Rounding Planes

[Richard Wolf]

I really enjoy building chairs in my free time, LOL. Mostly Shaker style and Windsor chairs. About four years ago I purchased a complete set of rounding planes, plus a turning head, and a traping plane from a gentleman in England named Peter Hindle. His web site is www.ashemcrafts.com. and the web site can explain in greater detail then I can here.
The set up is used to turn dowels of any size. The trapping plane is used to make tapers. It works very well and makes building Shaker chairs rather easy.

[Mike Cutler]

Wow. Those are some cool tools. Somewhat specialized, but none the less really interesting. Thanks for the pic's.

[lou sansone]

hi richard


I have never seen tools like that. I have not built chairs yet, but do intend to at some time. probably would not be shaker style though. Just the same, thanks for opening our eyes with some unusuall tools

lou

[Martin Shupe]

Richard,

Do you think the tools are worth the price? Do they help you increase the speed and/or accuracy of your chair turnings?

I am interested, as I will take Kerry Pierce's Shaker Chair class this summer at Marc Adams.

Could you post a pic of some of your chairs?

Thanks!

[Richard Wolf]

Richard,

Do you think the tools are worth the price? Do they help you increase the speed and/or accuracy of your chair turnings?

Could you post a pic of some of your chairs?

Thanks!

Martin, The purist will yell foul, that this is not the real way to make shaker chairs. Historicly, rounding planes where never used to make chairs, but used by wheelwrights and ladder makers for making fruit picking ladders. I know they are alittle $$$, but to make shaker chairs you only need a few sizes plus the trapping plane to make tapers. You also need some way to turn the wood, I know it looks like you could turn the planes by hand, but that will get long very fast. The best part is that all your spindles are consistent, which it difficult to control on a lathe. If you plan on building a few chairs they make a nice investment. Good luck in Kerry's class, he's good.
This is a pic of one of my chairs.

Richard