Replies

1. 
   Midnight | Feb 11, 2005 02:46am | #1

   Mitch... not that I'm one to encourage excessive gushiness... but maybe something like this might help...

    

   http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp?pf_id=21778&sfile=1&jump=0

   or

   http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=32680&cat=1,41182

   Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

1. 
   mvac | Feb 11, 2005 04:32pm | #4

   Leave it to a Scotsman to misinterpret...

   I was trying to smooth the flat face of a curved piece of wood - the side of a valentine's heart... But thanks for the thought.Mitch

   "I'm always humbled by how much I DON'T know..."

1. 
   Midnight | Feb 11, 2005 05:54pm | #7

   I was trying to smooth the flat face of a curved piece of wood - the side of a valentine's heart... But thanks for the thought.

   well sheesh.. if ye'd said flats and faces I woulda suggested either a 9 1/2 or 60 1/2 block plane or possibly a cabinet scraper, depending on how brittle the wood is...Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

1. 
   mvac | Feb 11, 2005 07:47pm | #9

   "well sheesh.. if ye'd said flats and faces I woulda suggested either a 9 1/2 or 60 1/2 block plane or possibly a cabinet scraper, depending on how brittle the wood is..."

   Wait a sec - I was supposed to give all the necessary information? Damn. I'm always having problems with that...Mitch

   "I'm always humbled by how much I DON'T know..."

1. 
   Midnight | Feb 11, 2005 08:51pm | #10

   gotta loooooooove premature decrepidation...  ;)Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

2. 
   WillGeorge | Feb 11, 2005 05:11pm | #5

   51 English pounds!  geeeeeeeeee

1. 
   Midnight | Feb 11, 2005 05:54pm | #8

   nae just English pounds George, Scots, Welsh and Irish ones too.. more's the pity...Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

2. 
   Lilshaver | Feb 11, 2005 08:13am | #2

   I have and will use a block plane on anything. If you haven't shown yourself that this is a viable use of the tool by trying it....... get busy.

1. 
   mvac | Feb 11, 2005 04:29pm | #3

   JP,

   Thanks for the encouragement. I wound up using a scraper for this project, but will definitely start looking for opportunities to make better use of the "little guy."Mitch

   "I'm always humbled by how much I DON'T know..."

2. 
   WillGeorge | Feb 11, 2005 05:20pm | #6

   I have and will use a block plane on anything..

   I have a little brass one.. No name thing.. It is GREAT!

   I even use it to hog off wood before I use a router...

3. 
   Peter36 | Feb 11, 2005 09:04pm | #11

   Hi Mitch. I once had to clean up the outside edge of a oval table and I really did not want to round the edges at all. I took a blade out of my plane and got a srap of wood that was square. I simply held the blade against the scrap to keep it square and basically scraped the surface. If you have an old blade you could sharpen it and then put a hook on it. I think that would work better.   Hope this helps you.   Peter

    

    

4. 
   djcolorado | Feb 11, 2005 09:09pm | #12

   You might try a surform tool next time.

5. 
   TomHigby | Feb 12, 2005 03:41am | #13

   Planing around the circumference of a heart shape would require frequent changes in planing direction but should work.  I'm pleased to hear about your interest in letter carving, also an interest of mine.  Very hard woods are also very hard to do letter carving on.  You should try that on some scrap.

   Most of the books on letter carving advise basswood or some other soft wood, but I've used hard maple.  It's a mallet and chisel job.

   Tom

1. 
   mvac | Feb 12, 2005 08:31am | #14

   Tom,

   Thanks for the advice. And I hope you don't think me sacriligeous, but I'm planning on using a rotary tool with an engraving bit. Any thoughts on that?Mitch

   "I'm always humbled by how much I DON'T know..."

1. 
   RANGERP75R | Feb 12, 2005 05:38pm | #15

   Does anyone own a spoke-shave? They aren't all that expensive..

   sarge..jtProud member of the :  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   Lilshaver | Feb 12, 2005 08:36pm | #17

   Are you taking a poll? I have about a dozen.Jeff

1. 
   RANGERP75R | Feb 13, 2005 07:52pm | #22

   jp

     Nah, on the poll. I have four spoke-shaves also and a few block-planes. Was just in a hurry and quickly pointing out that a spoke-shave IMO is a better choice to do the curves.

