When Building Wooden Handplanes.....

[Ethan]

...how do you want the grain of the sole material oriented? Or does it really matter?

[Scot L T]

I have a bunch of old and new wood planes and the grain is more or less vertical or up to about 30 degrees off. The few that I have made were vertical grain except for one and that was slab cut. I found it a little harder to cut the throat than on the vertical grain material.

The one thing I think is important is to have the grain running downhill from the front of the plane to the back. You won't get the grain edge catching or freying and lifting. I'm sure it rarely happens but I've seen it once in an old plane with the grain running from the back to the front and the grain lifted.

Others might have more info as I've only made a few so am not an expert.

[Bob Smalser]

Except in a design where the cheeks are exceptionally fragile, I don't think it much matters. Almost all my woodies have their flatsawn faces on sole and top, which tells me the rough stock was sawn for yield rather than grain for economy of use.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7483424/97909261.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4959362/63036509.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/9139397/307005497.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/2594266/276187815.jpg

[Ethan]

thanks fellas, I appreciate the input!!

I found a piece of old school qsawn lignum for sale that measures 8/4 x 4 x 18. Was hoping to be able to use for plane soles one day. Sounds like it should work.

Now the question is......how about grain orientation for the lignum parts of a block....?