Replies

1. 
   aaronpetersen | May 09, 2011 01:06pm | #1

   Larry,

   I tend to go the power route. I would use a slot cutting bit with a bearing set in a router/table. 

   Aaron

2. 
   giraffelt | May 12, 2011 10:51am | #2

   thanks aaron

   Aaron,

   thanks for the response. The slot cutter with a bearing is what I will use. I am still curious however as to how to do it with hand tools as more and more I am leaning toward them and away from machinery.

   larry

1. 
   aaronpetersen | May 12, 2011 02:34pm | #3

   I've never done it with hand tools, but it is possible. I just pulled a couple hand plane books off the sheld and Garrett Hack's The Hand Plane Book shows some cooper's tools starting on page 212 and he makes mention of a tool called a croze. Apparently, this was used to cut a shallow groove in the inside of a barrel in order to seat the lid. It's a pretty archaic tool, but you might be able to find something on the interweb. 

   Also, you might be able to accomplish the same thing by using a stanley 45/55 combo plane or simply putting a radius on the sole of a grooving plane and riding it against a fence. 

   Good Luck!

   Aaron

2. 
   RalphBarker | May 13, 2011 10:29am | #4

   another option

   Another option would be to make your own grooving plane havig a curved bottom surface that matches the curve of the drawer front. The utility of such a plane, of course, depends on having drawers of a consistent curve.

3. 
   DonStephan | May 13, 2011 08:32pm | #5

   Perhaps a scratch "bead"

   Perhaps a scratch "bead" tool.  A mortising gauge with twin cutting knives would speed the process initially by defining the borders.  Of, with the borders defined with a mortising gauge, appropriate carving gouges could rough out the depth pretty quickly, but only if you are much more skilled with the gouges than I am.

1. 
   giraffelt | May 15, 2011 08:48pm | #7

   panel groove

   Ralph/Don,

   Thanks for the suggestions. The dedicated groove plane would seem to be the best hand tool approach. I would mess things up I am sure if I tried to gouge approach. 

   Larry

4. 
   giraffelt | May 15, 2011 08:43pm | #6

   panel groove

   Aaron,

   thanks for taking the time to research this. I will do some research of my own just to satisfy my curiosity but will go the power route as you suggested.

5. 
   BruceS | May 15, 2011 09:35pm | #8

   mortise gauge

   If you can find a knife type rather than the pin type mortise marking gauge you can lay out the grove and slowly chisel out between the lines and reset the knives a bit deeper on the gauge and keep going down till you reach your desired depth.

6. 
   stantheman | May 24, 2011 08:27pm | #9

   Larry I know its been a while since you posted.  Lee Valley sells a hand tool, Veritas Beading tool that might work for this.  It holds a piece of scratch stock - your own or their standard profiles - and you pull it against the edge of your work piece like a plane.  I've not used one, but seen it demoed.  Might work but would take a long time.

   EDIT  oops,  I see this tool was mentioned in earlier post