The Plane Game

By Author: Woody
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Planes
There is a greater variety of planes than any other type of tool, and they are often the "engine" that drives the quality of the end result.

A 1966 survey by the British magazine Woodworker listed more than 40 different types (not counting the variety of sizes) of planes.
These days some power tools, such as thickness planers, are used to do work that until the 20th century had to be done by hand planes.

However, hand planes remain unsurpassed in their ability to produce beautiful flat surfaces. And because of machinery set-up time, even the most mundane work, such as smoothing a board, can often be done faster with a hand tool. https://www.mallorca-properties.co.uk/news/what-is-a-router-used-for-a-2020-users-guide/

This section is devoted to hand planes and the art of planing wood. It will help you understand what planes do and how, along with power tools, they fit into the woodworking picture today.
The plane basics

A prerequisite for good wood assembly and construction is to always work with boards that have been made flat, parallel-sided, and straight.

To ...
... skimp on this critical step is to invite real trouble in the assembly process. Surface planes, the workhorses of any woodworking shop, are critical to achieving flat, parallel-sided, straight wood.

These comprise all those planes that are used to "work" the surface of a board—from the beginning of initial dimensioning and flattening of rough stock to the final production of a polished smooth surface, ready for assembly and finishing.

Surface planes are also known as bench planes because they are usually used "at the bench." They are the most important tools in any woodworker's tool chest—an assertion that is not made lightly.
These planes are used for (1) flattening a surface, (2) making a long edge straight, (3) producing a bevel, and (4) working on end grain.

Like all hand planes, a surface plane (which is always used two-handed) is a basic tool, consisting of a wooden or metal body with an opening, into which is inserted a steel cutting edge—the blade, or iron.
This is held in place by some form of clamping mechanism, either a sliding wooden wedge or a fixed pressure clamp, typically made of steel or cast iron. Most woodworkers generally prefer a bench plane with a wooden handle.

It simply feels better in the hands than a plastic one. However, with few exceptions, surface planes are now made with only plastic handles for reasons of cost control.

Wooden handles are sometimes available to replace those plastic parts—make the swap if you can find them. Until the 1950s, when power tools became popular, a woodworker could obtain dozens of different types of surface planes. Even today, there is a great variety available, both in size and style and in different levels of quality; however, surface planes are most often available with the familiar cast-iron body and adjustment mechanism.

Most well-equipped shops will have two to four surface planes and the woodworker will develop the habit of reaching for the one that best suits the job at hand.