     Hopefully it wasn't interpreted as fecious as it wasn't meant to be.

   mvac...

     It's a good investment if you do a lot of curves.. inner and outer.

   jazz...

      I would be lost without mine also. Took a while to get the hang of adjusting and getting the stroke down pat, but it's the way to go on curves, IMO.

   Regards...

   sarge..jt

    Proud member of the :  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

2. 
   mvac | Feb 13, 2005 05:56am | #20

   "Does anyone own a spoke-shave? They aren't all that expensive.."

   Well, no, but you're the 2nd or 3rd person in the thread to mention it, and it certainly seems like a must-have, since this won't be the last time, I'll have to deal with this issue. Do note, though, that I'm hanging my head in shame for not having acquired it to date.

   Cheers,Mitch

   "I'm always humbled by how much I DON'T know..."

3. 
   jazzdogg | Feb 13, 2005 06:15am | #21

   "Does anyone own a spoke-shave? They aren't all that expensive.."Sarge,I cannot imagine being without mine! They were among the first tools I replaced when a bag of hand-tools was stolen from my car last year. Same goes for drawknives, travishers, scorps, inshaves, and other "quaint" tools - I can't imagine how I got along without them for so many years!-Jazzdogg-

   Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.

2. 
   TomHigby | Feb 13, 2005 02:02am | #18

   I hope you are not disappointed.  Machine cut letters always look like machine cut letters.  Why not take a piece of scrap, carefully lay out some letters and go at it with a chisel?  You might become a convert!

   Tom

1. 
   mvac | Feb 13, 2005 05:52am | #19

   You're right, Tom, I just might become a convert! That said, Valentine's day is the day after tomorrow, and it took me a good long time to get the heart shaped properly, apply umpteen coats of Zinsser's new Bullseye French Polish (easier my foot!), and "spirit away" the stroke marks with multiple coats of denatured alcohol. So, I'll have to save letter-carving for another project.

   So, having carefully laid out the inscription on a paper template using a compass and a lettering guide, I practiced writing with the rotary tool on some scrap before swallowing hard, taping the template to the face of the piece, and ever-so-gingerly grazing the surface of the paper and through to the wood. I have to say, it turned out beautifully. And, because I wasn't using a metal template or some cnc-type machine tool to make the letters, they don't look machine cut at all, although they look neat and well laid out. I shaped an itsy-bitsy (yes, I, a manly, manly man, said "itsy-bitsy") heart toward the bottom of the inscription, and painted that fire engine red. I have to admit, it looks great. My best guess is that the wood's Cocobolo, with some great figuring and beautiful light sapwood near the top.

   I might even get lucky Monday night...

   Thanks for the advice,Mitch

   "I'm always humbled by how much I DON'T know..."

1. 
   deventer1660 | Apr 19, 2006 04:40pm | #23

   I saw this post re. Zinsser French Polish - thought you might be able to help...

   I have recently started using Zinsser Bullseye "French Polish".  I have followed all the directions carefully and cannot seem to get a even mirror like surface during the spiriting off stage.  Running in the direction of the spiriting motion there are dull streaks typically - everyonce in a while I can get an even shiny surface...maybe once out of ten times.  I am using lint cotton jersey material formed into a small pad...nearly saturated with denat. alcohol. - I lightly bring the pad into contact with the surface overlapping slightly with each stroke.  I really like the quality of the finish and it's ease of use...but I really need some help here!!

6. 
   Pondfish | Feb 12, 2005 07:51pm | #16

   I use my Stanley #203 on just about everything, including curved surfaces, provided that the curve is not too sharp.  I also use a spoke shave at times, but that block plane sure gets a lot of use in my shop.  Kept sharp, I haven't had the need to get a LN low angle, adjustable mouth plane.  But I sure would want one....

   For wide concave surfaces the block plabe works great--just adjust the blade depth to a little deeper than normal, and it will act a bit like a scraper with a fore and aft guide (except near the end of the workpiece).