102. It is a common mistake among beginners to
let the cutter project too far.

It is important to know what is the best order of procedure in planing
up a board. There are often reasons for omitting the planing up of
one or more surfaces, but it is wise to form the habit of following a
regular order, and the following is suggested as a good one:

1. Working face. Plane one broad side flat and smooth. Finish with the
plane set to cut line shavings. Test with try-square. Mark this face
with a distinct pencil mark, A, Fig. 103.

2. Working edge. Plane one narrow side straight and square with
the working face. Test with try-square, pressing the block of the
try-square against the working face. Mark the working edge with two
distinct pencil marks, B, Fig. 103.

3. End. First mark the width on the working face with the
marking-gage, C, 1-2, Fig. 103. Chisel off the corner, _a_, of the
piece outside this gaged line. True and smooth this end with the
plane, making it square with both working face and working edge, D, 2,
3, 4, Fig. 103.

4. Length. Measure the length from the finished end, D, 2-3-4, score
across the working face, D, 5-6, and working edge, D, 6-7, using a
sharp knife point and the try-square. Saw just outside this line, D,
5-6-7, with the back-saw, cut off the narrow corner, D, _b_, beyond
the gaged line and plane true, E, Fig. 103.

5. Width. Plane to the center of the gaged line, E, 1-2. Test this
edge from the working face, F, Fig. 103.

6. Thickness. Mark the thickness with the marking-gage all around the
piece, F, 8-9-10. Plane to the center of the gaged line, G, Fig. 103.
Test this face for flatness.

[Illustration: Fig. 103. The Order of Planing a Board.]

In a word, the order to be followed is graphically represented in
H, Fig. 103. The surfaces are numbered consecutively in the order in
which they are to be planed.

The advantages of this order are these: by planing the working face
first, a broad surface is secured to which the others may be made
true. By planing the ends before the width is planed, the danger of
splitting off fragments can be avoided by chiseling the corner of the
unfinished edges, C, _a_, and D, _b_, Fig. 103, into a buttress.
By planing the ends and the width before the thickness is planed,
a dressed face is secured all around for gaging the thickness. In
following this order all measurements and markings are made on a
dressed face.

[Illustration: Fig. 104. Sighting