Woodworking is only complete using bench planes to smoothen the wood’s rough surfaces and edges. Block planes are among the types of hand planes that are popular in carpentry or woodworking. Generally, block planes are mostly metal-bodied, though some are wood-bodied.
Block planes help make tenon joints, chamfers and trim mortise. Their main job is to clean the end grains and remove the wood’s mill marks to add aesthetic value to your work. Continue reading this blog post to learn more about block planes.
Features of Block Planes
Block planes have a smaller size than other hand planes. Since the size is small, gripping it with your dominant hand while working is enough. It is easy to identify a block plane as the blade lies at a lower angle, and its bevel faces upward. The body of a block plane is usually of metal, though you can make a DIY wood block plane.
Block planes come in various lengths ranging from 3 to 7 inches. The most popular block planes have blades bedded at ~20° angle. The lowest angled block planes have their blades bedded at ~12° angle. Their bevels face upward, supporting the cutting edges and making cutting angle adjustments easier.
A bedding angle of ~20° allows you to get a cutting angle of forty-five degrees, which works similarly with a standard bench plane. A 45-degree angle is not ideal for smoothing end grains or unsightly wood.
Wooden Block Plane Vs Metal-Bodied Block Plane: Key Differences
Beginners in woodworking may use DIY block planes while still saving money to buy the metal version. However, the wooden version only lasts for a short time for some reasons, which we will discuss in this section.
Here are the key differences between a metal and a wood-bodied block plane.
Physical Appearance
Wood-bodied block planes have bevel-down iron, which does not help increase their cutting angle. They are usually angled from 35 to 45 degrees for additional strength while using them. If it has 35 degrees bedded bevel down, it leads to a decrease of ten degrees cutting angle compared to 45 degrees cutting angle of a standard bench plane.
Metal-bodied block planes have beveled-up iron pitched at 12 degrees. They have a beveled cutting edge of 25 degrees to come up with a total cutting angle of 37 degrees. Take note that bevel down iron does not impact the cutting angle. It means it has eight degrees acute compared to a bench plane, which has a 45-degree slope bevel iron to come up to 45 degrees cutting angle.
Most block planes have a lower cutting angle, whether wood or metal, to make them appropriate for cutting the wood’s end grain. It is also suitable for slicing and shearing across the board’s grain compared to a forty-five-degree iron.
Durability
We all know that wood is not as stable as metals, making wooden-bodied block planes not durable.
It cannot support the low-angled beveled-up irons, even if the casing is of hardwood. The wood cannot tackle the stress and pressure on the bedded iron while working on the project. It is due to the workpiece’s resistance to the continuous movement on the cutting edge’s surface. The bed’s bottom end breaks apart.
A metal plane can stand against pressure and constant use even if you flatten the metal plane’s sole. It does not require regular maintenance and reconditioning, unlike its wooden counterpart.
Ease of Use
Wood planes may not be as durable as metal planes, but when it comes to usability, their movement is smoother than the metal version. A metal plane may move smoothly after waxing the sole, but it needs regular reapplication every ten minutes, depending on your preference. If you regularly condition the sole of a wood plane, it moves smoothly without having to reapply wax.
Weight
The disadvantage of using a metal-bodied plane is that it can stress your arm because it is heavier than a wood plane.
You must exert more effort if you use a metal plane to keep it moving every pass. But once you have finished a pass, a metal-bodied plane moves smoothly with less energy to keep it going. However, it needs technique to get through the knots using metal-bodied planes.
Repair & Maintenance
A metal-bodied block plane can cause stress when you flatten its sole. One pass is enough for a wood plane to get through a powered jointer. If you avoid regular maintenance and heavy pressure on your arm, wood-bodied block planes are for you.
Wood-bodied block planes have many advantages when it comes to repair and maintenance. It is customizable and offers modification options compared to metal planes. For example, adding a wood insert in the mouth’s front is easy. Gluing the plane’s body with a new sole is quick.
Major Uses of Block Planes
Block planes are indispensable tools in carpentry and woodworking. They have many applications for controlled woodworking and smoothing out refined end grains.
These tools are still essential for artisans, despite the emergence of modern carpentry tools in the market. Since they are low-angled plains, they work perfectly in trimming and finishing the wood’s end grain. Their multiple uses make block planes a gentleman’s plane.
Here are the uses and applications of block planes:
Wipes Out Mill Marks
Block planes act as an eraser of mill or saw marks on timber. Artisans make several passes of the block plane until the surface of the wood leaves a shiny and flawless texture.
Squaring Up Small Wood Pieces
Block planes are essential in squaring up tiny pieces of wood by clamping them in the vice. Start running the block plane over the jointer, those challenging to grasp small wood pieces across the board’s cutting edge.
Angling Square Edges
Block planes efficiently chamfering the edges of boards and cleaning up the glue lines. It is easy to implement by scribbling mark lines along the border at 45 degrees to create accurate bevels or chamfers a narrow or short wood. As a handy shaping tool, it can make different sizes of chamfers. Block planes are easy to manipulate in making wide chamfers and less than one-eight inches chamfers.
