Proper spokeshave setup

[Justin Cavender]

I just recieved a new spokeshave from ebay it seems to work well but i'm sure it could be better can anyone tell me how to properly set it up.I would like to be able to read through the shavings any advice or feedback would be greatly appreciated thanks:D

[Casey Gooding]

What spokeshave is it? Pics would help in pointing you in the right direction.

[Justin Cavender]

It is a no name it has No on one handle and v151 on the other it is a flat bottom has adjustment screws. I flattened the bottom on a belt sander and sharpened the blade on an oil stone but i think I might need to do something to where the blade lays but I dont know how to any help would be appreciated thanks in advance.

[Justin Cavender]

How do I post a pic?

[Justin Cavender]

Okay figured it out

[Casey Gooding]

Use a small mill file and flatten the bed where the blade lies. This will do a lot to cut down on chatter. Be careful not to open the mouth during this process. Then, set your spokeshave for a light cut, it's trial and error to an extent.

[Justin Cavender]

And another I hope I'm alowwed to do that I got them from the auction If it is not allowe I apologize

[Justin Cavender]

Thanks Casey but how do I know where to file it looks good to the old MarkI eyeball but looks can be decieving.

[John Keeton]

Justin, I think what Casey is saying is that you want the blade to lay flat on its bed and not rest on a high spot or two. That, along with not being extremely sharp, can cause shatter.

Just from looking it appears the mouth is not very tight, and that may affect the cut as well. I am not well versed in spokeshaves, but I am betting others more qualified jump in here soon!

[Casey Gooding]

I generally file the entire bed. It may look flat, but just a tiny bump or two can cause a surprising amount of chatter. Also, make sure you don't file away the threads on the rods. It's not hard, you just need to be careful.
All that being said, adding an aftermarket blade (like Hock) certainly wouldn't hurt things either. I have found that mouths do tend to need opening after adding these thicker blades.

[David Keller NC]

Justin - Based on the blue color, I think you may have a Record clone of a Preston design. Preston was a firm that went OOB in the early 20th century, but they introduced designs for iron tools (particularly spokeshaves and shoulder planes) that a lot of manufacturers copied, including Record. Record was bought out by Irwin (I think) in the late 1990's, so they're also no longer in business.

Regarding your spokeshave - If you were really aggressive with the belt sander, you've likely opened up the mouth on the tool. That'll make it work very well for hogging off waste on things like chair legs and other narrow surfaces, but probably didn't help matters getting very fine shavings off of a surface wider than the tool. If that's the case, you may well want to consider a replacement blade by Hock - they're a bit thicker than the originals, and will close up the mouth a bit.

Also, if you intend to use this tool on broad, flat surfaces, you'll need to camber the iron a bit (i.e., put a slight curve on it) as you would with a smoothing plane. Otherwise, the corners will dig in.

[Justin Cavender]

I was on the belt sander with it for about 2 seconds I've already started saving for a hock. I am using this thing for one purpose shaping guitar necks roughly then finishing with a rasp and sandpaper. I want the fine shavings just for personal satisfaction they are not realy needed. I just want to stroke my own ego a little bit.

[Alan DuBoff]

The two adjustment screws on the #151 make it one of the better vintage shaves, I have one myself (mine is an older Stanley jappaned version).

I wouldn't worry about getting a new blade for it, but would focus on getting the one in it sharp.

These vintage metal shaves don't work nearly as well as the modern shaves from LN or LV, though. I would save my $$$s to buy one of them before buying a new blade for your #151, since a Hock blade is about $35 for them, as I recall.

For guitar necks, the concave shaves work well for that.

[John Keeton]

And, I think there is an LN for sale on the Maine craigslist!
For guitar necks, the concave shaves work well for that.

[willie sobat]

I read an article in FWW a few years back by Mario Rodriguez about tuning a 151 style spokeshave. In it he suggested (in addition to other comments already posted) that the bed should be filled with epoxy. If I remember correctly he layered epoxy in the bed then sandwiched paper between the iron and the bed and clamped the iron down. After allowing the epoxy to set he removed the iron and then filed the bed until he had removed the paper. This left a copletely flat surface under the iron to reduce chatter.

I have the same shave (my first) but have never tried this. I like iron shaves when working spindles but prefer wood bodies for fairing curves. Well tuned that shave will serve you well. I could probably done fine just sticking to the Record but, I have a spokeshave problem.:o

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=68517

Edit. I was mistaken about the author of the article I referenced above. The correct author was Brian Boggs from the SEP/OCT 2002 issue of FWW. Sorry.

[Alan DuBoff]

And, I think there is an LN for sale on the Maine craigslist!
Yes, that is a curved base, in the lot of 3 planes shown. The concave is similar but designed for guitar necks and such.

http://www.lie-nielsen.com/images/BoggConcaveUse.jpg

I was just using one of these last night to create these corbels, along with the curved sole one, as shown in the Maine craigslist ad. The concave blade is tricky to sharpen, I use a dowel with paper wrapped around it, or a slip stone. Boggs shows using diamond paste on a piece of pipe in his DVD, as I recall, but I haven't seen that DVD in quite a while, so going by memory.

[Jim Tolpin]

My one cents worth: Go with the low angle, bevel-side-up version of the spokeshave. These high angle metal spokeshaves tend to tear out on endgrain, and take more energy to push on any kind of grain. Most antiques with wood bodies that I've seen are low angle, as is the new Lee Valley spokeshave.