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Brace shaping planes
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=23478		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Edward Taylor [ Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Brace shaping planes
Is having one small enough for this use a good thing to have? What do you guys use?
Here is one from Lee Valley I am thinking of getting, looks like it would be small enough for the task and fits my budget:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... at=1,41182

I imagine an Ibex plane would be good but does not fit the budget right now.
Author:  Tom West [ Mon Aug 17, 2009 4:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
ED: I use a plane like Lee Valley's palm plane.I fine the squirrel tail provides control and comfort. Also a bit cheaper.
Author:  TonyKarol [ Mon Aug 17, 2009 5:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
I use the little Lee Valley rosewood body plane, 1/2 inch blade, 16 bucks ... modded the body by making it shorter, and putting an angle on the sides to do triangulated brace shapes .. its cheaper, and easy to modd ...
Author:  Frei [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 1:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
I had to modify a door from sticking in another state, and so we bought a little cheapo $5.00 handplane at the local hardware conglomerate. It worked fine on the maple door top right out of the box, and I was thinking, dang, this may work for braces as well.

The little Ibex planes are really small, and I threw out my thumb joint using one... eek

I am thinking flatten the bottom of the cheapo plane, sharpen well, and that would do it. They are about 3" long. Also, use a vice grips to get a 'handle' on em if you want. Then small 400 grit sand paper blocks to smooth. I also have an old small bull nose stanley to get into corners, works just fine.
Author:  Robbie O'Brien [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
Fellow OLF'er Stephen Boone makes wonderful little wooden hand planes. I believe they are about 35 bucks and well worth it.
Author:  Stephen Boone [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 8:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
Thanks Robbie!
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
So, Stephen, where do you sell them?
Author:  Edward Taylor [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
I am interested too.
Author:  Stephen Boone [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
Attachment:
IMG_2523.jpg
Attachment:
IMG_2524.jpg


Here are a couple of images of my planes. I am currently working With Tracy Leveque at Luthier's Suppliers to set up his website to sell these planes. We may be live by this evening perhaps tomorrow or so.

In the meantime I am happy to start building the planes for anyone interested and when Tracy's site is live you can pay there.

The thing that really sets my planes apart is the blade. I create the blades from O-1 tool steel raw bar stock. I cut blanks about 2 inches long and then shape the blade profile with files and grinders by hand. I make the blades two inches long to make them easy to sharpend with a jig. I then heat treat the steel with and oxy-aceteylene torch and quench in oil. After tempering I clean and lap them and then hone to a razor edge. (My left forearm is bald from all the shaving.) I make and assemble the planes and but a bevel on the outer edges to allow brace shaving right down to the level of the top. I also bevel the leading and trailing edges of the planes to help prevent damage to the top and to allow a slight scooping motion during planing.


I think that these planes are wonderful for brace shaving and they are what I use myself for that task. If anyone is interested please send me a pm.

Thanks
Author:  LuthierSupplier [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
I can vouch that Stephen's little mini-planes are awesome! The blade is just fantastic, and ready to start carving right out of the package. This little plane feels very solid in your hand. This is definately a great deal for the quality. You can now purchase them here http://www.luthiersuppliers.com/products/p13.html for $35, and this includes free shipping in the continental US.
Author:  Brock Poling [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
Something cool I saw in the Somogyi book is to take a small plane and modify it so that the sides are not square. Set them so they are greater than 90 degrees. Then you can run your plane flat along the back and taper the braces into a triangular profile.

I thought that was a very clever idea.

I have not done it yet, but I will probably make a plane to do that.
Author:  Edward Taylor [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
Brock, was it you who I saw used a parallelogram shaped sanding bar made of corian to sand a triangular shape? I want to make one.
Author:  Pat Foster [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 4:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
Edward,

Here are the main tools I use for shaping. I mostly use the little spokeshave in the lower left of the first pic. It's cut down from an X-acto hobby kit one that I got years ago. With the ears cut off, I can do the sides of the braces as well as the tops. I first got it to do brace shaving on finished guitars, back when it was a kosher thing to do, so it works well inside the closed body. It being a spokeshave, I pull it, which makes it easier for me to control and is fast to use.

Attachment:
DSCN7535_1.JPG


Attachment:
l29.jpg


My next experiment might be a cut-down small block plane, with bevelled edges such as Todd shows.

Pat
Author:  Darryl Young [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 8:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
Stephan,

That looks like a great deal. I just ordered one of your planes.

Thanks,
Darryl Young
Author:  Edward Taylor [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 8:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
Darryl Young wrote:
Stephan,

That looks like a great deal. I just ordered one of your planes.

Thanks,
Darryl Young


+1 [:Y:]
Author:  Stephen Boone [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 8:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
Thank you so much fellas!

You will like your planes.
Author:  GHatcher [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 8:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
I will place an order soon.

Stephen, I might need some tips from you as well. I bought several hock blades last year with the intention of making some hand planes myself One day I will get to that.

Greg
Author:  SteveSmith [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
I ordered one too. We're gonna keep you busy for awhile. [:Y:]
Author:  Edward Taylor [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
Stephen you might need to quit your day job :D .
Author:  Jim Kirby [ Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
SteveSmith wrote:
I ordered one too. We're gonna keep you busy for awhile. [:Y:]


Me too. Get to work!

(Although I have parts that Chris made for me at John Hall's last year and have never put them together - my bad)
Author:  Stephen Boone [ Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
Wow! Thanks a lot everyone.

Greg, I am glad to help out. I love my planes I have made with Hock blades and I am sure I can give help where needed.

Luckily I have already done lots of work so everyone will get their planes in just a few days. I have nine bodies ready to be fitted with sharpened blades and ten more blades ready for sharpening.

Keep them comming!!!
Author:  Jim_H [ Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
I just ordered two! (one for each hand!) hehe.. actually one is for a friend.

Jim
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Wed Aug 19, 2009 9:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
I'm in there too. I want mine signed! :D
Author:  Stephen Boone [ Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
Got your order Waddy, what if I stamp an SB on it? They are really too small to get very fancy. I have a brand for my big woodworking but it is bigger than these planes.

Just here for lunch, back to work for me! I got four finalized this morning.
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Wed Aug 19, 2009 1:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace shaping planes
Signing would be great, but I figured it would be too small. An SB would be great!
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