Planing Wide boards more accurately with Rob Cosman

Most folks own a stationary planer that is wider than their jointer. Unless you know how to flatten one side of the board with hand tools, the extra capacity isn't useful.
Planers only make faces parallel, if you send a twisted or cupped board through the planer you will get a twisted or cupped board out the other end, just thinner. A bit of know-how and some elbow grease will allow you to use the full width of your planer, accurately! We filmed the entire process so you will get an idea of what it takes. Enjoy

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[frankwice]

I have just found your site and what a breath of fresh air. This is the first workshop that looks like it’s been used most look like Molly maid has just spent the last two days in them. Also there is no bull as you make the odd mistake and you don’t try to cover them up but repair. Thank you I’ll keep watching

[bocfus]

You are an awesome teacher, thanks for putting in the hard work and sharing with us!

[bjm]

Enjoyed watching a master craftsman at work. Sometimes there is no substitute for hand labor.

[roberthoyle]

Thanks for a great video. I just recently found your channel. I am relatively new to woodworking and enjoying learning many new things from Youtube to practice on. This video was perhaps the most informative about flattening lumber. The explanation, video angle and the execution were invaluable. I look forward to watching and learning from your channel for new skills to practice with.

[jon]

Great video—thanks for showing what it takes to get it flat!

[RonMarshallrone]

Man that looks fun. Kinda hard but fun....I have an old plane I've never used I'm gonna make a scrub plane out of. Thanks for the vid!

[sandman]

Just found your channel recently, very informative. Enjoy your straight forward manner.

[PeteHowlett]

Since you were going to send this through the thicknesser I'd have used a 25mm mdf baseboard, shimmed the ends with wedges to keep it level, dogged it onto the baseboard and just sent it through the thicknesser taking very light skims... but hey, I'm an idle so and so and all that hand planning I did when I didn't know any better :)

[reivax]

That was hard work Mr Cosman. Thanks for that invaluable lesson.

[HenrySolly]

I have watched your videos over and over again. Man, you are one of few wood artists present on YouTube. That's just wonderful and certainly something that inspires me a lot...For a start, should I get a jack plane or a fore plane (18inch)? I am a hobbyist and I don't have power tools, but I will have to joint large 'slabs and rough/warped lumber' as we have plenty at home...all tropical hard wood.

[conchitacarmelita]

The essence of working wood... top notch as always! I haven't flattened anything this big by hand. I do usually scribble some colored chalk or pencil down the board to check my progress. Is that not helpful in tackling twist?

[MANJITSINGH-kooi]

HI rob that was super advice and so useful thank u.

[DrkKnyght]

I love your videos because you don't cut and edit the harder parts of the process. You give us a realistic view of what it takes to master the craft. Other videos are great for those who like to just see a project from "A to Z, " but you actually show us the difficulties and then teach us how to overcome them. Thank you for your hard work, selflessness, and expertise. You honor the craft with your videos.

[mediciworks]

Rob - A technique I was shown to save time from hand planing a cupped/warped board was to get a piece of melamine, the same width as the board you want to flatten, as well as a little bit longer. Place the board on top of the melamine, and shim the gaps of the high spots. hot glue them down to the melamine so they don't move, and then run it through the planer until the entire board has been planed down. then just flip it over, and plane out the highs/lows on the other side. much quicker, all though I do love hand planning.

[imortaldeadead]

Fantastic walk through, and I love that it was not just a little piece. Was good to see someone showing us how to work on a big slab 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Will the next one be on how to make the slabs out of a log?

[laurencelance]

Well that answers questions about a 3 HP saw stop being able to cut thick stock!

[JakeRaytheRounder]

I have trouble with this. Like shooting from the hip. sometimes i get lucky. Could you just scrub the whole surface?

[DanielWahlig]

Curious on your thoughts between this technique vs a simple router planing jig? I always appreciate the hand tool approach, but it seems like just shimming up the board and then running a router over one face would eliminate most of the guesswork. Just as a cheaper/somewhat-faster alternative to hand planes. Curious if you think the hand tool approach has benefits over a router sled other than less dust/noise, or if it's just equal alternative. Great video as always!

[reginaldgraves]

I didn't understand that! You put the "scrubbed side" down on the bench after planing which you had already established was flat, I expected that you would put the planed side down to prove that the board went through the bed without distortion then put it through the thicknesser to clean up the scrubbed side.

[Kunfucious]

That is so much harder than he made it look.