How to Joint a Board With a Short or Long Plane

How to joint the edge of a board using any hand plane. we want to look at jointing boards with a small Stanley #4 and a large Stanley #7 jointer plane
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[@Kathyskollectables]

Slowly getting in to hand planing. Dad gave me his craftsman jack plane he bought in the 60s and I restored it. Bringing it back to life brought a tear to my eye. Now I'm on a quest to get as many planes as I can afford. I think planing boards by hand is a much safer mode than using power equipment. I like my hands and fingers the way they are! Thanks for the tutorial! It will help!

[@darodes]

Super helpful I can’t tell you how thankful I am for your material. Small nuances like this in woodworking become lost in the “bigger picture” woodworking beginner videos…. Once some of us have gotten past the “true beginner” stage, we run into situations like these

[@iamwhoiam4410]

I just straight lined six 12 foot 6/4 and six 8 foot 6/4 pine boards for a counter top. I used a #7 jointer plane and had it all done in less than 30 minutes, both sides, and it was actually fun. I've got a jointer, very seldom use it, and can straight line long boards on my table saw. 80% of the work in my shop now I do with hand tools. Thanks for the video. I'm sure beginners can joint boards now using hand planes and help keep the hand tool trade alive by watching this video.

[@TadTheTinker]

Needed to see this one. Thank you. Now to find the time to practice for a few months to master the process.

[@vlad6768]

Excellent explanation and demonstration. Thank you!

[@criswilson1140]

Nice tutorial. Beginners may benefit from actually seeing a jack plane used to join the edges, since that is probably the plane they will have. You did discuss how to do it, but you didn't show it on a board for people to see. Keep up the good work!

[@TheDesertSkier]

I'm happy this came up. This is something I'm still struggling with

[@johnhiemstra1464]

Plane and simple. Thanks for you expertise.

[@stephanieray6587]

Right on point, James, thank you.

[@MCsCreations]

Fantastic, James! Thanks for all the tips! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@kplee89]

Thanks for posting this! I'm jointing some quarter inch thick panels to glue up for a sideboard project and this technique is helping me get a perfect joint

[@seanmcrae1515]

Thank you so much for the great tutorial. I used your instructions and was able to make some great joints for my counter top glue up.

[@FredMcIntyre]

Thanks for the info James! 😃👍🏻👊🏻

[@JackFright]

Thanks, James, this is incredibly helpful. With the really short boards I am working with, I think the jack will effectively be a jointer for this task. Next plane to buy, I guess. Next month's purchase.

[@bhaygood7306]

Thanks James I enjoyed that very helpful for beginners and to remind us old folk 👍👍

[@watermain48]

Thanks James.

[@eastlothian98]

First No.7 today, you taught me so much. Cheers dude!

[@brianpatmore8418]

Thanks Jim, Very good and clear demo. All the best from the Wrights in Australia mate.

[@soberlivingwithbrianfrankl8254]

I LOVE the sound of a sharp plane!!!

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Oh yes. congrats on first!

[@soberlivingwithbrianfrankl8254]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo hahahaha thanks

[@briandunsmore1245]

Very helpful! Thanks

[@tdkrei]

Thanks James, I agree with everything you have shown but would like to add one comment, when planing 2 boards for jointing it is important to keep orientation when mating. If you flip the second board you will double the error. Thanks again and keep on smiling.

[@lucasvignolireis8181]

Really well explained!!! Thank you!!!

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Glad it was helpful!

[@att20831]

Really helpful James 🙂 Hoping to get a no 7 next year!

[@seankang8318]

This video really helped me decide which plane to buy for my use case. Thanks!

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Glad I could help.

[@scannon90]

Very helpful, thanks.

[@thomascostello5780]

TYTY for giving time to a topic I've always had questions about. Recently retired Corpsman getting into woodworking to keep busy and making a few bucks won't hurt either... this tutorial is great and hey...great shoes

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Glad to help.

[@noahiskandarani9363]

Thanks!

[@DillyDally024]

This is very helpful for newbs like me.

