best tool for rounding over

[Jacob Mac]

Presently I am using my block plane to round over various aspects of my project. I start with a chamfer and then just change the angle of attack

However I was wondering if there is a better tool for this. I know I can use a router, but I'd prefer a handtool if possible. Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks

[Michael Faurot]

I've had good results with the Veritas Cornering Tool Set (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32682&cat=1,41182).

There's serveral tricks to using these things:



You have to be aware of how the grain runs on the wood you're trying to work. If you're not paying attention, you'll get tearout, same as you will with a plane.
As a corollary to #1, if the wood has difficult grain, you're going to have a difficult time with these tools and/or any other type of hand tool designed to cut a profile.
Start with the smallest diameter and work up to the size you want.

[Mike Henderson]

I do like you do, use a block plane. Sometime I use my LN 102 because it's smaller. I usually follow with fairly fine sandpaper to smooth the edge out.

I like using a block plane because I can control the amount of roundover. If I want to, I can put more roundover in one place than I do in another - if I feel it looks better.

The only issue I have is getting all the way into corners (I usually roundover after doing the assembly). For those places I usually just use sandpaper.

Mike

[Why round over after assembly? Well, if you're like me, you've done your roundover before and then found you rounded over some places where you shouldn't have (like where two pieces join). I don't make as many mistakes if I round over after assembly.
This is not to say I never round over before assembly but mostly it's after.]

[Eric Brown]

St James Tool Company has a corner rounding tool in three sizes.
http://www.stjamesbaytoolco.com/

They are bronze copies of a Stanley tool

128686

There are times I will drill a hole in a lock of wood, cut it in half and use PSA sandpaper to make an easy rounder. Dusty though.

Eric

[Rob Fisher]

I've had good results with the Veritas Cornering Tool Set (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32682&cat=1,41182).

There's serveral tricks to using these things:



You have to be aware of how the grain runs on the wood you're trying to work. If you're not paying attention, you'll get tearout, same as you will with a plane.
As a corollary to #1, if the wood has difficult grain, you're going to have a difficult time with these tools and/or any other type of hand tool designed to cut a profile.
Start with the smallest diameter and work up to the size you want.



Michael,

I have that same set with the sharpener however I have not had great success with using them, particularly with sharpening them. They came out of the box rather rough but worked ok. Now, after little use they wont cut at all and I am unable to get the sharpener with sandpaper to actually sharpen them, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
And thanks for the other pointers, I will try them out on my next roundover job.

Rob

[Doug Shepard]

Haven't tried these yet but Lee Valley just came out with a line of hollow/round planes that I'm probably going to get a few of. I wish they also had a 1/8" radius but the pricing on these is very decent. I dont think I could make one (which was what I was planning) for the prices they're selling these for.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=64009&cat=51&ap=1

[David Keller NC]

Presently I am using my block plane to round over various aspects of my project. I start with a chamfer and then just change the angle of attack

However I was wondering if there is a better tool for this. I know I can use a router, but I'd prefer a handtool if possible. Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks

While I do occasionally use the same method you do (I mark out the extent of the roundover on the 90 degree faces, cut it down with a block or smoother, then remove the facets with a curved scraper), in my opinion the best tool for this job is a wooden molding plane called a "thumb molder". They come up for sale regularly from antique wooden plane dealers (Lee Richmond's The Best Things and Patrick Leach's Supertool list are just a couple of examples of dealers that sell a lot of wooden planes).

The advantage to a thumb molder over a hollow is that the thumb molder has a fairly wide fence to register the plane against one face of the work. Most of these planes include the facility to cut a fillet, but that's at the very end of the cut sequence, so one can just stop before you cut the fillet. You can also tack on a filler strip so that the fillet doesn't get cut.

[Bob Smalser]

However I was wondering if there is a better tool for (rounding)?



http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4959362/116087813.jpg

Sure is. The spar plane or the hollow planes of a hollow and round set. And you can make one for under 5 bucks.

Making Spar Planes
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=11233

Using the same techniques you can also make the hollow planes in any size desired. The matching round planes are shown in use here.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7483424/97909261.jpg

[Michael Faurot]

I have that same set with the sharpener however I have not had great success with using them, particularly with sharpening them. They came out of the box rather rough but worked ok. Now, after little use they wont cut at all and I am unable to get the sharpener with sandpaper to actually sharpen them, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.


I think I've only had to sharpen mine once. What I recall though is that the piece of sand paper that comes with the sharpening form wore out pretty quickly. So if you're still using the original paper, try getting a new piece of 600 grit paper.

If that doesn't do it, you might need to get in there with a round needle file to get things back in shape.

