Making store bought 2x4 suitable for work

Hi Joe,

Glad to see you're using hand tools - it's definitely worth the effort to learn to use them well.

It is hard to straighten a long piece of timber (say, over 3 feet) and it takes while by hand. Easier with a long hand plane (called a Jointer).

You'll also need "winding sticks", which you can make yourself from some hardwood (oak is ok, maple would be fine too).

Here's a good article about winding sticks:
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog/…

Do you have a sharpening stone for your plane? There are a few possible reasons you're getting gouges when you use it:

1) The blade's not sharp so you have to set it quite deep to get it to cut - sharpen it and you can make a finer cut.

2) Usually we'll round the corners of the blade so it doesn't dig in.

Here's a good video about how to sharpen a plane blade using diamond stones: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvTcReENk9g

You don't have to use diamond stones - they're quite expensive. An oil stone will do the job just as well but takes a bit longer.

You could also try http://www.handtoolschool.net/

I hope that helps.

Good luck,
Jeremy
www.abcofwoodwork.com

Picking 2x4s that are (mostly) straight to start with will save you a lot of work. Generally the 2x4s on the top of the pile at the big box stores are the ones other people have picked through and rejected. If you dig a little (sometimes a lot) you can find decent ones. I like to sit one end of the 2x4 on the ground and sight down the length to see any bow or twist.