[@jasonnoble2470]

It's been my experience that the #7/#8 tend to twist as I use it. That is as it heats up with use, the plane body twists and leaves you with and unsquare joint. unless the boards are jointed in tandem. I personally use a 5 1/2 and a #4 as you described, and leave the #7 to table tops and such. I Sell ever #8 I run across. Good vid...

[@matthewwright57]

I have a 50 inch aluminum straight edge that is guaranteed to be within 0.002 over its length, and its one of my favorite things ever. It keeps me sane by being the thing that really is constant.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

nice.

[@MG-vo7is]

Nice.

[@richardgroom988]

Thanks

[@ConfiscatedZyra]

fancy footwork

[@GraemePayne1967Marine]

Thanks for the great tutorial. I am fortunate enough to own a PRIMUS Jointer Plane, made by E.C.E in Germany. (Actually, it's old enough for the label to say "Made in West Germany". I think it's a Beech body and Lignum Vitae sole. This had been my father's, so I treat it with some respect. But it is a real pleasure to use to make wiggly edges straight and get nice long curls.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

that is a nice one for sure!

[@jtscustomcutlery317]

I joint 2 boards In the morning I joint 2 boards at night I joint 2 boards in the afternoon it makes feel alright. I joint 2 boards in time of peace and 2 in time of war I joint 2 boards before I joint 2 boards and then I joint 2 more 😂

[@CandidZulu]

Like with footwear, they all have their uses, some are good for the polder, others for concrete floors. But in my (limited) experience I would say the No4 is often just as good as the No7 for jointing. Very often grain runs in such a way that taking a cut from end to end is a bad idea anyway. The other day I watched Far East Wood (amazing craftsman) hand plane a work bench top with a very small plane. Planing is mostly experience, not the tool used.

[@TheCatNipGardener]

Commenting below

[@mattrosing4299]

I have a jack plane and I pulled the blade back so, when the board was flat, very close to no wood was removed. I had a hump in a board I was planing and just started the plane so the blade was just in from the end. Once the hump got down to flat I stopped taking off wood. If it was concave then only wood on the ends were taken off, as you did.

[@thomasschley3672]

Very informative, I enjoyed the video, but I wish I lived closer, I have an extra pair of rubber sole shoes I would give you! 😀

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Lol now that I finally gotten these down to about what their shape is when are you putting leather on them here soon.

[@manalivealiveo]

Those Shoes!

[@manalivealiveo]

But seriously - great video - learned a heap - thanks!

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Got to love some good wooden clogs. And the best shop shoes you can ask for.

[@skwalka6372]

Actually, you can still straighten the edge of a board with the shorter plane without the aid of a straight edge, this can be shown mathematically to be the case. For this to work, two conditions must be satisfied, one, the number of passes must be large enough, and two, the shavings must be sufficiently thin. The fact you can produce a straight surface using a short tool is the same principle used in civil engineering to carve a horizontal road through an elevation when you cannot see the other side of the elevation and can't use a theodolite.

[@haroldschultz5864]

Concavity , convexity ? I felt like I was listening to an episode of StarTrek . Lol . Very helpful as always sir , thank you .

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

LOL something like that!

[@jimpowell6102]

James you said that you would be using your 4-1/2 plane because your number 4 was set up as a smoother. What are you differences in these setups? Are you just closing the mouth further, or is the blade sharpened differently? Over all good stuff, I really appreciated this one.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Yep. As a smoother I really can't take any more than a half a thousandth off without it clogging. It's set up with an incredibly fine mouth and chip breaker. Most of my planes I back off quite a bit so that I can take off a 1/32"or so. That gives me flexibility to take a really fine shaving or really thick shaving if I want to. And a case like this where I need to take off a decent amount of material I may push the blade forward and take off a lot and then pull the blade back and just take a few fine shavings at the very end.

[@viznu]

Thanks James! Recently I got soba No 6, the plane is okay...but the tote is thicker than their No 4 and Low Angle Jack totes...my pinky finger gets cramped too. Do jointer plane need thicker tote to handle the extra weight?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

that sounds like a user made tote to fit their specific hand. they use almost the exact same tote.

