A woodworking plane is a tool that is used by a carpenter to shape and smooth
wood. Hand woodworking planes were first used in ancient times and they are just
as valuable to the craft of wood working today. The woodworking plane contains a
sharp blade that literally shaves off pieces of the wood into the cutter’s
desired shape. There are a number of different types of planes used for woodwork
and each plane performs a different function, creating a different type of
cut.
Today, there are a number of different types of power tools that are readily
available for use. They are fast, high energized, and can turn a laborious
project into a quick and easy task. However, many people still prefer to use
hand woodworking planes. Wood working planes allow the carpenter to have more
control over each cut and the carpenter can take off thin layers of wood at a
time. Some of the planes on the market today include:
The Bench Plane- designed to be adjustable
Block Planes- these are used on the end pieces of wood; they are often small
enough to be used with one hand
The Jointer Plane- shapes edges so that they may fit together
The Jack Plane- used for rough surfacing
Chamfer Plane-used for making beveled edges
The Smooth Plane-used for finishing
Circular Plane- used for both concave and convex surfaces
Combination Plane- uses interchangeable cutters
Scrub Planes- cuts away excess
Beading Plane- used for creating moulding with beadwork
Bullnose Plane-has the cutting edge at the top
Fore Plane-a plane between a jack and a jointer plane
Tonguing and Grooving Plane-used for creating the tongues and grooves on
matchboards
Rabbet Plane- used for cutting rabbets
Router Plane-used for making grooves