[David Keller NC]

Curious, Bob - what is that item you're working on in the vise?

[Bob Smalser]

Curious, Bob - what is that item you're working on in the vise?

A mahogany pocket for a winch handle.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7483424/97909701.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7711190/139932221.jpg

[Prashun Patel]

I use a low angle block plane or even a smooth plane. (both skew to the edge).

I also recently discovered a spokeshave. Pretty great for making curves - but it's not so stable (for me) over long edges...

[Jacob Mac]

I have been playing around with various methods, and thought I would give an update. I tried using an LN 102, and it was nice, but I just couldn't really justify having another block plane, so I did not keep it. I next tried an LN spokeshave. This is a really nice tool, and I have used it for multiple uses. I really like this tool. But, for long pieces, like tabletops, sometimes it can be pretty uneven for me. So I am not entirely sold on a spokeshave for this method either.

So, my next experiment is this:
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&cat=1,230,41182,64284&p=64284

I won't get it until December, but I will give a full review once I get a chance to give it a workout. I am building a G&G nightstand for my wife, so I will get a chance to use it during this project.

[John Keeton]

I tried using an LN 102, and it was nice, but I just couldn't really justify having another block plane...There, Jacob, is your problem!! Once one tries to "justify" owning another plane, reason starts to take over and all hope for creative woodworking is lost!:D

I have two LN 102s, one of which I have honed to a high angle for tough grain, and I love them. On the other hand, I have also looked at the little plane you are getting in December and I will be interested in knowing how you like it. Be sure to post a review.

[Jacob Mac]

There, Jacob, is your problem!! Once one tries to "justify" owning another plane, reason starts to take over and all hope for creative woodworking is lost!:D

I have two LN 102s, one of which I have honed to a high angle for tough grain, and I love them. On the other hand, I have also looked at the little plane you are getting in December and I will be interested in knowing how you like it. Be sure to post a review.

Given my age, and my love of this hobby, I am sure I will get another 102, it is inevitable. But, for now, I am trying to focus my tool acquisitions to what I need for my current project. So hopefully this plane will help on my nightstand project.

Incidentally, the LN spokeshave I bought is just outstanding. I used it a lot when I was making a reproduction of one of John Hall's picutre frames, and it is an absolute joy to use. It might be my favorite tool.

I will be sure to post a review of the new plane. One sure way of telling if I like it is to see if I put it up for sale in the Classifieds.

[Bob Smalser]

But when in doubt, I just break out the rasps and finish the job.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7081299/93859833.jpg

[Jacob Mac]

But when in doubt, I just break out the rasps and finish the job.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7081299/93859833.jpg

Yet another worthy addition I need to explore at some point. Any suggestions on where to start?

[Bob Smalser]

Any suggestions on where to start?

Once or twice a year most major distributors offer a sale of Nicholson #49 and #50 Patternmaker Rasps. They are precision instruments. Buy a set. Add some large, well-worn, single-cut machinist files in various shapes available at most flea markets, and you have all you need. Machinist files used following the fine rasp will still cut wood nicely long after they've given up the ghost on steel and brass, and will save you gobs of expensive abrasive paper in round work.

Later if you find the need, you can add a round rasp or two and perhaps a super-coarse rasp for speed-hogging out entire gunstocks prior to bringing the patternmaker rasps into play. They generally work faster than hand planes, and considerably faster than spoke shaves.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=30288&cat=1,42524

[Pam Niedermayer]

I have been playing around with various methods, and thought I would give an update. I tried using an LN 102, and it was nice, but I just couldn't really justify having another block plane, so I did not keep it. I next tried an LN spokeshave. This is a really nice tool, and I have used it for multiple uses. I really like this tool. But, for long pieces, like tabletops, sometimes it can be pretty uneven for me. So I am not entirely sold on a spokeshave for this method either.

So, my next experiment is this:
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&cat=1,230,41182,64284&p=64284...

There's a Preston Chamfer shave that I have that works just great for this job due to its upside down V fencelet. Also, there are chamfer guides for drawknives that have similar, but bigger, fences. Of course, both those solutions should be more expensive than that great LV plane you've picked out; but something to keep in mind as one peruses the auctions.

Pam

[Bob Smalser]

And if the job calls for it, using a tailed tool efficiently requires the same skill as any other.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/2594265/216362645.jpg

[John Powers]

Steer clear of those little cornering tools mentioned earlier. get the grain wrong and your tearing up some wood.

[dan grant]

i picked up the 1/4" hollow and round from lv works great lot faster then a block, just finished 8 walnut legs with it, was quite enjoyable