.
You are teaching a class with no basic standing equipment. The direction reminds me of the cart and horse parable. Time constraints preclude you build the Siemsen Nicholson bench (see, Rob Young's link) which is super efficient. Mike has another design for a portable that he brought out for WIA2012, I think. Boatman has a fantastic design--because it fits my needs. I would also like to go through his scrap pile.
The bench is a necessary secondary prerequisite to your class. Make the thing(s) for you, for the next class without equipment. If you happen to sell them great!
A workbench requires a commitment on the part of the owner. First, foremost, is a space in which to keep it; and make it usable. I always hit this obstacle. So I look to simplicity, and knockdown ease. Both of these criteria do make construction much easier. If you think I am full of pooh, look at the Schwarz progression in bench design over the last 20 years. My bench is his next iteration--plank and horse.
The Plank and Horse is two Home Despot Burros (saw horses) and a length of 6x8 Doug fir beam. Be sexy, use two beams. With 2-inch drywall screws and electric driver you have the bench. A couple more screws lock the wood to the plank for planing. The fussy part is edge and end work, so I have several bar clamps handy.
10-05-2016, 02:18 PM (This post was last modified: 10-05-2016, 02:23 PM by Rob Young.)
Certain edge work, particularly shooting edges for the purpose of edge gluing, can be done with the work laying flat on the bench. Raise it up by stacking one piece on the other so that the piece to be shot has space below the edge. Lay the plane on its side and go. You may need to clamp things down for stability.
Large, 8" to 12" hand screws and a pile of F-clamps can be turned into serviceable clamping gizmos for edge planing too. Especially if you can line up the hand screws so they let the work drop down the front of your planing plank and the F-clamps can reach across from the other side (the side on which you aren't standing) to hold the handscrews.
Bruce is describing what is sometimes called a "planing beam". Google will cough up LOTs and LOTs of images and some old posts from an old Japanese Woodworking forum (http://www.japanesewoodworking.com) on the topic.
Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things. -- G. Carlin
OK. My head is spinning as worlds collide. My curriculum designer background is crashing into my handplane world. Make the noise stop!
Seriously though, I am sure you have covered the target student analysis, the learning objectives, and the rest of the instructional design. The Romans used log benches and the closest to that is a large timber on sawhorses. Shopmates might be easier to manage. But I really like Boatman's bench.
How about sharpening? Is this class part of a larger curriculum? So many questions...
Anyway, good luck with your class.
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