The classic guide by master woodworker David Finck is back and better than ever, with all-new color photography. It's the best book ever on this popular tool-and it features a foreword by the celebrated woodworker James Krenov.

"Serves as an elegant framework for teaching many of the fundamentals of fine woodworking."--Woodshop News

Small and extremely comfortable to use, wooden hand planes bring machined surfaces to an alluring, silky smoothness-but they can't be bought anywhere. Fortunately, this meticulously complete, photo-packed guide is like two volumes in one, teaching you how to make a classic plane yourself (it takes only a day or so) and how to use it in a refined manner. One of the most respected woodworkers around digs deeply into the art of crafting and working with this personalized tool, helping even the most uninitiated with dozens of detailed boxed sidebars on the basics. Every step in the construction process receives extremely close attention: preparing the plane blank, bandsaw pointers, drift angle, tension, tuning and using hand tools, sharpening with ease speed, and reliability, cross pin location, and gluing up. Handle the plane well to get a good stroke going; and take a look at invaluable planning aids and special techniques. There's no other manual on the market to match this woodworking masterpiece.