Lion Trimmer tips?

[Larry Edgerton]

After years of searching antique stores for a Lion trimmer I posted a want add in the classifieds here and have a new in the box USA made trimmer on the way.

Any tips on their use and care that you that have one care to pass along would be appreciated.

Thanks, Larry

[Steve Nicholson]

Larry,
The trimmer is one of my favorite tools, I've had mine for 25 + years. It is probably one of the most dangerous tools I own. Quiet but deadly. I made a sort of blade protector the fits into the front of the tool to protect the blades and any unsuspecting fingers when it's not in use. Two little blocks of wood cut a 45 degrees attached to another piece of wood then put into where the knives are, close the angle stops and things are protected. I used to trim houses where I would rough cut pieces, set them by the openings and go around from place to place with my trimmer and fine tune the fits. I made a dedicated set of short benches with one of the benches the height of the trimmer taller than the other to keep the work piece at the same level. I found that this set up is a real back saver, to old to work on the floor. I generally leave the trimmer set to 45 degrees and use shims placed in locations to adjust the fit. That way the positive stops don't get worn out with minute changes in angles. I also will place a shim underneath the trim right next to the blade to achieve a slight back cut. It's so easy to take just a fraction off of a miter as long as you can hold the trim in place. I have had occasion where I actually clamp the trim to the trimmer so it won't slide with the cutting action of the blade. Just try not to take to much with a cut and you should do fine. Those knives don't bend or deflect like a chop saw blade does. Another benefit is how quiet it is no whining chop saw. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Steve Nicholson (Nicholson Furniture and Furnishing)

[Bob Vallaster]

Steve covers it very well. I particularly like his tip for shimming to achieve a backcut---never tried that.
I will second two items and add a third.
1)The knives are unforgiving of carelessness.
2)Take small shavings. If the cutting effort goes up markedly, the machine is giving you feedback that you risk tearing out chunks.
3)Cut downhill with respect to the grain (visualize paring with a chisel).

BobV

[george wilson]

Also,make sure the Lion trimmer cuts SQUARELY in a vertical direction. I got a nice one at a flea market,but found out that the pillars at each end weren't quite square,and had to file their bases a bit to get square cuts. This was on a USA made tool,too. I also have a Taiwan made copy. It works just as well.

[Tony Zaffuto]

With all the suggestions so far, and you still get a bit of a ragged cut, dampen the end grain with some mineral spirits to help the cut. This is a "finese" tool and not made for hogging.

[george wilson]

If you get a ragged cut,your blades aren't sharp enough. They need to be shaving sharp,and leave a beautiful,polished cut when good and sharp.

You only use them for taking about 1/16" off an existing cut you made close to the line to start with.

[Larry Edgerton]

Thanks for the suggestions so far gentlemen, always willing to learn from others.....

I kind of got stuck in this niche of doing restoration work with Azek in the past few years and it is terrible to cut with a chop saw. Or anything else for that matter. It deflects and then bounces back into the blade when the cut is through, like cutting rubber, especially on smaller moldings. I am hoping that this will work for Azek as well. If so I will have a set of M42 blades made for it as it is hard on knives. I had a set of M42 irons made for my LN block planes as well as insert shaper cutters and it holds up pretty well.

I hate working with plastic, but I did fool the historical society that came around my last job. They had no idea they were looking at plastic, and I did not tell them. :)

[Larry Edgerton]

Sharpening tips?

I have a Makita flat wheel with a planer jig. Can I make that work? How do you do yours? I have waterstones as well, but I am really over the whole Zen thing of hand sharpening and prefer the wheel.

[Larry Edgerton]

Steve, I'm still trimming houses, for far too many years........

I use the shim method you mentioned even with a chop saw for the same reasons. I often do the same with rough cutting pieces out as well....

I like the bench idea, too old for floors myself. When I get the tool in hand and get it figured out how I will be using it I may want to pick your brain.

This is one of those tools I always wanted but did not fit into my production enviroment. As my work became more detail oriented I found that they were out of business, and have been looking for a good one since. I do not buy Chinese tools, just my thing, so I am really excited to have found one "new in the box".

[Dan Andrews]

Before using your Lion Trimmer, make sure the lion is well fed and preferably asleep.:D

[george wilson]

I haven't heard of making HSS knives for the Lion. It will cost $$$$$ I'm sure.

[Steve Nicholson]

I have never personally sharpen my trimmer knives. I have 3 sets so that I always have a sharp set ready to go. When one gets dull I'd send it out to be sharpened put the spare set on and still have a back up set.
To be perfectly honest I haven't had the need to sharpen them for 15 years. Just haven't used it enough to dull the knives. Keep in mind that not all knives have the same hole pattern. Learned this the hard way. I have a couple of attachments that I bought with mine that I never used. One's for picture framing another I think is for crown type moldings.

[Larry Edgerton]

I haven't heard of making HSS knives for the Lion. It will cost $$$$$ I'm sure.

I talked to the fellow that makes my insert knives and he said he would make a set. I just had some 5/16 thick knives made for a large crown out of M42 and they were $170, so I can't see these being any more. I will post what they cost when I get them made. I will do the drilling myself as I have a milling machine.