advice please for crved seat tool

[Martyn]

Not usually over this side but I can be found on the wood turning section.
I need some advice...........
I am making a couple of windsor smokers bow chairs and was just wondering what you guys would recommend for curving the seat.
I know traditionaly an adze and traverser is used but can I get away with a curved spokeshave?
Would a router be any good for removing the bulk first?
I might add that the board I have for the seats is seasoned elm.
As i am only making the two I would rather not go the expense of veritas type specialist tools although they have a curved pull plane which looks just the job its rather expensive for a one off job.
Any suggestions?
Martyn

 

[Ironballs]

A router will help with removing the bulk, for a little more accuracy and finishing off then it will help you greatly to have one of these

Very nice tool to use

 

[Martyn]

That looks the business.
The name makes me think this is not a cheap tool though.
where would I get one?

 

[Paul Chapman]

Classic Hand Tools sell them http://www.classichandtools.com/acatalo ... haves.html

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Martyn]

Thanks guys.........not as bad as I thought price wise.
The veritas gadget is around £130.
Will this do the job though?.......would I need say a curved scraper to finish?

 

[Ironballs]

They do, I got mine from the Turner's Retreat guys at the Harrogate show, let me have a play and then did a very good price for me.

Actually that isn't the whole story, I'd got in touch with Alex at CHT a couple of weeks before to have a play at the show with a view to buying. When we got to the show they didn't have one available, so he took me over to the guys at Turner's Retreat, had a word and made the introduction. Thanked me for my interest and wandered back to his stand, no pressure to buy anything else. Great customer service all round

 

[JonnyD]

I probably shouldnt be posting this in the handtool section as my method is mainly powertool based. I usually use a router to remove most of the waste and then use an angle grinder with a 60G abrasive disc to do the final shaping. It can be used very subtlely once you get used to it. I then finish with a gooseneck card scraper and a spongy pad on my festool ROS.

Jon

 

[toysandboats]

Martyn,
James Mursell makes Windsor chairs for a living and has developed his own travishers for doing that job.

His website is here and he should be able to help or advise you:

James Mursell

Nick Gibbs also mentions James' travisher in an article in the current edition of British Woodworking magazine.

HTH

David

 

[Martyn]

Martyn,
James Mursell makes Windsor chairs for a living and has developed his own travishers for doing that job.

His website is here and he should be able to help or advise you:

James Mursell

Nick Gibbs also mentions James' travisher in an article in the current edition of British Woodworking magazine.

HTH

David

Hi David,
I took a look at this site earlier. All looks good but no prices as yet.
I will take a look in the British woodworking though, as it happens I picked up a copy yesterday.
Martyn

 

[Martyn]

I probably shouldnt be posting this in the handtool section as my method is mainly powertool based. I usually use a router to remove most of the waste and then use an angle grinder with a 60G abrasive disc to do the final shaping. It can be used very subtlely once you get used to it. I then finish with a gooseneck card scraper and a spongy pad on my festool ROS.

Jon

Had'nt thought of going that way Jon. A mate of mine created a inglenook beam using a grinder with one of those discs. Looked a couple of hundred years old when he finished (the wood not him). Sure removes the wood fast.
Martyn

 

[wizer]

yep or an abortech

 

[Argus]

Not usually over this side but I can be found on the wood turning section.
I need some advice...........
I am making a couple of windsor smokers bow chairs and was just wondering what you guys would recommend for curving the seat.
I know traditionaly an adze and traverser is used but can I get away with a curved spokeshave?
Would a router be any good for removing the bulk first?
I might add that the board I have for the seats is seasoned elm.
As i am only making the two I would rather not go the expense of veritas type specialist tools although they have a curved pull plane which looks just the job its rather expensive for a one off job.
Any suggestions?
Martyn

Here's an old photo with an array of bottoming tools with a seat blank in elm.

A router is not a lot of use in this case, but I have tried an Arbotec (is that the correct spelling?) in an angle grinder. OK if you need to get a lot of meat off quickly and don't object to the noise and dust every where.

You'll see the Clifton spokeshave in the picture. In my opinion it's not as easy to use as the home-made travisher just behind it.
An adze is a good option if you have the skill - it's not a tool that you can just pick up and use for this kind of thing.

The real star in that line up for me, is the little round-both-ways plane that I picked up in an odds and sods box years ago. Best tool ever for bottoming seats.

I use this lot with the seat held down on the horizontal. The outline around the rim is excavated with the deep gouge first and then is used to delineate the divider.

In any case, finish off with a scraper.

John Brown shows how to do it with an adze in his excellent little book on Welsh stick chairs, if you can track it down, and he worked vertically.


.

 

[Martyn]

Thankyou Argus. Most informative.
What did you use for the blade in your travisher?
Martyn

 

[Argus]

Martyn,

I've had it for many years, but Charles Stirling at Bristol Design used to offer a range of spokeshave blades (make your own handles), graduated from a No: 1 (flat) to a No: 6 (very curved). If I recall correctly, mine is a No: 4 or thereabouts.

Not sure if he still sells them, but worth a call to find out.

Bristol Design (Tools) Ltd.
14 Perry Road
Bristol
BS1 5BG
Avon

Tel: 0117 9291740

If you are in Bristol, he has a shop just up the road from the BRI, almost opposite the Red Lodge.


If it's any use to you, I did all the work by hand. I don't use power tools much.

Best to look out for a little round-both-ways plane - ideal for this sort of thing.

.

 

[DaveL]

If you want a small curved sole plane, have a word with Philly, last year at Yandles he had one that we all played with. I am not sure that he lists them on his web site but he has made them. 8)

 

[Martyn]

Martyn,

I've had it for many years, but Charles Stirling at Bristol Design used to offer a range of spokeshave blades (make your own handles), graduated from a No: 1 (flat) to a No: 6 (very curved). If I recall correctly, mine is a No: 4 or thereabouts.

Not sure if he still sells them, but worth a call to find out.

Bristol Design (Tools) Ltd.
14 Perry Road
Bristol
BS1 5BG
Avon

Tel: 0117 9291740

If you are in Bristol, he has a shop just up the road from the BRI, almost opposite the Red Lodge.


If it's any use to you, I did all the work by hand. I don't use power tools much.

Best to look out for a little round-both-ways plane - ideal for this sort of thing.

.

I know this shop. I will look into it.
Thanks again.
Martyn

 

[Martyn]

If you want a small curved sole plane, have a word with Philly, last year at Yandles he had one that we all played with. I am not sure that he lists them on his web site but he has made them. 8)

Thanks Dave......I take it Philly is a forum member.
How do I find him?
Martyn

 

[Argus]

.



I hope that you find one. Here's a better picture - it's the one in the front, obviously. I don't know how old it is - probably user-made before the Boer war.....
It's about the size of a block plane.

I tend to use it as a scrub plane, now and then - hence the tram lines on the bit of wood it's sitting on.

.

 

[DaveL]

Thanks Dave......I take it Philly is a forum member.
How do I find him?

Here is his forum profile, you can send him a PM or email and his planes web site is here. He makes great tools, I have one of the Philly shaves.

 

[bugbear]

Martyn,
James Mursell makes Windsor chairs for a living and has developed his own travishers for doing that job.

His website is here and he should be able to help or advise you:

James Mursell

Nick Gibbs also mentions James' travisher in an article in the current edition of British Woodworking magazine.

HTH

David

He was demonstrating that at West Dean - I had a go, and his tool worked remarkably well.

BugBear