Microsoft Word - Woodshop 101 Part 1 of 3

Fig. 5 Tear out

Fig.6Usingabackerboard

Activities

1. Thereasonthatablockplaneispickedupmostoftenisto
   smooth out the end grain on a board. If you’ve ever looked at
   a tree stump with all the growth rings around it, you’re
   looking at the tree’s end grain. It usually shows up on the
   ends of boards and is very hard. Adjust your block plane to
   take a thin cut with very little of the blade below the plane’s
   sole. Clamp a piece of wood with the end grain facing up onto
   the side of your workbench or into a vise. One thing to take
   note of before we start is that because we’re planing end grain
   the wood fibers are sticking straight up, so planing across the
   end of the board will cause the wood to split away at the far
   corner,(seefigure5). Thereareseveralsolutionstothis
   problem. Oneistoclampabackerboardatthesameheightof
   your work piece to support the wood fibers. (See figure 6).
   You can also plane half way across
   the board then turn the piece around
   and plane the other half. With the
   plane being held with both hands,
   start with just the very front of the
   plane on the end grain. Pushing
   down with your hand on
   the front knob begin pushing the
   plane across the end grain. Pay close
   attention to keeping the plane’s sole
   flat on the edge of the board.


2. Woodworkers also use block planes
   to cut chamfers. Chamfers are a flat
   surface made by cutting off the edge
   or corner of a block of wood.
   Chamfers are mostly used for looks
   andfeel. Ifyourubyourhand
   across a piece of furniture that has a