How to Get the Best Results with a Hand Plane (Hint: Read the Grain)

A hand plane is one of the most accurate and best tools for surfacing a workpiece before assembly. Set to take a thin shaving, a few swipes with a hand plane quickly and easily removes mill marks left by a saw, jointer, or planer. But to get the best results, you have to read the grain. Randy Maxey shows you how to examine a workpiece for grain direction that determines how you should use the hand plane for glass-smooth surfaces.