Keith Cocker
Established Member
Veritas Apron Plane for me. Very satisfying to use! Makes a lovely quiet swooshing sound and delicate curly slivers of wood.
What is your go-to hand tool for chamfering or rounding edges
- Thread starter tibi
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Actually, Tom, the plane I use most for easing edges is my "English thumb plane". Before I made that I used a Veritas "apron plane", but the new plane is just so much nicer to hold, & the poor little Veritas has been made redundant. Neither has a cap-iron, being low-angle BU jobbies:
But I sometimes use an even smaller plane, or a spokehave, or a scratch-stock, it depends what treatment the edge is getting & how big the piece is. I occasionally use a plane with a cap-iron for this sort of job, a small rear-bun smoother, but really, a cap-iron isn't necessary, it's usually easy to read the grain & go with it. If the grain is so wild a plane can't handle it I just use a rasp & a lick of sandpaper.
And yeah, I always do this sort of job by eye, or occasionally 'finger-gauge' some lines with a pencil if it's a large round-over, to help keep them even & straight
One of the handiest home-made tools for profiling edges is a scratch-stock. Anyone who isn't familiar with this extremely simple tool is missing out on one of the handiest tools in a cabinet shop, imo!:
A scrap of hard wood, a bit of old saw-plate or worn-out scraper blade & about 10 minutes & you have a scratch-stock. There's no limit to the number of small profiles you can make (or match if repairing some old piece). The harder the wood, the better it scrapes, and it's surprisingly quick. No screaming routers, & no dust......
One of my favourite edge treatments is a "quirked bead". These legs for a pedestal table took about 20 minutes to do with a scratch-stock:
Cheers,
Ian
Depends on how long the edge is. If small, regular block plane for along the grain and low angle block plane with a tight mouth for cross grain . If longer edges I'll move across to a #4, but probably still a low angle block cross grain.
I've never used a scratch stock, but having seen those beaded edges maybe I ought to revisit the idea.
Craig
I've never used a scratch stock, but having seen those beaded edges maybe I ought to revisit the idea.
Craig
Garrett Hack is famous for advocating scratch stock. You can find it also in Robert Wearing's books.
Garrett was the very guy that taught me how to make and use them. I'm still cutting bits off a length of 1 inch wide bandsaw blade he gave me. Perfect for string inlays.
Jonm
Established Member
Not heard of these, just looked them up, price around £6 for six, or cheaper. Various sizes, grades, including one with different corners, 90 deg, rounded, acute and obtuse which looks interesting.
Are they good/useful? I could add them to my extensive Festool collection which comprise one pica pencil, without breaking the bank.
Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)
Established Member
My preference is to bevel an edge with a small block plane, but not a low angle. It is very easy to tear out on an edge, where any reversing grain will present a great risk for this. At a minimum, I use a LN #103, which has a common angle bed (45 degree cutting angle), a HNT Gordon small smoother (60 degree bevel down), or a Veritas DX60 with a 62 degree cutting angle. When bevelling, the amount of edge removed is about 1-2mm. Very little.
If the bevel was wider, and then needs to be exact, I have a chamfer plane I built about 20 years ago, which is still going strong. This has a 15 degree bed, but with a high secondary bevel for a high cutting angle. It is good across the grain as well ...
I am not fond of rounding edges. If this specifically needs to be done, a Round moulding plane is my choice. If a rounded bead is required, I use a scratch stock or plough plane.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Because Tibi asked: 'what hand tool' (singular) do you use to chamfer/round edge my immediate thought was a straight-bladed tool of some sort (plane / spokeshave) ut they both produce a sharp edge at the meeting two surfaces at an angle with one another (which also applies when producing an arris).
Tibi then went on to say: ' I do not mean excessive round/chamfer, just a small one so that the edge is not sharp' and that made me go back to the definition of a chamfer or arris as they both result in a sharp / defined edge. If a plane / spokeshave is used to 'round-over' an edge, the end result isn't 'rounded', it's facetted because a straight blade has been used to produce it - to get a 'rounded' edge, you then have to resort to an abrasive to achive the desired 'profile'.
If all Tibi wants to do is 'break / soften' an edge, isn't an abrasive the best way ?
Tibi then went on to say: ' I do not mean excessive round/chamfer, just a small one so that the edge is not sharp' and that made me go back to the definition of a chamfer or arris as they both result in a sharp / defined edge. If a plane / spokeshave is used to 'round-over' an edge, the end result isn't 'rounded', it's facetted because a straight blade has been used to produce it - to get a 'rounded' edge, you then have to resort to an abrasive to achive the desired 'profile'.
If all Tibi wants to do is 'break / soften' an edge, isn't an abrasive the best way ?
This is the kind of round that I am looking for, or even a bit smaller, just to be clear
This might be the ideal size for me
facets like that will look better if they are actually crisp off of a plane, just as beads off of a plane or with very fine sanding look better than coarsely made beads sanded with something like 180 grit.
