If you sell to woodworkers, your customers are already here
Articles Forums Gallery Marketplace Videos

WoodCentral Forums

Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge

Premium Domestic, Figured & Live Edge Hardwoods in Stock. Best Prices for Serious Woodworkers.

Couple IndyFest Hand Plane Contest Questions:

Posts

Couple IndyFest Hand Plane Contest Questions:

#1

Couple IndyFest Hand Plane Contest Questions:

John Weber - GO BUCKS!

>As many of you know I�m setting up the IndyFest hand planing contest. From what I�ve read, other contests have used 2�x6� pine. I would like to use hardwood. I�m thinking 6/4 rather then 2� and maybe even going a little shorter, maybe 4�. The goal is the thinnest, full length, full width shaving. Any ideas on what might make a good contest wood? I�m going to try and get Frank Miller Lumber to donate the contest wood and they have about anything you could want from domestics to exotics. I would like something that presented a little challenge, but could also be planned. Any ideas?

I also was curious as to what people might use in the contest. (I plan to plane, but don�t think it would be fair to be a contestant - not that I can plane very well, but in setting everything up I'll do some testing so that could be an unfair advantage). The board will be prepped between contestants with a standard plane. Each contestants will get 3 or 4 tries to take a full width, full length shaving. There will also be an on deck station with an identical board set up for practice runs. So assuming it�s a hardwood, what would your use?

Now all this is still to be determined for the Hand Plane contest at IndyFest (April 30th), but I thought a little input might help me get everything set.

Thanks � John

Re: Couple IndyFest Hand Plane Contest Questions:

#2

Re: Couple IndyFest Hand Plane Contest Questions:

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

>John

The plane I would choose would be as short as possible. I gather a block plane is permissable. Go with this! A short plane will better follow the undulations of the timber and so have less likelihood of losing its thickness and the shaving breaking off. An standard angle adjustable mouth block plane would be ideal, so that the shaving can be as thin as possible,.

I'm just on the sidelines, but really curious about the possibilities.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: Couple IndyFest Hand Plane Contest Questions:

#3

Re: Couple IndyFest Hand Plane Contest Questions:

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>I think Port Orford Cedar is a great choice for a planing contest, but that's certainly in the softwood category. I'd think cherry would be good, at least it's possible to get a long shaving from it.

Also, don't forget that to make the contest fair you need to plane the board to flat before each contestant.

Pam

Re: Couple IndyFest Hand Plane Contest Questions:

#4

Re: Couple IndyFest Hand Plane Contest Questions:

Moses Yoder in White Pigeon, MI

>Cherry would be a great wood to plane. A tougher wood to plane might be soft maple; it tends to have grain reversals that would seperate the men from the boys perhaps more readily than cherry. Hard maple is perhaps the hardest typical domestic wood to plane. But of course it all depends on the piece. A poplar piece might work well; would be interesting to see. I plan on using a smoothing plane (seriously ;) either a 603 or 604-1/2, depending on which gives me the best results; the 603 is not sharpened yet. I might also set up a block plane and see what it does. I have a Hock iron that I think will fit into my #65 block plane with the knuckle joint cap. Perhaps I'll sharpen up my #2 and see what kind of results I get; so much to do, and I was getting so good at procrastinating!

What is the criteria? A shaving has to be full width and full length before it is admitted? How many shots do you get? What is the entry fee? ;)

Re: Couple IndyFest Hand Plane Contest Questions:

#5

Wood to use...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>Why curly purple heart or burl claro walnut! Let's make this a real contest!

👍 This page answered my questions

Your vote helps other woodworkers quickly find the answers and techniques that actually work in the shop.