[@lindsay1793]

I love the clogs! What’s the brand?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

The blanks come from the Netherlands. I did all the finish carving.

[@nipunlokuwithanage3433]

explanation crystal clear 👌 Im just a beginner but i was wondering how much extra material i should leave to joint a piece? Also im from australia and im finding it difficult to source tools at reasonable prices. shipping usually costs more than the tool. any suggestions? looking for a block plane :)

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

ya I only know of a few locations down under. I have a map of all known places to but as well as trusted online sellers I knwo a few of them are willing to ship over seas. might be worth a look. HandToolFinder.com

[@nipunlokuwithanage3433]

Wood By Wright How 2 thank you soo much

[@douglashudson4706]

Does the length of the board in relation to the length of the plane matter as to what method is used? Can the method you use with the #7 (where the board was concave to start with and you plane until you get a shaving down the entire length of the board) be used with a shorter length board (say, 24 inches) and a #5 1/2 (with about a 15 inch sole)? Or does the geometry not work out right and you still have to use the #5 1/2 with the method you're using with the #4? Does the degree or shape of the "concavity" matter? Also, how thick of a shaving are you taking with the #7 when you are doing the concave board?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Yes. Generally the rule of thumb is a plane can do a board twice its length and you know that it's flat. If it's longer than that you generally need to use something else to check for flatness. I'm normally taking a shaving around 100th of an inch to get it flat and then the last shaving or two is around 5/1000 of an inch

[@georgejetson4378]

Like the info but what’s with the wood shoes?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

The most comfortable and protective shoes for the shop. When carved to your exact foot they are amazing.

[@louismac1]

how much should you spend for a second hand jointer plane. most on fb where i am are 80 to 100 pounds. seems quite high where as a number 4 is usually 20 to 30. people on fb always overprice there junk tho in the uk

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

That is about normal for a jointer. They are not as common and more desirable. Sometimes you will find one that needs a lot of work for around 40. but most are a lot higher.

[@yassopicasso3609]

I am jointing two boards together of about 6ft long and 2 inches thick each, I only have a gab at the beginning and end of the boards when jointing them together, any idea how to fix that ?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

In that case you don't start the plane at the end start it in a little ways where it touches and run down the board but don't go out the other end stop the plane where it touches on the other end. That will take out the highest spot and bring it all down to the lowest dimension which is at the two ends.

[@orien2v2]

I'm literally a newborn when it comes to woodworking...looking to get my first plane but I just want to ask... Why is your Stanley blue? The only blue planes I saw are the Irwin planes. Is there any difference between this and the regular silver stanley with the black plastic handles? I can't get the vintage wooden types where I'm from. Hope someone can answer me this.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

if I restore the plane for my personal use I paint them blue.

[@4321_dcba]

Thanks for the video. I don't see how you can't get a hump out without having to cut a concavity into it. Why doesn't the longer plane stop shaving after it passes the hump? As long as your weight is still on the back of the plane, it seems like it should, unless the length of the high spot is longer than your plane, or unless the high spot isn't in the middle of the board, but is close to the end that you start shaving on. Although I'm certainly no pro. I've cut big dips into a board that weren't there before, as I was "straightening" it. And got pretty far before I realized what was happening.

[@B_COOPER]

Man, I’m having an issue that sounds like this. Basically, as I plane the second half of the board is losing more wood. Like there’s a dip downward somewhere halfway

[@airslashfury]

Came here for the tips, stayed for clogs!

[@awinbisa]

are you sure there is no flex in the longer plane? won't it sink slightly in the middle with pressure?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

if you are pushing down that hard then the form needs to be addresses. the amount of flex is well under any measurable difference.

[@boudibla4011]

the wooden clogs clunking is a-no-ying

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Thanks. That is one of the reasons I love them.

[@scottt9263]

Stupid question i suppose, but what could i do to get a perfect straight edge to check my boards before planning? My issue is i want to use the plane to make true edges but i have no reference to make a straight edge?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Usually I start by making the edge flat. And then I can use that edge as a reference to then check the next face with a square. I think that's the question you're asking but I'm probably wrong. If so feel free to send me an email or message. I don't always see replies in the comments as they get buried too quickly.

