Hollow and Round usage

[Mark Stutz]

Starting my first moulding using these things. Need a simple 3/4 cove molding. Planned to cut a rabbett to hog out most of the waste and finish up with the hollow, but recentle saw a short video of Adam Cherubini making a molding, and he planed a champfer on the board amd then cut the cove. Does it matter? Advantages/disadvantages? Any suggestion as to what size to use...I have even sizes. Thanks.

Mark

[harry strasil]

Old WWer who was my mentor used a drawknife and then a plane to make a precise 45 chamfer first, the couple of times I did one, I marked the chamfer edges with a marking gauge, then hogged off the waste with a jack sharpened the old way with a 16 camber, finished with a stanley 72 chamfer plane, then a 45 with the proper cutter. The edges of the chamfer make a nice guide to plane to.

[Steve Wargo]

Mark,
The way I cut molding, which I'm sure is incorrect, is to just use my finger as a guide on the edge of the board. If you're uncomfortable with this then you can also use a straight edge to keep the round true. You can also use a plow plane to remove a good portion of the waste. Two blade widths at two depths and then use the grooves left by the plow plane to guide your round. This is pretty quick and efficient, and the way I make complex mouldings. Good luck, and PM if any questions.

[Steve Wargo]

Mark,
Probably should have mentioned that if you're really concerned about it and want to take away a bunch of the learning curve, you can use a straight edge of wood as a guide and then cut your cove in from the edge of the board. Then manipulate the board on a saw to get the cove piece you desire. You just cut the board leaving 3/16" on either side (just an example dimension) and then you can plane the angles of two sides of the piece to get the angle you want. Not sure if that makes sense to but, or if I'm explaining it well enough.

[Mark Stutz]

Thanks, Jr. and Steve. Sounds like more than one way to skin a cat. Generally the same idea. Steve, I think I follow. This will be a weekend project...wil PM if needed. Looking like lots of shoop time...freezing rain, snow, and more rain:( this weekend.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I usually plane a rabbet in place. it both guides the plane and minimizes the time using the hollow or round. H&Rs are a pain to sharpen and the less you use them the less sharpening you do. The added benefit is that you don't get differential wear on the irons. It's always the center of the irons that dull first.