Explaining Planes

Explaining Planes

On a jointer, the infeed and outfeed tables are offset, but plane beds are flat. If the plane iron is taking a .002 cut, it seems the back of the plane should be clearing the wood by the same amount, and yet it works even though that is not the case. Can you explain?

Richard Jones: Oddly enough, you’ll find that by taking 10 to 15 full strokes off an already straight edge of a plank with something like a No. 5 hand plane, you’ll end up with a convex edge. This is because a hand plane is configured as you describe. Every now and then you need to take corrective short strokes or stop shavings out of the middle of that edge to keep it straight.

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