As the popularity and convenience of power tools relegate traditional hand tools to a distant shelf in the workshop, a well-tuned handplane will always have a place on the workbench of today's woodworker. No matter how big or how powerful one's shop machines are, they can't compare to the accessibility and versatility of the handplane. With a well-chosen and correctly maintained set of planes, a woodworker can handle any type of wood in every woodworking situation. Woodworker's Guide to Handplanes teaches woodworkers how to choose, maintain, and use this indispensable hand tool. This essential reference outlines the important differences among all the major styles and explains the many nuances of each, from the standard Stanley-Bailey-Record planes and traditional wood-bodied planes to the contemporary designs from Veritas, Lie-Nielsen, and Clifton. This book also details how any woodworker can make-and precisely tune-their own wood-bodied plane along with the fixtures needed to maximize its performance. With a thoroughness that reflects his passion for this time-honored hand tool, author and professional woodworker Scott Wynn evaluates and compares handplanes from all of the world's great woodworking traditions. He analyzes the six common elements and explains how these critical characteristics work together to create craftsmanship.

Best of all, this intelligent book features more than 300 original drawings and 200 photos that are as technically rich as they are beautiful. BONUS: Includes plans and instructions for making shooting boards and a full set of Western and Japanese-style planes.Endorsement:"This is the handplane book I have been seeking for 30 years. A woodworking library would be incomplete without this textbook." Ernie ConoverMaster Woodworker, Conover Workshops.