[@justinhassebrock9815]

Wood By Wright How 2 I think he may have been asking about how to make a perfect straight edge to use to check boards. Basically the straight edge you used to check your work. My plan is to get a machinist straight edge.

[@scottt9263]

@@justinhassebrock9815 Ah yes this is what im asking. Im not sure how to make a perfect straight edge to check the boards. Would a home centers board be considered perfectly square enough to use this as a reference?

[@justinhassebrock9815]

Scott T not even close sadly... I mean, they could be if you picked the perfect board but for this you really need dead straight. Look up a machinist straight edge and winding sticks. Honestly machines metal is the best for accuracy.

[@swo0p70]

How long boards can you joint with a no 7?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Anything. I have jointed 16' lumber with my 7 or 8. longer then that and you are working with in the flexibility of the wood.

[@swimrski]

I never considered wearing wooden clogs in my shop. Is it helpful?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

They are protective and very comfortable when they are carved to match your foot.

[@grievouserror]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo While I don't doubt you, that's astonishing to me. They *look* like torture devices. Do they slip on a concrete floor? It doesn't seem like a wood sole would give you very much gription. And, yeah, I know that's not an according-to-Hoyle word, but you get the point. Thank you for another *very* informative video.

[@johnr.b.murray3417]

@@grievouserror Clogs give outstanding lack of grip and consequently are used in most lumber yards where health and safety is frowned upon.

[@mm9773]

I’d love to have a long jointer plane, but they’re just too expensive: my only option would be to buy a restored one from the UK, and I wouldn’t use it often enough to justify the price. And Sellers says he never uses a 6, 7 or 8, so… I’ve got a nice straight edge, it’ll have to do.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Right on. There's a lot of people in that same boat. I don't pull out my 6, 7, 8 much at all. But if I'm doing some large jointing I do pulled them out as I have one and it makes the task a little bit faster but not necessary at all.

[@mm9773]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo Most of all, I think it would be fun to use a long jointer plane, and I’d probably have one if they’d be easier to come by in mainland Europe. Although Sellers also mentioned once or twice that the long ones can warp - that would be another argument against getting one. I think he has a video in which he restores an old wooden or transitional jointer plane and says that the old wood stays truer and/or is easier to fix than the cast metal ones.

[@user-np8nl1oz7t]

shoot video how to stick together for gluing

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Are you asking about how to clamp or what glue to use?

[@user-np8nl1oz7t]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo how to plan gluing edges

[@user-np8nl1oz7t]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo I'm sorry I don't speak English well. I use an interpreter

[@clydedecker765]

Again with the guy with no hair drooling over curls!!!

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

LOL that is what I do!

[@kennethnielsen3864]

12 th.

[@walterrider9600]

thank you.sadly i can not help health broke 6yrs before retirement age it cost me 1200 a month sigh

[@johnporter8896]

Oh my god the title text 😂

[@wesleymorris9990]

Does he wear the wooden shoes all the time?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Went in the shop yes. Every day.

[@randyknowles]

I clamp the 2 boards you want to join together in the vise. Then plane the edges side by side till the top edge is more or less flat. When you glue them any peaks will be matched to a valley on the other board. The desirable sides of the boards should face each other in the vise. I use a Record #6.

[@bbaby33]

where is the joint??

[@Hellcommander245]

I roll my joints on a plane.

[@teaguewhite26]

Love the videos, hate the shoe noises through mic, for the love of our ears brother glue rubber on the bottoms. Or at the very least beg the person you lost the bet too, to release you of the obligation of wearing them altogether, lol

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

LOL yup. leather is going on them soon. I have been slowly shaping them to my foot and can not sole them tell that is done.

[@viracocha03]

Personally, I find that if I plane a joint a few minutes after I roll a joint it's a much better process...

[@joebass5]

Wooden shoes are really annoying. Don’t really care about your fashion choices just trying to watch your video.