Official Luthiers Forum!

Have any of you had any experience of using these tools in your building ?

http://www.axminster.co.uk/microplane-shopmicroplane/

John

I use the flat one to hog off material for neck carving. Works like a cheese grater and makes quick work of hogging material off of a rough neck blank. Be careful though, always move in long strokes the length of the neck as this tool will chew through material so fast!

Knew a guy that used the drill press cylinder type to hog off material, and he carved through the back of the truss rod. It just removed too much material too fast.

Good luck!

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Yes, they are fast and don't load up.

Yes, they are fast and don't load up.

I use them to carve the necks of my guitars, I love them. I have the snap in handle with the round and flat Micro planes in course and fine.

My wife was in my shop a few weeks ago and spotted one of my microplanes and confiscated it accusing me of stealing her cheese grater. She gave it back when she saw that I used it a bit. I think she still believes that I stole her cheese grater.

John

Neck Shaping

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Peter

They're great for zesting citrus and grating parmesan

Steve

We use them to grate Asiago over our pasta.

-jd

I use my small, cylindrical one to size out holes in my jigs (ie: bending patterns to press fit the aluminum rods) and it works like a knife through warm butter! Beth

The inventors originally designed these tools for citrus zesting, and only later did one of them realise the potential for marketing to the woodworking industries.

I have all three, flat, square and round, and IMHO they are gimmicky, and not of industrial quality for woodworking. The flat one in particular will eventually take a kink which will render it practically useless.

Better by far to shell out the bucks for a proper set of rasps, like Nicolson, or Vallorbe-/Grobet.

I have both sizes of the rotary ones, and they work great. The also have a following bushing for flush cutting to a template.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I just got the small round rasp. I use it to form the relieved area in the head where the strings exit. Works great!

Max

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Max Bishop
Brighton, Michigan

A bit off subject but how do you sharpen a rasp?

John

I've used my flat microplane to carve about 50 maple necks and it's still sharp and cuts well.

Never done it John, but believe it's an acid bath process of controlled corrosion. Someone will know the details.

I've used the flat microplane blade (without the handle) to revoice a top on a completed guitar. Easy to get it inside and easy to shave braces at just about any location.

"I have both sizes of the rotary ones, and they work great. The also have a following bushing for flush cutting to a template."

Where did you see the bushing for flush cutting and what is the cutting depth?