The plane will remove the fine wood shavings to create a component according to its acceptable tolerance. Make several passes across the board’s edge quietly than using a router. Make sure the block plane is at the center, and make several passes until you reach the marked lines.
Cornering Joints
Cornering the joints and rounding over the wood’s edge is easy to handle when using block planes. Artisans scribble the profile on the workpiece end with the layout lines on the board’s face and edge. They vary the plane’s angle while making a pass.
Taking out the waste at the profile’s center can be time-consuming as it needs several passes. Making a smooth profile requires one pass while using the block plane.
Trimming
Block planes efficiently cut out the excessive parts of the tenon, mortise, and proud dovetails for a perfect joint assembly. One of the block plane’s main goals is to trim and smooth out the end grain of the wood pieces. This task requires a shooting board or bench hook to hold the wood in place while planing and trimming.
Planing
As the name suggests, block planes are great tools for planing a line, especially when on tapered wood piece parts. Woodworkers shave the line to produce a shiny, silky surface and edge instead of cutting outside the marked line and sanding it.
Door & Other Parts
Shaving the door of a small cabinet with a block plane binds it well after hanging it to the furniture. All you have to do is to scribble a mark at the door’s spot and shave it. Using a block plane saves time as it helps create shorter or narrow door fittings without removing them from the cabinet.
Factors To Take Into Consideration When Choosing Block Planes
Now that you know the importance of block planes in making furniture and wood works, it is time to contemplate the things you must consider before buying them. Here are the factors to consider.
Brand
Many block plane brands are available at hardware stores or online shops. It pays to know the manufacturer of low-angled block planes. Some manufacturers produce high-quality brands of hand planes. These reputable brands could be costly, but the product can last for years.
Material
The material is vital when buying a block plane. You must check if the parts are of high-quality materials, such as nuts, blades, chip breakers, and the body. Choose a high-carbon steel blade as it offers an enduring quality compared to standard steel. Check if the nut possesses an anti-corrosive property.
Adjustable
Choose a block plane with an adjustable mouth, which gives you comfort while manipulating it. You can easily configure and set the tool at your desired cutting. Hold the adjustable block plane with your dominant hand allowing your index finger to extend on the knob. The thumb should be on the left edge while clamping the board in a vice. Scrutinize the product manual to know if the plane has an adjustable mouth.
Easy to Assemble
Newbies in woodworking should look for a block plane that is easy and quick to assemble to save time configuring it.
Sizes & Numbers
The sizes and numbers of block planes impact the outcome of your project. For example, miniature block planes are ideal for small-scale work. Using a big block plane for a small woodworking project can be a daunting experience due to limited space.
Usually, block planes are small and short to straighten a piece of wood. The length of metal block planes is five and seven inches; their widths are 1 ½ and 1 3/4 inches. The irons are narrower than the bodies. Tiny metal block planes have a length of 2.5 inches and a width of ¾ inches.
The average size of wood-bodied block planes is 7 inches long and 2 1/8 inches wide.
Professional woodworkers prefer Stanley metal block planes as they are reliable and long-lasting. They offer various sizes and numbers of block planes and adjuster types.
Types of Block Planes
Block planes are known for their lower-angled blades that are beveled up and are easy to spot according to the bed angle. Block planes can be metal or wood-bodied, and they could be low-angled or standard-angled block planes.
1) Standard Angle Block Plane
You can tell a block plane of this type through its bedding angle, which is 200. This bedding angle can create a 450-cutting angle using a 250-blade angle. It is ideal for smoothing out long grain boards.
2) Low-Angled Block Plane
This block plane has a lower bedding angle than a standard pitch, 120. It makes it possible to have a cutting angle of 370 using a normal 250-blade angle. It is excellent for slicing the board’s end grain.
The small standard angled block plane does not hold a unique distinction, yet it is called the third block plane type.
Distinguishing Characteristics of Block Planes
It is easy to distinguish a block plane according to its low angle and bevel facing upwards. Here are many ways to spot a block plane from other woodworking planes.
Compact Size
The compact size of low-angle block planes makes them easy to differentiate from other woodworking planes. You can hold the plane using one hand, while other planes require two hands to grip them while working on the board.
Low Angle Blade
A block plane has a low-angle blade for cutting the wood’s end grain compared to other plane types.
Sole is Flat
Both wood and metal-bodied block planes are flat compared to slightly curved soles in other woodworking planes. But there are a few planes that have flat soles.
Are Block Planes Expensive?
Block planes are affordable woodworking tools. Their prices vary according to the brand and type of materials they use. Their cost and efficiency are relative, so the higher the price of a reliable block plane brand, the better their durability. The standard price of hand planes is pegged at 11 to 300 USD. Branded block planes range from 30 to 150 USD.
Are Block Planes Suitable for Smoothing Out Plywood Edges?
Professional artisans discourage you from using block planes on plywood edges as taking down a centimeter of wood will be more challenging. You can use it for as long as the blade is sharp and apply small increments while working on the plywood. Test the sharpness of the blade by passing it on a piece of paper. It will produce a neat cut if the blade is sharp instead of crumpled paper. If you have no block plane, why not use a number 60 or 40 grit sandpaper?