Dear Robert and list members:
I bought a low-end powered hand planer from Black and Decker for less than
fifty bucks, and it quickly became my tool of choice when trimming the edge of
any lumber or wooden doors. If you buy one, I would suggest buying a
two-by-four for practicing. You will soon learn that you can set the depth of
the cut you wish to make, and provided you don't have a problem, you can take
off a thin even slice with one pass. If you buy one of these tools, you will
keep it at the ready. I have owned some high quality hand planes, but I could
never manage a uniform cut along the edge of a plank or door.
I have also used a drawing knife for the purpose of debarking small logs
which I used for porch railings and vertical supports. I also doubt that I
would be successful at achieving a uniform depth of cut with one of these
simple devices. If you want to make hand hone logs, they are great, but hand
hone logs are generally not square and true.
My father was a fine finish carpenter, and that came from his training at
the outset as a cabinet maker. He tried to build houses the same way one
builds cabinets.
Yours Truly,
Clifford Wilson
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