Michael Pekovich's 'Benchwork' Excerpt: Planes for Joinery

In an excerpt from Michael Pekovich's upcoming book 'Benchwork,' the author discusses various hand planes used for joinery, emphasizing their role in fine-tuning machine-cut joints. Pekovich, a furniture maker, shares his journey from a machine-centric approach to incorporating hand tools, noting that his progress improved significantly when he began using them more. He describes the router plane, shoulder plane, tongue-and-groove plane, miter plane, and side rabbet planes, offering practical advice on their use and alternatives. For instance, he suggests vintage rabbet planes as a cheaper option for tenon work, costing $30 to $50 compared to new shoulder planes that can exceed $300. The tongue-and-groove plane, which he finds fun to use, features a pivoting fence for cutting both tongues and grooves, and he mentions Lie-Nielsen makes a new version. The miter plane, though a single-use tool, is praised for its ability to slice through end grain smoothly. The excerpt is from 'Benchwork,' which is expected in the warehouse soon, and includes screenshots of the book's design by Pekovich himself.