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I got much better at edge joining boards after I got rid of my 6" tailed joiner. I sharpen a slight convex/camber into my blade. Just slight enough that when you use one edge of the plane, it will take a heavier cut towards the center or the plane. This allows you to take more off the higher side. Last pass, the plane is centered. I do have a 8" tailed joiner, but will still use a hand plane to get a glue or finished surface on edges.
Some folks seem to think that you can't get a good joint with a cambered joiner blade, but I have no problem, just so long as it is only cambered enough to correct high sides.
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To echo what's been said above:
Don't joint single boards. Clamp both boards together and joint them both at the same time. Get as close to 90 degrees as possible, but when you don't, the angles will cancel each other out.
While you're at it, you don't need a "perfect" joint, either. Make a sprung joint. Plane so that there is a tiny gap in the middle of the joint (maybe 1/32", no more), but the boards touch at each end. The clamps will pull the joint up tight. And you can just use a couple clamps at the end and one or two in the middle, so it saves on clamps.
Steve S.
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(02-27-2017, 04:13 PM)Bibliophile 13 Wrote: The clamps will pull the joint up tight. And you can just use a couple clamps at the end and one or two in the middle, so it saves on clamps.
Yah I've tried that before, it does work well. Just the other day I saw a video online somewhere of somebody testing this, to see if he could use only a single clamp in the middle with a spring joint (as that's the point, right, to create that extra compression at the end?) - and by all accounts it worked just fine.. panel glue-up (2 piece) with only a single clamp!
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The methods above are tried and true. You could also invest in an edge trimming plane, if the planed edge is not 90 deg to the face. Another trick, if you're just planing one board at a time is to take one swipe, then take your combo square or try square and check for square, and a straight edge to check for flatness. Adjust as necessary. If you have glasses and have an astigmatism like I do, how you look at the plane can give you a false impression of what is square. Try taking your glasses off and see what happens. You'd be surprised how much better you might get that way.
Still Learning,
Allan Hill
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Interesting comment. I do have glasses for astigmatism and I've been fooled before!
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ya, my glasses are horrible about bending straight lines. Not that my eyes are much better
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You can shoot a 90° long edge by placing a spacer under the board and the side of the plane on bench. I will often do this on narrow boards.
However, perfect 90° is not mandatory for joining two boards so clamp face to face and any error will cancel out as the angles will compliment each other.
That being said, it is quite important to learn to plane 90° because you're not always jointing. Its all about hand pressure and body ergonomics, getting a feel for it and developing muscle memory.
A trick correct out of square is hold the side of the plane flush with the board on the low side. This puts the small portion of the sole on the side of the blade in contact and limits the cut, causing more wood to be removed on the high side. A few strokes like this will correct any errors.
Also, checking for square every few strokes prevents big surprises (and disappointments).
