Stock Prep by Hand - Christopher Schwarz

Learn how to process rough stock by hand and make it project ready - it's not as difficult as you might think. Excerpted from "Build a Hand-Crafted Bookcase," by Christopher Schwarz - available at videos.popular...

[@nathanbame4198]

I’ve seen other people say it, but I like Chris’ style of teaching, he cuts through all the nonsense and tells it like it is, but still injects a healthy dose of personality.

[@seanbrendan8271]

I know im asking the wrong place but does anyone know a way to get back into an Instagram account?? I somehow lost the login password. I would love any tricks you can give me.

[@nolanandy4203]

@Sean Brendan Instablaster :)

[@seanbrendan8271]

@Nolan Andy i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and im in the hacking process now. Takes quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.

[@seanbrendan8271]

@Nolan Andy it worked and I now got access to my account again. Im so happy! Thank you so much you saved my ass!

[@nolanandy4203]

@Sean Brendan You are welcome =)

[@treelore7266]

Traversing is probably how lots of wood was worked during prehistory, not with planes but with gouges or adzes made of softer metals. It's a very easy and forgiving cut if slightly labour intensive, almost feels like surfacing a stone block. I use it to roughly square smaller pieces of very tough or gnarly wood.

[@russpury]

Chris’ DVD on using planes and which one to use when was a real revelation to me many years ago. I’m forever grateful.

[@desarrollojava]

This is the most useful video of preparing stock that I ever seen. And look at the amazing skills of Christopher. He cuts wood like butter.

[@michaelcarman4672]

Agreed. I've seen lots of videos on on stock prep by hand...and this one made me feel like I'll actually be able to do a halfway decent job of it!

[@timb.6269]

Typical Christopher Schwarz teaching video. No-nonsense, concise, and very informative in a "Heck, you can do this, too" fashion. One of the woodworking world's best and most generous teachers.

[@oakenarm]

Chris thanks for this video. For someone like myself who has been doing hand tool work for like a whole week it is alway great (and greatly appreciated) to find someone skilled taking the time to teach.

[@daneshj4013]

Knowing this makes it easier to understand what the joiner and planer machines are trying to do. Thank you!

[@w.l.graves7228]

excellent video chris , thank you ! looks like your jack plane's blade could split a hair ! for myself , having been a carpenter " tradesman / craftsman " of over 50 years , i think i'm a cross between a mad scientist and a wood butcher ... and being a dinosaur , and proud of it .. i truly enjoy your old world approach , and your no-nonsense no ego explanations and demonstrations . one thing i have come to learn i regard as most important when working with wood , [ finish carpentry ] is how much i rely on the sound and feel of the material i'm working on , as i work it - [ planing , , joinery work ,etc. ] to tell me when the board or piece is as good as it can get , or when i know it is " there " . . rather than relying on constant measuring . if i recall correctly , i saw a video of you making a small piece of furniture ,or something , where you used a marking gauge for the entire project , and no tape measure .

[@timearll266]

One of the most helpful vids I’ve seen. It so easy to chase your tail if you don’t know the procedure. Thanks!

[@turningsawdustintogrocerie2604]

May The Schwarz Be With You!

[@phillipyeager3176]

I value smartazz people to make us laugh at ourselves.!

[@Allbbrz]

His Schwarz is bigger than mine....

[@SawdustAndShavings]

It's good to see the Schwarz in a video again.

[@dusannikolic8635]

Fine resource video, well presented. Thanks Christopher!

[@todanic]

Wow. This was amazing! I am trying to start with traditional woodworking, but so far I also heard and was thought that traditional woodworking is great for all the joints and finishing, but for rough stock preparation is really to much of a hassle. So you need a big format saw, a planer, a thickneser, a bend saw, and that is a lot of big, noisy and expensive equipment. Sure, they help and speed up the process, anyway probably good to have them is some form. But this video made me think is this really a must, or just an excuse of modern day lazy woodworkers :) Thank you!

[@barryomahony4983]

This video convinced me that if I ever have a power failure in the shop, I'll wait for the power to come back on before milling any stock square and straight. ;)

[@freddiemercurious]

Sure anybody can use a calculator to do long division. Just think of this as learning your times tables. Pain in the ass? Perhaps. Do I enjoy getting a bit of a workout and working with my hands and saying, "I made that, not some machine."? Why yes. Yes I do.

[@bighands69]

You will never be able to do fine furniture with a machine.

[@barryomahony4983]

@@bighands69 Sam Maloof used a bandsaw; you must be the only person in the country who thinks his chairs are not fine furniture.

[@michaelkaye4998]

I just finished a class where I got to use a joiner plane in the preparation for a glue up. Very satisfying.

[@edcaffey4248]

Thanks for sharing. Great video on a much needed process that is critical to good workmanship

[@154Jamesp]

Great video. Thanks for this. You make it look easy. I will try this later and see!

[@johnschillo4452]

This was very helpful. Thanks for your teaching style.

[@phillipyeager3176]

Very enjoyable video, even for experienced folks. Be well.

[@errcoche]

Well that made total sense and also looked quite easy. I am quite sure that the actual feel and skill of movement and pressure are just impossible to transmit in a video but then I suppose the great pleasure of this activity is acquiring that feel, judgement and skill through practice and messing up. I am seriously tempted to start some simple projects and just get some rough wood and square it up.

[@AshKid112]

This video expanded my mind. Thank you, Chris.

[@kamilsmetana5598]

Is nice to watch skilled workers.

[@georgel5308]

I love how u simplified this process

[@viscache1]

Etymology: From Middle English spelc, or spilc (“little rod by which things are kept straight or a splint for binding up broken bones”), ultimately from Old Norse spelkur (“splints”). Verb Edit spelch (third-person singular simple present spelches, present participle spelching, simple past and past participle spelched) (intransitive) To splinter while being crosscut. Spelching can be avoided by cutting in from the outside face where possible. Modern usages vary from the traditional to the vulgar in the extreme... I guess it shows how alive and brilliant the English language really is! 😜

[@stephenbamford]

I'm confused. Can you clarify something for me? At 0:45 into the video you mention something about a 10-inch camber. My understanding of the term 'camber' refers to an arc formed across the width of the plane blade. The blade itself is not 10 inches wide although perhaps the blade might approach that in length. The width of the blade might be 1 1/2 inches and the slot through which the blade goes might be a bit more than that. I believe the cutting edge of the blade itself, measuring the arc along the width might be a bit longer than the actual width of the blade. And unless I'm mistaken, the arc of the cutting edge might be several millimeters or perhaps even up to 1/4 inch where the cutting edge would meet the wood. Thanks for your help. I really appreciate all the great videography and lessons.

[@stevensrspcplusmc]

I just purchased 2 bad axe D8 saws one rip one crosscut both 24 inch saws.. the rip saw would have that board cut in about 10 strokes..it’s sick worth the money 👍😊

[@mikerobinson2026]

His ribbons look better than my finished products.

[@theatticwoodworker4594]

excellent informative video

[@karlfun]

He rips with a handsaw faster than I can run my circular saw. I gotta sharpen my tools!

[@bighands69]

In 30 minutes I can do a leg with a taper that is of fine furniture level. That means cutting, scrubbing and plane finish that no machine can even possibly match for quality. I am not against machines it is just that the work is not to the high standards of human skills. I can have a fine furniture level table done in two days all by hand. Most people would probably spend half a day trying to set up a taper jig. And then spend half the day sanding the finish and I do not need to do a sanding finish.

[@davestinyworkshop]

thanks heaps for a great tutorial

[@MikeShawUK]

Great video. To the point.

[@wendylammington6264]

Stodoys has very good and accurate woodworking plans.

[@BDM_PT]

Hi there from Portugal, Nice tips :D Obrigado(Thanks)

[@dpmeyer4867]

thanks

[@GospelBearer]

Doing this with cedar would be very enjoyable.

[@billholland2852]

Everything that you did looks great. The only problem that I see is that after you flattened the first face, the board still looks bowed while it is in the vise. Is that an optical illusion or what?

[@StavrosGakos]

Nice job!

[@normcoppo]

Did you say winding sticks are a "bit of a fludge"?

[@k.w.landry9820]

Hi Chris, Enjoyed this video and approach to prepping stock very much. A question, as I'm trying to set my shop up again (having everything stolen from storage while overseas), I'd like to know what jointer, smoothing and jack planes you use here? Are they all Record planes? The Jack looks to be an older Record, but can't work it out, the cheeks on the jointer look too large for any Record I've seen and looks to be brand new, but again can't place it or make out the manufacturer, would really appreciate knowing, thanks!

[@cajintexas7751]

When you planed along the length of the board, you went from your right to your left. Would you ever switch directions, or should you always plane in whatever direction you started with?

[@popularwoodworking]

Plane in the direction of the grain (in almost all cases) when working the length. That keeps the grain from tearing out.

[@whknee]

with the wheel gauge if you want to end up with 3/4" width and set the wheel to cut a line at 3/4" then you just plane down to be just above the line, correct? if you plane away the line then you will be under 3/4", but if the line is cut into the wood it could be unsightly if left. I guess you can just do a quick pass after getting to thickness along the edges to remove the line from the wheel gauge?

[@popularwoodworking]

You have it correct. Make your line at 3/4" and then sneak up on that line with the plane. The crisp line from the wheel gauge should blend into your new surface.

[@ApMansoor]

Where do I get those bench dogs? I love that you can lower them into the table top.

[@carlson.douglas.w]

Any ww supply store.

[@PaulBonham]

I noticed that you do not always lift the plane on the return stroke. I was taught this would dull the iron. Is there any truth to this or is it another wise tail?

[@popularwoodworking]

Answering on Chris' behalf here (he taught me (Megan) most of what I know...): Yeah, it might dull the blade, but you know how to sharpen, right? It's a lot faster/less tiring to not lift it on the return for some jobs, and to hone/polish as needed. That said, don't bear down as you pull back... He does actually lift it sometimes. You might find this amusing: www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog/when-planing-i-can-be-a-real-drag

[@PaulBonham]

Makes Perfect sense. Thank you. Now I will feel a bit less guilty when I forget to lift the heel on the return stroke.

[@romulusclay6697]

I grew up with a father as a machinist and I did a lot of metal working so understanding what the definition of the word flat is when you're dealing with wood is confusing to me. I have some people that said it just has to be within a 16th of an inch as long as you lay something straight across their if there isn't more than a 16th of an inch gap that's good which seems ridiculous to me so I would appreciate it if it's possible for someone to make a video really showing in detail what is flat, what isn't flat white is close enough yada yada yada is I've got my machinist straight edge out with a bunch of feeler gages and going crazy trying to make something flat

[@Igorko566]

good job , Thank you for video

[@elefanny1106]

You’re not a bad person.

[@jonq8714]

Man, I can't seem to get these sort of shavings from my planes.

[@popularwoodworking]

Sharp fixes everything :-)

[@ronmtz4622]

I hear that it is a situation where you can throw money at it and it becomes better. Priced one at $199 and another one at $350. I paid $40, blade is too thin, adjustment screw is wobbly. But, you learn humility and patience, and the rest of the price is tuition.

[@andreicharpentierquesada4530]

What kind of wood is it?

[@jasonjayalap]

Would this jack plane, with its radius'ed iron and heavy bite be considered a scrub plane?

[@popularwoodworking]

Not really - it's wider than a typical scrub plane and the bite, while big, isn't quite as deep as a true scrub (but it's not too far off!)

[@maxxinmatt]

Is if i wanted a plane like this what specifically would i search for? everything I've found that's labeled as a jack plane has a straight blade

[@popularwoodworking]

You have to grind the iron's edge with the radius (I believe Chris uses an 8" radius), then you sharpen (at least with an Eclipse-style guide) by alternating pressure on the corners, then closer in, then in the middle. Here's a post on grinding & sharpening a jack's blade that might help: www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog/sharpen-a-fore-plane

[@carlson.douglas.w]

No. A scrub plane would be considered a scrub plane. A cambered jack plane is a cambered jack plane.

[@ronmiller7916]

Would have been more complete if he also showed working around knots.

[@iloveamerica8541]

Is he from germany?

[@limin3453]

maybe you should try this with oak

[@mysticjbyrd]

Paul Sellers went at a 45 degree angle on both sides?

[@ZmarleneZ]

thank you for this video - as an FYI kludge is pronounced kloodge - at least in the tech industry.

[@ThePhiloctopus]

I worked in the tech industry for 10 years and he pronounced it correctly. I have no idea what you muppets are saying, but you're saying it wrong.

[@twalsh1490]

PoTAYto, poTAHto. I learned as KLOOODGE in military and engineering contexts on U.S. east coast. Even so, I knew right away what Chris said.

[@Woodworkingvise]

This plane was almost already square😂

[@trevorandmelaniejenkins6435]

why do yo use a pen?? goes against everything i believe

[@daw162]

The work should be done parallel to the grain as long as it can be done parallel, which is almost always. the simple reason for that is that it's faster. cross grain work would generally be reserved for something wider. The punch is spiked in this video, so to speak. The board is not really a rough board, it's pine (and I guess that's OK to start, but people will tire of building with it) and it's very straight. For nearly all work, it's going to be far easier to test corner to corner action on the surface of the bench after just looking at it by eye (when it's got no high corners by eye, it'll generally be pretty good on the bench, too). It gives you an excuse to clean the bench off (not meticulously) from time to time, and you don't get stuck wasting time with winding sticks. What's the best way to learn to prepare wood by hand? Do about 200 board feet of it. Laziness will teach you to do it well. Just like ripping.

[@carlson.douglas.w]

Wow. Love it when some toolshed starts telling a master woodworker how it "should"go. Seriously entertaining stuff. By all means, let's hear more. But first, point me to your finished masterpieces so I can see what a true Masters work looks like. Please.

[@carlson.douglas.w]

Not quite the stupidest comment in this ocean of stupid comments, but close. Probably... Third stupidest. But keep at it, sparky. I'm sure you'll get there someday.

[@kipleitner6939]

kloooodge !

[@hoilst]

Technically, all wood is bark-facing.

[@ronmtz4622]

cell division at the cambium, wood inside, bark outside Of course, then it matters where the dog stands, doesn't it... ;~>

[@daw162]

This kind of oppositional talk is going to keep you from progressing.

[@thijs199]

I respect the skill but a jointer, sorry, I can't go without and you can't get as precise.

[@rollingstone3017]

I like this non-fussy approach. Too many other demos I've watched are just fussy ad nauseum. This is the best Schwarz video I’ve seen 😎

[@christopherjude]

Thanks

[@909sickle]

The ancient prophecy has long foretold of the One True Face.

[@Mighty_Atheismo]

One face... to rule them all!

[@kongkunin]

Amazing video, and it's great to see you're not worried about putting a little sweat into it. I'm enjoying your Anarchist series right now, and it's clear you are a great source of knowledge and instruction! Not sure how this vid only has 276k views though.

[@romulusclay6697]

I agree with the previous statements this was the most informative video on how to prep stock that I've seen and I've probably seen over a dozen. I was very disappointed at the end when he said now you can put it through your thicknesser..... I've been obsessed with doing everything a 100% by hand no power

[@philipmalaby8172]

Seems weird to see Chris without Roy Underhill. That’s where I was first introduced. Love his teaching style.

[@ronmccarty7537]

WOW!!! What a great clip! I recently bought your DVD on no fear chair making I absolutely love your instruction and style! Every time I had a question you are answered at exactly as I asked! freaking awesome! I will be buying more of your DVDs for sure! Thank you Christopher!!!

[@robertbrunston5406]

Thank you very much Chris! Best and smartest video I have seen on flattening! Thanks again.

[@davidclark9086]

This is a very informative video and I am thankful it was produced. But I do have one complaint and it has to do with twist. I have seldom seen a board that did not have some twist and getting rid of that twist with hand tools is very difficult. There was only about 2 minutes dedicated to twist out of a 20 minute video and it appeared that the board still had some twist. I would go so far as to say that twist is the most frustrating problem I have as removing it can be a nightmare. After using the winding sticks I flip it over on a flat service to see if it fits flat and very often it still rocks. I have very often spent an entire day getting a board ready to be used as a shelf in a book case so I flip it back over and try again. Each time the shaving are thinner and thinner until it gets to perfection of something that is acceptable.

[@richardmarriott-smith9517]

Thanks for making & posting this video. I really needed it after wasting an entire day trying to process a piece of 2" x 10" x 5'. Thank you!

[@williambranham6249]

I've watched this more than once and it's always good. I seem to learn or pickup a little bit of the puzzle. I think this presentation of the 20 or more I've watched on YT is the easiest to understand. Paul Sellers is great but I think Christopher's presentation is easier to follow. Thanks!

[@fletchro789]

Yeah, I've watched this three times and I just learned something this time. "The bark side". So simple, but I didn't really listen to that the first time I watched this.

[@kwong4658]

Rob Cosman is great too.

[@amiddled]

Always wondered how you would do S4S with all hand tools. Great demo, and you seem pretty fit ripping that full length by hand barely breaking a sweat!

[@bighands69]

A machine finish will never match human hand finish.

[@brianmiller9365]

Excellent ! This is the best 20 minutes I have ever seen on this subject. Any thing with Chris is good.

[@MrJustliketht]

It's been 16 years my grandfather has passed away and this is how he did all of his work. A real master. Thanks for this video.

[@snowwalker9999]

Great vid. I am in the middle of milling boards with hand planes for my workbench right now. Every piece is cupped and twisted. This is almost exactly same method Andrew Hunter did milling a board with Japanese hand plane.

[@SuperBardley]

Great vid Christopher, thanks for sharing it. A suggestion would be to give us a peek at the very original cup by using the light under the straightedge method, and then occasionally re-sighting it after taking the high spots down so that we can better understand the progression/degree of correction.

