Hand Planes & Spokeshaves

Introduction to Hand Planes

In the time before power tools, everyone used a hand plane to smooth woodworking projects. Today, many people use power tools for planing, but hand planes still offer greater control. A hand plane can also more smoothly close the gap between the raw wood and the remainder of the woodworking project.

Let’s consider the wide range of hand planes you can purchase from Rockler:

Types of Hand Planers

• Smoothing planes: often the last planes used on a wood surface, they produce a finish as good as or better than that left by sandpaper. They also work well for trimming parts.

• Jack planes: the “jack of all trades” plane flattens rough stock and brings it closer to the final size. It’s also useful for smoothing and jointing, depending on workpiece size.

• Jointer planes: long sole spans high spots on uneven stock to trim off peaks and gradually flatten workpieces.

• Block planes: these versatile planes come in small-enough sizes to use with one hand. They work great for smoothing mill marks, chamfering sharp edges, truing up miters, and trimming doors to fit.

• Shoulder planes: this cutter spans the full width of the tool, making it perfect for trimming the shoulders and faces of tenons and rabbets.

• Spokeshaves: use a spokeshave plane to shape curved sections of chair spindles, cabriole legs, etc.

• Scrapers: these tools root out glue, pencil markings, and rough grain, allowing you to achieve smoothness.

• Specialty planes: these are designed to do singular tasks with incredible efficiency.

Our selection of hand planes includes more than twenty-five options.

Replacement Parts for Hand Planers

The Rockler inventory also includes accessories, such as storage socks and replacement blades, and chip breakers. Our replacement parts selection offers a variety of items to keep your hand planes looking and performing as good as new.