Howdy,
Pardon my reviving an old thread but I just spent a bit of time with my new Veritas Low Angle spokeshave. And should anyone find the next statement blasphemous let me beg forgiveness in advance.
The spokeshave is god, and Mario Roderiquez is its prophet. I bought my first spokeshave a week ago having read Mario’s article from Fine Woodworking (#122) as reprinted in Taunton’s Working with Handplanes book. In his first paragraph he describes tuning an old spokeshave that one of his students couldn’t work with. Then he sees another student with a pile of brackets and a power sander, and not happy. He appropriates an unsanded bracket and spends a few minutes on the internal curves with the spokeshave and comes up with a lovely bracket. I took it to heart and bought one, but not one of his recommended pair as the new Veritas took my fancy.
I don’t know which to praise first, the spokeshave as a tool or the Veritas Low Angle (and the latter only as it is the only one I’ve ever used). I’m shaping feet for my music stands, a bit similar to brackets in shape as they are the “legs” of a vertical column. I worked for over an hour on the first of four, learning the moves with the spokeshave (and having problems with the changing grain over the curvature). By the time I was working on the third I was having a lap dance (no, no strippers in my apartment). Pirouetting the spokeshave around one handle, pulling it straight through in other places, using a “paring cut” pulling with the fingers while holding the piece with the thumbs. And all the while using my legs and knees to adjust the angle.
By the time I got to the fourth piece it was dancing in my lap, as I sipped my beer. What fun, what a versatile tool. I found myself using it as a plane, and as a knife. Switching angles to the grain as I felt the wood.
Now specific to the Veritas Low Angle. A couple of thumbscrews hold the blade (which is the base of the shaver). It takes a minute or so to remove the blade and put a bit of a hone on it, and then to replace it in the exact cut depth (as it hasn’t changed). The blade mounting defines the “mouth”, the “toe piece” defines the depth of cut – and that isn’t disturbed by removing the blade. Wow, nice design. I haven’t gotten the hang of the “reversed” toe piece for internal cuts yet, although I’m close – just a matter of figuring the right cut depth, or maybe I’ll want a standard shaver for internal flats (so far so good on the internal edges).
Just had to tell you all how much I enjoyed learning this tool, and I warn you that you may have to make new sawn blanks if you use it, the smoothing of the cuts is addictive and one could shave a piece to nothing just by forgetting to stop.
Best, Jon
Replies
Hello Best Jon,
I read your post with interest. Very anxious to use my Veritas Low-angle smooth plane I bought at Lee Valley two months ago. The merchandise hasn't arrived yet. (To save shipping cost, I requested LV to send my merchandise via surface mail. The expected delivery time is 8-10 weeks to reach Kuala Lumpur, MY. So far I never failed to received my orders). Hopefully, I will be able to tell my experience using the plane in a couple of weeks.
I bought many other hand tools at LV - Pax Tenon Saw, Narex Chisels, forstners, scrapers, finishing tools and workbench vises. I have not had the chance to use all, but I believe they are good tools of high quality.
Masrol
Masrol
I work in KL a couple of times a year, and have never been able to find anyone doing serious woodwork (other than shopfitters and coffin-makers). Would love to make contact if you're interested. Link at my web site.
Malcolmhttp://www.macpherson.co.nz
Hi Malcolm,
Sorry for replying your post very late because I visit FWN Knots forum only during office hours. I'm so happy receiving your post. Every time I receive e-mails or woodworking magazine that I subscribed or merchandise that I ordered, I feel like receiving new lease of life to continue doing woodworking as a hobby. Not much of woodworking it self that flexing my muscle but getting the woodworking needs that is very challenging & discouraging
Yes you're right Malcolm. Not many people doing serious woodworking in KL. You very lucky if you can find one. I'm not a serious woodworker either. I'm just a hobbyist. I find very hard to get info on woodworking in KL It seems that those with knowledge in woodworking are not readily cooperative . Speciality machines & tools for WW enthusiasts and small shops are very rare.
I learn woodworking thru internet. I bought most of my woodworking needs such as machines, hand-tools and books - at online shops : MLCS, Tool-Net, Scott & Sergant, Lee Valley, Woodpecker, Peachtreeusa, Taunton etc..
Bye
Masrol, KUL
So how do you get on with timber? What do you use, and where do you buy it?
I visited a furniture factory south of KL last time I was in Malaysia (forgot to mention this, it was late last year) and was very impressed with the scale and quality of the furniture being produced (it was a Hong Leong plant).
Malcolm http://www.macpherson.co.nz
Timber suppliers/sawmills no problem. I use to buy S4S timber board. Is OK to buy rough sawn timber once a while - but with that noisy hand power planer, I cannot stand to work more than 20 minutes a day. I can wear hearing protector, but I cannot ask my neighbors to wear one right ? My house is in a very dense residential housing area. The wall of my woodworking room is my neighbour's bedroom's wall.
When you visited Hong Leong plant, I supposed it is somewhere in Puchong or Balakong. If have the chance to visit Malaysia, why not you go further 170 miles or so south of KL. There are so many furniture plants in MUAR and Bakri in State Johore. Johore is located far south where Singapore is his neighbour.
It is far cheaper to buy wooden furniture in Malaysia than to make 'em on our own. Maybe that is one of the reason why woodworking as an individually operated shop or as a hobby is not popular and very rare in Malaysia.
Of course, you could go the hand tools route. Then you could save money on your stock and still not disturb the neighbors.
Maybe you could make them something small as a gift, might make them more understanding (though not "power planer at night" understanding). :)My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
Hey Jon,
If you like low angle shaves, check out this site:
http://www.ncworkshops.com/
Tom
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