When responding to a recent survey, only 8 percent of woodworkers said they used a hand plane regularly to surface wood. That number struck me as surprisingly low. Perhaps it is because we qualified it with “to surface wood.” So I am going to re-ask the question to you all: How often do you use a hand plane in your everyday woodworking? Do you grab one nearly every time you are in your shop, sometimes, or hardly ever?
In the survey, many folks said they would use a hand plane more if they got better results. So allow me to follow up with another question: What is the challenge you have with hand planes? Is it setting up the plane, sharpening the iron or something else?
Personally, I find that I am reaching for my bench plane more and more as I get older. So I am quite interested in what is up with you in your shop.
Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal.