You can finally see the light at the end of your floor-refinishing project,
but there's a stubborn gap between two floorboards that you can't ignore. Or
perhaps the frame you painstakingly mitered for your neighbor's oil painting is
just right--except for one uneven joint. Or you have a perfectly good board of
white oak, but you'd be much happier if you could give it a new surface to knock
off a few nicks and bring out the beauty of its original grain.
Planes to the rescue! These handy tools can be as simple as their name or as
complex as table saws. The key is choosing the proper plane or planer
for your project. Form and Function
The purpose of all planes
and planers is to shave, shear, reduce, or smooth a wooden surface. There are
several categories of planes, but this guide focuses on hand-held planes, with a
brief detour into motorized portable planers.
In the case of floorboard gap, a length of veneer with glue on each side can
be wedged into the space; after the glue dries, a simple block
plane can shear off and level the extra wood. (The same system works for
split tabletops.) For an unevenly mitered frame corner, a block plane or jack
plane will repair small gaps; use it front-to-back. Wider planks can be
refinished by using a succession of hand planes or by bringing out the big guns:
a thickness
planer, either table-mounted or "portable" (expect these to be heavy enough
to warrant temporary mounting). More...
Check out our other Tool Buying Guides
Are you looking to replace your faucet? Before you call in a professional, you should weigh the pros and cons to paying for
something that can easily be accomplished yourself. More...
The ToolBox has a fine selection of guides, books and magazines available in our library. They make excellent gifts for the handyman in your life.
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