Replies

1. 
   BenM | Apr 23, 2003 08:07pm | #1

   A scrub plane will give you a fluted effect.  I can't tell from the photo how wide or deep the flutes are but the scrub plane may give you something deeper than you want.  I guess it won't be for a writing desk :).  Are you looking for that antique look where the flutes are barely visible; you can feel them more than see them?  If you are looking for a subtle effect like that you could use a jack plane with a blade that has a very slight radius.  I think the convex plane gives a similar effect but I have no experience with it.

2. 
   bill_1010 | Apr 24, 2003 04:39pm | #2

   id wager to guess that Larry Williams of Clark & Williams planes (or williams/clark i cant remember) of NE Arkansas could probably get you a plane like that.  I have no idea if Knight planes makes that style of plane.

   Basically its a moulding plane, Clark and Williams planes could make or possibly have in stock a plane to fit.

   Try googling Clark and Williams Planes of Arkansas or Steve Knight Planes to pull up their web sites.

   Ebay might be a source of old moulding planes however getting a matching plane and iron sometimes is more work then might be desired.

3. 
   Andrew | Apr 24, 2003 06:58pm | #3

   I'm guessing from the last picture that you are looking for the flutes to run parallel, and aren't after a rustic look. If you were a scrub plane would be perfect, however, you could run into big problems planing with the grain, as they take such a deep cut. You should look for a moulding plane like the japanese plane, or make one, with a curved sole to match the radius you want. That way you can take some nice finishing cuts at the end to clean everything up. Butt the plane up against a wooded fence to keep the flutes parallel.

   hope this helps

   andrew

4. 
   BG | Apr 24, 2003 10:50pm | #4

   Kunzwerks,

   I recently ran across an 8' antique table that had flutes eminating from the center to the edge....beautiful.  I wonder is they were planed or scraped..

1. 
   BarryVaBeach | Apr 24, 2003 11:52pm | #5

   Kunzwerks ,  I am not sure from the picture, but it does appear that the flutes are parallel to one another as in a column and are much deeper than is possible with a flat bottomed plane.  If you use a scrub plane, or a bench plane with a radius to the iron, you would get a scalloped but it would be extremely tough, if not impossible,  to get the  effect in the picture because while the first pass would take out  a " slight" scallop or hollow, on  on the next pass the hollow will be no deeper than the amount of radius of the iron, and on the next pass there will be no cut at all- because the bottom is flat and will not ride in the trough.  In contrast a round plane ( I think - though it might be a hollow plane ) has a round bottom so that with each pass, the plane naturally follows in the groove from the last pass so that you can have a fairly deep groove or hollow.  I have seen demonstrations that show that if you are careful, and the wood is pretty cooperative, you can get the flutes to stay pretty parallel to one another.  In Jan of 2003 Mack Headley demonstrated a similar procedure at the FWW Colonial Williamsburg Institute when he put flutes in a bedpost using rounds made by Clark and Williams.  Other sources would include old tool dealers, or ebay.  As for new-  the most recent Japan Woodworker catalog I just saw offered Asian hollow and rounds priced by the pair and probably less than the old tools route.  Good luck. 

1. 
   Kunzwerks | Apr 26, 2003 05:25am | #6

   Your message makes a lot of sense. The japanese convex plane is probabley the way to go, considering I can purchase one for about $35 to $40. I'm familar with Steve Knight's planes (have one) and am tempted to have him make me one, athough the cost will certainly be more. There is a nice picture on the LN web site with their scrub plane creating the fluted effect, but from the feedback posted, it sounds like it would be tricky to obtain a smooth surface, especially with anything other than absolutely straight grained soft woods.

   Thanks everyone, for your input. Much appreciated.

5. 
   Michael6255 | Apr 27, 2003 02:49pm | #7

   Hi KW,

   That effect is more of a wide "scallop" than a flute, which is deep, and is not from a scrub, but from a jack plane with a very gradual camber honed into the cutting edge of the iron.  A scrub's iron or round molding plane would give you much more narrow and shallow scallops, and wouldn't look that way at all.  Do you have a #5 or 6 plane that you can modify..........or get a scrub and flatten the camber.  Scrubs don't have Bailey adjusters since they typically are used to hog off wood so the shallow depth of cut that you'll need may be tough if you're not used to this kind of plane.  I suspect that you're not a plane user, and if  I wanted to do what you want, I'd buy a cheap #5 and fool w/ the iron curring edge shape.  If like me you already have a 5, buy a new or used iron and fiddle w/ it taking a few test cuts as you go.  good luck

   Mike