Garrett Hack's Handplane book?

Re: Garrett Hack's Handplane book?

George Bustamante

>I think it is well written, and covers a lot of good fundamentals: accessories (workbench, bench hooks etc.), tunning, how to plane, and a basic guide to plane types. I would buy it again.

George "Bustos" Bustamante

Re: Garrett Hack's Handplane book?

alan womack

>I checked it out from the library twice and decided NOT to buy it. No meat on actually fettling and using the planes vs. seeing pretty pictures.

David Charlesworth's Furniture Techniques had better plane preperation photos and other usufull jointery techniques for me.

Alan

Re: depends...

paul womack

>...on your motivation.

If you want to know about planes and how to use them, you don't need to spend a dime. The net tells (pretty much) all.

If you want something "solid" and pretty, with a good description of planes and planing, Hack's book is excellent, with good writing and production values.

If you want some practical planing tips, I'd prefer Sam Allen's "Plane Basics".

Final tip - if you want to see if you like a book before buying, there are these places called libraries ;-)

OTOH, If you have specific question about planes and planing, ask away...

BugBear

Re: Garrett Hack's Handplane book?

Jay Samuels

>I just picked up the paperbound version for $25.00 at Borders. It's a nice book, but I wouldn't call it essential, especially if you already have Classic Hand Tools.

Re: Garrett Hack's Handplane book?

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>Woodcraft sells a book called "PLanecraft," a reprint of a British book, that is probably a more useful introduction to the use of planes, if you are comfortable with British terminology and syntax.

It's about $10. You can also find it on Half.com, used, for the same price, an interesting demonstration of the marketplace.

Re: Garrett Hack's Handplane book?

JL

>I'm looking for a good reference book on planes.

1) Cleaning and tuning.

2) Types and uses.

3) Pictures (for those visually inclined)

4) How to use (and when to use which type)

5) Different blade types and grinds.

I have ended up with more planes than I thought I would ever have (hey, I started out with things with power cords).

I now have:

3 - #5s

1 - #4

1 - #3

1 - LV low angle block

I also have two "electric" planes.

All of these were inherited from my stepfather, with the exception of the LV low angle block.

Re: Garrett Hack's Handplane book?

Christopher Fitch @ Memphis

>Planecraft is a nice book even with the slant towards Record tools...and an excellent deal given the price.

Re: Garrett Hack's Handplane book? *LINK*

Rob in Peoria

>Dunbar's Restoring, Tuning and Using... covers most of that pretty well, with a wealth of information on every other tool you might encounter, as well. His info on using is a little scant, but as BB said, there's a ton posted on the net. Some of it can be linked to from the Knowledge Base...

Check it out.


Hand Tool Knowledge Base

I'll third it, but...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>No pretty pictures...

Re: Pictures and inspiration...

Jonathan Kaplan (OR)

>One thing about Hack's book that I don't see mentioned above is its use as an 'inspiration' tool -- the nice pictures help in this regard... It may not be the most compact source of information, or have all the latest tips on tuning, etc., but the writing is quite nice, and it just oozes enthusiasm... Sometimes when I've run into trouble with a project and am feeling a bit low, reading through Hack's Handplane book helps. :)

Just my rather odd $.02...

jk

Definitely

Jack Guzman from Maine

>

let me elaborate

Jack Guzman from Maine

>I posted that before I read all the other replies.I love that book. It's one I look through often.The pictures are great,the information is very useful,you won't regret purchasing it.However,it isn't the best reference.I get most of my plane questions answered here at the best source,Woodcentral.---Jack

Re: Garrett Hack's Handplane book?

Robert R. Clough - Thorncraft

>Well worth purchasing. As others have said, it is well written, the pictures are excellent, Hack is highly knowledgeable, and the index is excellent. I consider it one of my more important purchases.

One of the above posts stated that the book was not needed as the same information is available on the net. I am sure this is true, but more often than not, a book is immediately available, the quality of the printing and the pictures is much better than a printer, and the indformation is right at hand.

No, but there are those cool

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>shaded drawings of molding patterns.

Re: Garrett Hack's Handplane book? - Thanks all

JL

>

It is terrific

david charlesworth

>Anyone who has an interest in handplanes should enjoy this book.

It is beautiful and informative.

David Charlesworth

It saved my sanity!!!

kenc

>I remember the Hack book saving a very boring vacation (holiday) in Hawaii. My wife likes holidays like that, I prefer working in my shop, woodworking, metalworking, car restoration etc. We spent ten days in Hawaii in 1998, after one day of lying on the beach and visiting boring "sights", we happened upon a Barnes & Noble. I walked out with Hack's book and spent the remainder of the time reading it cover to cover seemingly an infinite number of times!

Oh joy, tools!!!!

Yup, it kept me sane.......

I think........

Re: It saved my sanity!!!

Norman (Ottawa, Ont.)

>Ken,

Now that is funny, only because I feel the same way about those beach vacations. I get bored after a couple of days of roasting in the sun..

Last one my wife and I were on in the Carribean, I went begging for a book to read. Found one and read it cover to cover. A book I wouldn't even normally read..

My policy is to limit that type of vacation to 5 days, that I can handle.

Norman