Never, not ever, used one. I see them for sale and, to be honest, some of the ‘wooden’ versions are beautiful things. I have no practical use for one, but they keep drawing me back to look again and again. I would certainly like to at least try to make one, to do this I’d need to buy one – a good one – to get the idea of how they are made. Although I’ll probably never use it in anger, but the temptation is real. So, to the point – questions, which my research didn’t answer.
What is the purpose of ‘the skate’; it seems to be an essential part; but, there seems to be a ‘relationship’ between that and the ‘fence’ which I can’t quite fathom.
The ‘fence’ seems a logical requirement; but when I look at the complex arrangements, such as a ‘bridle’ I wonder why this needs be so complicated and; to my uneducated eye – over engineered. Some of the ‘build’ guides make it so complex and demanding it’s a machine shop job. If it must be so, then that’s fine – but I wonder.
Depth adjustment – without ‘machinery’ is a puzzle. Does one just keep resetting every few strokes or is the thing designed to keep cutting until the user decides enough, or the ‘bridle’ hits the lumber and that’s your lot?
Then there are the questions of bedding angles, depth setting, etc. How to set the thing for best, sharpening – is the cutter treated the same as a plane blade or a moulding plane cutter?
I apologise for my ignorance – but seriously, the workings of such things evades me. Not had much need to ‘plough’ grooves; when I have saw, hand router and a sharp chisel have sufficed on the odd occasion needed. Never had to make a three foot long groove in anything, not one I’d have to mirror in another three or four pieces anyway.
Well, the ‘bug’ is biting – perhaps someone can explain the basics – help me understand the whole thing a bit better.
What is the purpose of ‘the skate’; it seems to be an essential part; but, there seems to be a ‘relationship’ between that and the ‘fence’ which I can’t quite fathom.
The ‘fence’ seems a logical requirement; but when I look at the complex arrangements, such as a ‘bridle’ I wonder why this needs be so complicated and; to my uneducated eye – over engineered. Some of the ‘build’ guides make it so complex and demanding it’s a machine shop job. If it must be so, then that’s fine – but I wonder.
Depth adjustment – without ‘machinery’ is a puzzle. Does one just keep resetting every few strokes or is the thing designed to keep cutting until the user decides enough, or the ‘bridle’ hits the lumber and that’s your lot?
Then there are the questions of bedding angles, depth setting, etc. How to set the thing for best, sharpening – is the cutter treated the same as a plane blade or a moulding plane cutter?
I apologise for my ignorance – but seriously, the workings of such things evades me. Not had much need to ‘plough’ grooves; when I have saw, hand router and a sharp chisel have sufficed on the odd occasion needed. Never had to make a three foot long groove in anything, not one I’d have to mirror in another three or four pieces anyway.
Well, the ‘bug’ is biting – perhaps someone can explain the basics – help me understand the whole thing a bit better.
#-o
