Jointing the Plates - Video Tutorial

[Eric Schaefer]

New video tutorial on jointing guitar plates. I hope this helps someone!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_ywBSlYLPo

[Bob Francis]

Good video thanks Eric

[Todd Stock]

Worth emphasizing that a finely set blade will avoid most issues - measure, and if not sub .001", resharpen, tune, and try again.

[Bob Hammond]

That's a good tutorial.

I prefer a No. 6 (18" sole) or No. 7 (22" sole) plane - they're a little longer and have more inertia, but that's no big deal. The use of the level is something that I haven't done but will try it.

The only suggestion that I have, is to perhaps move the toggle clamp a little bit farther away from the edge. I wouldn't want to bark a knuckle on it. On my shooting board, I usually screw down or clamp a stop block on the edge away from the plane's path.

[Joel Nowland]

I know most are not going to want to go to the trouble to build something like this but someone might.

I jointed tops and back with several techniques. For precision and time savings, I built this jig/machine.

It's a router attached to a carriage riding on precision linear bearings and two 1" precision round rods. The Router is moved by using 1/2" Acme rod and nut turned by a hand drill. The Acme nut floats between four 1/4" rods while pushing or pulling the router and carriage. The Acme nut needs to float so it doesn't move the carriage side to side.

The top & back plates are held down by six threaded rod clamps with wide arched spring steel feet. The jig surface is coated with sand paper to avoid any slippage or movement of the top & back plates while routing.

It cuts perfect joints in about 30 seconds. Shown jointing a Ziricote back set.

[Stephen Neal Saqui]

I would also "emphasize" what Todd said and go a step further by starting with the blade cutting air and bring the blade out in minute steps until you see dust. You can now control the blade at the finest level, increasing or decreasing depth. It's well worth the practice because in time you understand what's going on with problems. Once over the learning hump then it becomes easy and fast.

The plane surface and the sharpness of the blade are the first things to get right and keep right.

I like the #6 plane

A good entry level video. I say this because of the use of sandpaper. You really don't need to go that way and the joint IS superior using the plane. I used to do this but went back to just using the plane because the sandpaper has it's own problems. I think that the sanded surface hides small gaps that you would see otherwise.

[Bob Hammond]

This is just an aside --

For some reasons that I don't understand, many woodworkers or collectors aren't especially interested in acquiring a No.6 plane, and so if price is an issue, then the No.6 might be a good buy. It's a handy size for this purpose.

[Arnt Rian]

I like the #6 size (Stanley type) plane too, easier to handle than a full size 7 or 8, and quite useful for shorter pieces and glued up panels. I remember first reading about the dislike for this plane in "Patrick's Blood and Gore" years ago, its pretty funny. I see the site is still up (you have to scroll down a bit).

http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan1.htm

[Clay Schaeffer]

"For some reasons that I don't understand, many woodworkers or collectors aren't especially interested in acquiring a No.6 plane"

#4, 5 and 7 seem to be the most useful sizes. The #6 is a little bit long and heavy to be used as a jack, and a little bit short to be used as a jointer, but in a pinch could be set up as either.

[Bob Hammond]

I guess this purpose is the 'pinch'!

I have a couple of No. 3s, and I'm thinking about converting one into a scrub plane, and toothing the blade of the other for thinning down plates.

[Barry Daniels]

A #6 is definitely long enough for jointing guitar plates.

[Eric Schaefer]

Joel Nowland, Great jig! It took me a minute to grasp the concept of it, but it sounds like a real time saver and a precision jig at that.
I see that there is lot of praise for the #6 plane here! I will have to give one a try. As mentioned, it is not a common size, but that doesn't mean that it is not a great tool. It is likely just not as marketable as a jack or a smoothing plane because it exists between the two.