Hello Hand Plane Aficionados,
I hope all is well with you and you’re doing some great work with your hand planes. I’m currently working on a desktop, made from a solid walnut slab. When I bought the slab, I had it milled flat, ending up with a 1.75” thick behemoth of a board. At just under nine feet in length and about 2.5’ feet in width, it was flat on both sides but covered in mill marks. In order to get them smooth, I started with a Stanley #608 Bedrock. Weighing in at about ten pounds and outfitted with a super sharp iron set for a light to medium pass, the #608 is hard to stop once in motion and will knock down the high spots in short order. To accomplish this, the plane should be pushed at approximately forty five degrees across the grain. Once the #608 has done its job, I turn to the Stanley #605 1/2 Bedrock to knock down more of the marks. I finish with the Stanley #604 1/2, some sandpaper and a scraper or two. (It should be noted that all three Bedrocks are at least 110 years old.)
Jim C.
