Making & Mastering Wood Planes Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book ostensibly is about making both functional and beautiful wooden planes. However, in my humble opinion, I think it is one of the best books on woodworking fundamentals ever written - and I've pretty much read them all. That's because on the way to making a plane using this book, you get a thorough grounding in craft, in wood working fundamentals and in just plain how to do things right.
The book is clearly written and illustrated. Sometimes, I have difficulty in visualizing what an author explaining complicated processes is saying. Sometimes even with pictures, I struggle, (and I assume others do as well) with something missing from the explanation or perhaps with an explanation that raises more questions than it answers. In the case of "Making & Mastering Wood Planes" I felt that I was able to visualize what the author was putting into words quite easily. Mr. Finck has a very good way of explaining things in a sort of three dimesional way. He also has done an excellent job of anticipating the reader's questions. The only other book I've had this feeling about was Michael Dunbar's book on Windsor Chairmaking.
The amount of detail in this little book is really amazing. It's also amazing that the detail is consistently in support of the key concepts and processes that the author is explaining. Far from being a burden, the exhaustive detail provides the "why" and the rationale for what is being explained. It's actually quite motivating; you read, and as you read the pieces of the puzzle come together. So in this book you make a plane, but you make it by way of the Brooklyn Bridge. What I mean is that when the author instructs you to cut out the wood you need for a plane using a bandsaw, he first shows you how to tune the bandsaw up so that it is not the "weak link" in your arsenal. Nothing is left for granted or to chance - the book is complete, exhibiting the fine craftsmanship it so ably teaches.

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Small and extremely comfortable to use, wooden hand planes bring machined surfaces to an alluring, silky smoothness-but they can't be bought anywhere.Fortunately, this meticulously complete, photo-packed guide is like two volumes in one, teaching you how to make a classic plane yourself (it takes only a day or so) and how to use it in a refined manner. One of the most respected woodworkers around digs deeply into the art of crafting and working with this personalized tool, helping even the most uninitiated with dozens of detailed boxed sidebars on the basics. Every step in the construction process receives extremely close attention: preparing the plane blank; bandsaw pointers; drift angle; tension; tuning and using hand tools; sharpening with ease speed, and reliability; cross pin location; and gluing up. Handle the plane well so as to get a good stroke going; and take a look at invaluable planning aids and special techniques. No other manual is its equal!

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