It's a little thing, but it will wink back at you every time you see it if the finish is clear and crisp and not overly scuffed. If surface tension of finish is a concern on the very corner of things (like where two boards are joined), you can do something to strike the tip of the corner off).
having special planes or tools to strike corners or edges is probably a modern thing. The benefit of something like a #4 in hand is if it's set up to smooth, it won't create any tearout - and it's already in your hand all the time.
I like lots of planes and chisels as much as the next guy, but having rows of tools to do simple operations is for the type of person who changes oil in a car with a bib and disposable suit - it's dainty - like play, escapism, etc.
When the escapism is purely in the result, the escape is better.
It's a little thing, but it will wink back at you every time you see it if the finish is clear and crisp and not overly scuffed. If surface tension of finish is a concern on the very corner of things (like where two boards are joined), you can do something to strike the tip of the corner off).
having special planes or tools to strike corners or edges is probably a modern thing. The benefit of something like a #4 in hand is if it's set up to smooth, it won't create any tearout - and it's already in your hand all the time.
I like lots of planes and chisels as much as the next guy, but having rows of tools to do simple operations is for the type of person who changes oil in a car with a bib and disposable suit - it's dainty - like play, escapism, etc.
When the escapism is purely in the result, the escape is better.
Ttrees
Iroko loco!
Though you're comment doesn't say much David,
I wish to know if you have a plane specifically for the task or not..
Do you make any adjustments to your no.4 plane or leave it as is with an open mouth?
I have a no.3 which would be dandy, and I wouldn't mind setting the mouth close on it,
if it were better for some reason.
Don't know if you would detest moving the frog as much as I would on a plane which is (in my case theoretically) used frequently,
like with my pair of no 4's with open mouths.Yet to see a reason for adjusting a frog forward, but from what i can make out from some folks comments, this is the only reason to do so.
Not messed about with this, as decorative bevels on unfinished timber is the work of an Púca, and I try and find use for every scrap of precious timber.
Tom
It's the same plane I use for smoothing, set for smoothing.
I can recall once in the last 5 years carrying a block plane around to do the same job and only because it was literally for a bunk bed and I had the block plane out (and it was away from the bench).
when you're taking a small chamfer, there's no reason to reset anything - if the cap iron is typically set a hundredth off or ever so slightly under, it doesn't work like a wide smoother shaving in terms of resistance (you can take a pretty healthy shaving - just advance the iron a little).
If the mouth opening is too big (it'll probably be around 1/16th on most smoothers), then the thing being chamfered is probably small enough that chisel or file would be better than a block plane.
I can recall once in the last 5 years carrying a block plane around to do the same job and only because it was literally for a bunk bed and I had the block plane out (and it was away from the bench).
when you're taking a small chamfer, there's no reason to reset anything - if the cap iron is typically set a hundredth off or ever so slightly under, it doesn't work like a wide smoother shaving in terms of resistance (you can take a pretty healthy shaving - just advance the iron a little).
If the mouth opening is too big (it'll probably be around 1/16th on most smoothers), then the thing being chamfered is probably small enough that chisel or file would be better than a block plane.
Chamfering planes are hardly modern, unless you consider anything from the last several hundred years 'modern'.
While a plane that does nothing but make chamfers may seem a bit frivolous for the average weekend wood warrior I think I'd take a different view if I had to make miles of precise chamfers as they did on all those exposed beams in old buildings...For me, if just 'easing' or 'softening' a corner, it's usually a one-handed operation & I find it most efficient to restrain the job with one hand as I plane so it can be quickly flipped to the next corner. I guess you're a good deal younger & stronger than I am, so maybe using a #4 one-handed is no more difficult for you than using a block plane or equivalent with one hand, but a small plane is definitely easier for me to manage for easing corners. I don't enjoy pushing more tool around than is necessary to get the job done efficiently. Putting down the #4 & reaching for a small plane may expend a few calories, but they are handsomely repaid by the savings thereafter....
Cheers,
Ian
Zedgeezer
Established Member
Strangely enough, and not being a professional, just a guy who has worked with wood for many years, I'm going to stick my head above the parapet. Just to round off a sharp edge why not hand sand? It takes a bit of time to get the feel and consistency of it, but using 80 grade paper in maybe 500mm lengths at a time, start in the vertical, then at each sweep incline the block more at each sweep, feeling for the bite at each sweep. When horizontal repeat in the reverse direction with a bit less pressure. The pressure determines the radius and that's the hard bit - consistency. Finish with the same at 120 or 180 grit. Unless you are into mass production I find this the most effective / quickest method because it works on end grain as well without the obvious problem of planing end grain or very short lengths.
Chamfering planes are hardly modern, unless you consider anything from the last several hundred years 'modern'.
