Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm doing a hand tool only project these days as I take a step back from guitar building and it's got me wondering, nowadays, luthiers will sand their sides and backs to thickness with some sort of power sander, but did the old timers just use their planes? The reason I wonder is because for the this little project I'm doing, I've learned that hand planes are often better than the powered planers at the one off stuff.

My big question is how did the old timers deal with squirrely grain in the back and sides when hand planing?

(These may be dumb questions, but I just gotta know.)

Thanks

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Adam

I only use hand tools, and I was taught that using a toothed blade (in you plane) was goodfor switching grain.

Ed

Scraper planes e.g. stanley #80 used on e- bay for squirrrely grain abt $20, lie- nelson makes several high quality ones but more $$$$. Then a properly sharpened scraper either L/N or L/V.

You need to experiment with skewing the plane to the board or even planing across the grain.

You'll then need to scrape afterward but the plane will be faster for stock removal.

Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

I used hand tools for thicknessing on my first 30 guitars or so. I've definitely ruined some nice curly maple but nothing will teach you how to sharpen a plane better. Razor sharp so that you can shave with it and planing askew is how it's done.

I use a drum sander now