The bench-hook is the best device for holding a great deal of small work for sawing and for planing sides, corners, and ends. When planing ends, to avoid splitting the far corner, another piece of equal thickness may be put behind the first. The better way, however, is never to plane over the far corner, but turn the work and plane always towards the center; in other words, plane half way from each edge. Where a corner can be whittled off to form a buttress, there is practically no danger of splitting that corner. For [planing thin boards], see [page 19].
1. Plane one broad surface. Test it crosswise, lengthwise, and cornerwise. This surface is called the working-face, and should be marked with a pencil line near the edge to be planed next. On a short board the cornerwise test can be made with a straight-edge; on a long board winding-sticks are needed. These are straight sticks with parallel edges. Near the ends of the board, stand them on edge across the board. With the eye some distance away, sight from one stick to the other, if one end of the farther stick seems elevated, that corner of the board must be planed more.
2. Plane one edge. Test it crosswise with the trysquare on the working-face, and lengthwise with a straight-edge. This is called the working-edge. Mark it with two pencil lines, drawn near the line on the working-face.
These two surfaces are of great importance. From them all measurements are made and all tests applied. The trysquare and the gage should always be kept on one of these two surfaces.
3. Square the ends. With the trysquare, test them from both the working-face and the working-edge.
4. Gage the width from the working-edge. Plane to the line. With the trysquare on the working-face, test this edge.
5. Gage the thickness from the working-face. Plane to the line.
Sometimes, of course, the above order needs to be changed. It is well to think out the best order of work.