Manual smoothing or polishing planes, with good blades. Depending on the element on which you intend to work, good support, such as a fixed or portable workbench, is advisable. Remember that you need both hands free to handle the tool if the task is to be properly completed.

 

� When building a piece of furniture, the planks of wood (be they shelves or part of the structure) must be smoothed down to eliminate defects such as warping or curvature of the edge. An effective way of doing this is to use a manual plane.
� Push out the blade of the plane 1mm. First work diagonally towards the edges, and then follow the streaks.
� The blade should be held in a horizontal position. First press the top end of the plane and then the back end.
� Pass over the wood a second time with the blade less deep trying to eliminate the marks left by the previous pass. Ensure the plank ends up completely flat.
� As a general rule, the longer and wider the plank, the longer the blade needed.
� If you are not an expert or have never used a plane, make sure you practise first on a spare plank. This will make things easier later.

 

� If you are smoothing over a plank, there is a simple trick to find out the parts that have already been worked.
� Mark lines or curved signals against the streaks using a pencil. Start to work the wood with the plane as outlined above.
� You will know that the entire plank has been worked when there are no remaining pencil marks.

 

Large levelling jobs
� If you have a relatively large levelling job, the following method is recommended:
� Use a gage to mark the thickness of the levelling around the perimeter of the plank.
� Use the plane to form a bevel along the edge of the marked perimeter.
� Then, make as many passes as possible with the plane until you reach the bevel line.
� For a perfect levelling job, use a fine plane to finish off.

 

Planing the edge of a plank
� Using a pencil, mark the angle you need to plane. This job is very useful to smooth down the leaf of a door or a window.
� Take as many passes as necessary before reaching the mark.
� To avoid the edges from splintering, place a strip of wood at the end using a gag.
� To smooth down the leaf of a door, you can work on the floor. To make the task easier, use a buffer to stop the door from moving as you pass over the plane.