Introduction

Beveling edges and corners, planing down doors, trueing edges and ends of lumber -- most carpentry projects include at least one of these shaping tasks. Three types of tools work best for shaping wood surfaces: planes, surface-forming tools, and rasps or wood files. With practice and a clean, sharp tool, shaping can be a pleasure rather than a chore.

However, even the sharpest shaping tools are no match for a board that's badly twisted, bowed, cupped, or warped (see Selecting and Buying Lumber, Related Projects). Always inspect your material for flaws and select only the stock suitable for the job. Don't assume you can shape it up later.