[@juanmanuelgarcia199]

Love Chris work, and have many of his books. I find that most of these videos are done ‘for show’ though. On the edge side portion, right after he ‘flattened’ he did get the edge 90 degree but he did not check for bow/arch. If you do not and you did have one of those defects, the edge can very well be 90 to the reference face but still have a bowed or curved edge. These videos are too crammed up with the techniques and they sometimes skip steps.

[@solidsnake9332]

Nothing is in plane length wise, width wise sure

[@thernly]

I can't decide which I find more sensorily satisfying: The crisp ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZP sound of Chris's well-tuned planes, or the long, wide, paper-thin curly-cues that ripple out the top of his planes like foamy waves breaking at the beach. (I also appreciate Chris doing the labor, of course, allowing us to watch and listen in comfort, without breaking sweat. But that sort of appreciation is mere intellectual gratitude; it's of a lower order than the thrilling, visceral joys of the senses that are remembered decades later, those that really matter in life.) I'm going to let this question incubate for a few days, give my ears and eyes and memory room to debate the ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZP versus curly-cues issue among themselves. I'll report the final result when they reach a decision.

[@dengyun846]

[insert wisdom here]

[@johnroberts3500]

thernly w

[@johnroberts3500]

thernlyzz zzzx2zzsßwll

[@Xhaphan0]

Absolutely fantastic vid with everything exactly what I wanted to learn. Fantastic what this man has also done for woodworking by hand with Lost Art Press.

[@WormyLeWorm]

Learned more from this video than I ever did in middle school woodshop. My cutting boards won't know what hit 'em when they need flattening.

[@TheMonkdad]

I don’t mind prepping rough stock I HATE sanding and sanding and more sanding and don’t forget sanding between coats

[@danthechippie4439]

Hi Chris, you mentioned starting on the bark side of the board. Can I assume you mean the growth rings start low, then peak at the middle and finish low again across the board. Or in other words the rings rise of the bench? Cheers

[@1959Berre]

I watch this for the sound of the planes. Just kidding, this is very well explained, though the sound of the planes is the cherry on top.

[@theeddorian]

Using a chalk line to mark the rip cut, you only need to use two marks and a thumb tack at one end.

[@scarmenl]

interesting to watch, sadly my back is damaged so can't do that sort of thing anymore. On the cool side for me is that I found and am restoring a 72 inch wide power planer. I also was able to get the blade sharpener with it.

[@popularwoodworking]

72"?! Wowza.

[@scarmenl]

Yes, I have looked for a long time to find the beast. It will allow me to work with wide slabs and to deal with big table tops with ease. Besides it's huge and that is cool in it self.

[@ardvarkkkkk1]

With a machine like that, you could take on commercial work and let it pay for itself.

[@scarmenl]

Yes sir, that is part of the plan. I always try to find more than one way to have machinery earn for me. I'm not greedy but with costs these days you have to keep the funds coming in.

[@carlson.douglas.w]

And you felt like that was worth mentioning in a comment to this video? SMH.

[@Novacification]

Didn't know Hans Gruber knew so much about woodworking

[@neilhangelbroek9225]

I must compliment you on the video. Very informative and it is perfect for what i am currently busy with. No funny tricks, just straight to the point with good sound advice. I subscribed and hope to learn more.

[@explosify5035]

I am going to be completely honest. you look like a younger Paul Sellers

[@moaski]

I was out of breath after watching you hand rip that board!

[@David-yl6bc]

Sorry to ask, but what type of wood is that?

[@ahmetfahrikucuk]

this guy looks like billy burke

[@lachemoilagrappe]

Hand powered tools woodworking, an effort, a joy, a craft a stratospheric and priceless mindset, at least it seems to me.

[@mr.thomas5186]

You are poetic

[@przybyla420]

Damn! Thank you Sir.

[@scottriddle5468]

Nice work

[@danpryde5503]

So helpful!! Cheers

[@MyVinylRips]

Schwarz rocks

[@awesomepumashoes]

Is it okay to rip the board after you’ve already declared one of the edges and one of the faces as true? I thought ripping the board can release tension that could ultimately end up curving, bowing, or twisting the board, making it possible that your true edge and face have become crooked or uneven in some way

[@walternielsen8486]

Nice job man!!

[@RobCardIV]

what the ninja fuuuck. at 16:50 he explains why jacking out the center, longways, is wise. I really, truely wish I could go back in history and meet the first grandpa-grandlolma that deduced that tip. the very first person who figured that shit out. wouldnt it be cooool to visit that guy, in his home, or her home, and listen to his her is stories?

[@radinsyah1574]

I don’t know but I can imagine him having a gun slinger around his waist where he puts his Jack in. One of my favorite vids on flattening boards.