For me, if just 'easing' or 'softening' a corner, it's usually a one-handed operation & I find it most efficient to restrain the job with one hand as I plane so it can be quickly flipped to the next corner. I guess you're a good deal younger & stronger than I am, so maybe using a #4 one-handed is no more difficult for you than using a block plane or equivalent with one hand, but a small plane is definitely easier for me to manage for easing corners. I don't enjoy pushing more tool around than is necessary to get the job done efficiently. Putting down the #4 & reaching for a small plane may expend a few calories, but they are handsomely repaid by the savings thereafter....
Cheers,
Ian
as uncommon as chamfering planes are, I think we'd find they weren't used much on furniture. I'm just guessing that few on here are thinking of chamfering a few thousand square feet of trim - just a guess.
we're talking about a stanley 4 here (not a wood river 4 or some way to make a plane 50% heavier. You grab it across the top or by the handle, and then lead it across the wood (perhaps with two hands on larger items) - on long items, your fingertips are saved, too.
This is one of those things where if you get in the flow of making things, it starts to make a lot of sense. If plane use is intermittent and maybe pictures of things are being taken to post, then it may not make as much sense (that's not aimed at you, but rather that I'm learning most hand tool use seems to be to write articles or show using hand tools.
Jim
Ttrees
Iroko loco!
So you're saying there is no difference in polish between end grain and long grain?
No difference in polish with a tight mouth and an open mouth at this teeny depth shaving?
Seems from paring tenons that I got more of a polished surface going cross grain with a lowish angle shoulder plane, compared to my no.3 which has a close set cap, and leaving the work a bit dull.
Seemingly the same deal without the cap involved when making short chamfers on the shooting board, a slightly dull looking cut from what I've achieved that way.
Definitely not a lovely gleaming chatoyant bevel like Mr Charlesworth makes, but maybe that being due to really oily woods rather than something like iroko or I guess sapelle which you might have worked before.
I'd like to know if a really steep bevel, Warren has suggested he goes as far as 80 deg
on the cap, so I'd find that interesting to see if any differences are evident.
As I said I've not made decorative bevels before, but I guess it's a lot more obvious on long areas like Tibi has suggested, (end grain and long grain.)
although I'd sooner a perfect flat facet like David, as it jumps out a bit more, so likely shows up any inconsistency compared to a small bit of a rounding, which the piccy above appears to be to my eyes.
Maybe some like to get the most even look, which is also valid.
Thanks for making the post Tibi!
Not really read much on this specific subect before.
Tom
use the plane askew on long grain - really askew on all of it when chamfering (it's easier if there's clearance for the plane).
I"ve never had an issue with brightness on end grain with a bench plane. I've chamfered probably half of the wedges on bench planes I"ve made with a plane, and half with a chisel.
I can't really say much about what warren does or doesn't do. When I tested cap irons early on, I didn't like them with much steepness at the very tip - I just roll the stanley profile ever so slightly steeper while polishing but I don't like a wall - not even a short one - at the front where the cap iron meets the iron.
I"ve never had an issue with brightness on end grain with a bench plane. I've chamfered probably half of the wedges on bench planes I"ve made with a plane, and half with a chisel.
I can't really say much about what warren does or doesn't do. When I tested cap irons early on, I didn't like them with much steepness at the very tip - I just roll the stanley profile ever so slightly steeper while polishing but I don't like a wall - not even a short one - at the front where the cap iron meets the iron.
I forgot to say, when you're chamfering if you run a bit much through it, you'll get a surface a bit fuzzy just as you would with the cap set too close. as you're nearing your mark if doing more than just a little on long grain, back off the shaving and it should be bright and clear.
and you can run the plane askew, and since you've got tearout protection, you just more or less go until the plane is dull or you run into stray dirt, whichever is first.
This brings something to mind - planes. I'd hate to do this with a block plane. These chamfers are actually cut with the try plane and then a few smoothing passes (they get large enough that you can plane them like an edge).
They'd be a mess with a block plane - or very slow.
I suppose I'm using two planes, but it's not like they're not two planes that aren't already at the bench. Since they're a regular rotation of planes, you never have to guess whether they were sharp when you put them away - they're never put away.
The only reason the chamfer may not look crisp in that image, too, is because I was soaking it with oil.
and you can run the plane askew, and since you've got tearout protection, you just more or less go until the plane is dull or you run into stray dirt, whichever is first.
This brings something to mind - planes. I'd hate to do this with a block plane. These chamfers are actually cut with the try plane and then a few smoothing passes (they get large enough that you can plane them like an edge).
They'd be a mess with a block plane - or very slow.
I suppose I'm using two planes, but it's not like they're not two planes that aren't already at the bench. Since they're a regular rotation of planes, you never have to guess whether they were sharp when you put them away - they're never put away.
The only reason the chamfer may not look crisp in that image, too, is because I was soaking it with oil.
