Mark Singer
11-21-2004, 1:49 PM
Yesterday there was a post by Mark Stutz that several of us responded to regarding planning coopered doors on the concave side. The consensus by myself and others was to use a convex moulding plane running with the grain and the staves. I modified a flat bottom woodie coffin style smoother and the results on mahogany were excellent! Smooth like glass. If you want to modify a plane, tighten the wedge with the chipbreaker in place. Run it up against a 6" x 48 belt sander with the blade in. That way the blade will be ground to the same curve as the plane bottom. Slowly rotate the plane body until the desired radius is achieved. Then remove the blade and sharpen after flattening the back. Don't push hard on the belt sander or the blade could heat up.
Option 2:
I tried my Compass Plane #113 against the grain using a slight shearing skew stroke with a fine set....very nice results on Mahogany and even hard maple.
The shavings are short since the face is being worked. The curve is in concert with the plane bottom and the texture of the finsh is very good ...but not smooth. I have great respect for Bob Smalser and others that discouraged this technique...but it does create very good results. A little sanding or a scraper and your there!
Option 2:
I tried my Compass Plane #113 against the grain using a slight shearing skew stroke with a fine set....very nice results on Mahogany and even hard maple.
The shavings are short since the face is being worked. The curve is in concert with the plane bottom and the texture of the finsh is very good ...but not smooth. I have great respect for Bob Smalser and others that discouraged this technique...but it does create very good results. A little sanding or a scraper and your there!