raised handles for veritas spokeshave

[bill howes]

I find the straight handles provided with the round bottom Veritas spokeshave get in the way when I am smoothing the chair seats that I am making, and as Lee Valley supplies a lag bolt kit I decided to try making raised or gull wing handles for the round bottom spokeshave which I like because of its closed mouth for convex areas of the sculptured chair seats.
First try I quickly learned why the production handles are straight and round. The nature of the lag bolt attatchment is such that you cant easily control the direction of the raised handle when you tighten them on.
Second attempt I turned an oversized round handle (1 1/2 inch diam.) and then began shaping until I got something workable.
WIN_20171226_123238.jpg
I then shaped the second handle repeatedly checking that the bottoms of both handles were co-planar.
WIN_20171226_124704.jpgWIN_20171226_132533.jpgWIN_20171226_132521.jpg
Eventually I was able to get two symmetrical handles.
WIN_20171226_164933.jpg
I'll use it for a while before finishing the handles, but I think I will try again with an increase in the diameter of the initial blank so I can get a higher arch in the handle.
Any suggestions appreciated.
Bill

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Bill

Two suggestions:

Have you tried using the spokeshave without handles? Most of the time my thumbs rest at the back of the body, and energy is directed there. This would be the easiest route.

The second idea is to look at the kit Lee Valley supply. The important item is that there is a bolt that fits the body. This does not have to be sunk into the handle to attach it, but can go through the handle as well. As a result, you could shape a curved section (for the handle) with a flat section at the body, and drill a hole for the handle. I would even consider making the handles from a mild steel or aluminium bar, since this could be bent and drilled.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[bill howes]

Thanks Derek,
The difficulty with the kit is that the end that goes into the handle is a screw not a bolt so it wont hold a nut. However the bolt that goes into the shave is 1/4 20 thread and perhaps I can work something out there with just a rod and nut. I have tried the shave alone as well as the old Stanley 67 where the handles can be moved, and thought that I could do better.20171227_113356.jpg I'll certainly keep your suggestion of the nut in mind.

[Patrick Chase]

First try I quickly learned why the production handles are straight and round.

The reason the production handles are straight and round is because the force you apply to a round-bottom shave needs to be in-line with the edge, or else pushing will inherently cause the shave to rock.

IMO you should do what Derek suggests and use the shave without handles. I suspect that with the handles you'll end up having to provide most of your pushing force with your thumbs anyway.

What you probably ideally want is something like a convex squirrel-tail plane, where the handle is in line with the cutting direction such that it provides leverage to control the angle.

[bill howes]

Thanks Patrick for your thoughts. I have tried it handles off and don't like it. I agree that your thumbs do the pushing but I steer and control the depth of cut with my fingers on the handles.
Stanley and Record made lots of round bottom spokeshaves with raised handles but these are castings. The only wooden handled round bottom spoke shaves I am aware of- the Miller Falls cigar shave (#1) #2 and the Stanley #67 have tubular handles such as the Veritas handle attached by lag bolts.
I like the aesthetics of a wood handle and for my uses I have to get my fingers out the road but I can see the difficulty in mass production this entails.
Your suggestion of the squirrel tail plane makes sense, however I would like to see what I can do with the spokeshave .
Bill

[David Bassett]

... Your suggestion of the squirrel tail plane makes sense, however I would like to see what I can do with the spokeshave ....

It's a hobby and sometimes it's the process that's enjoyable.

If you do decide to try something else, I've been eyeing the Veritas Pullshave (in the scraper section of their website, instead of with the spoke shaves.) It seems to be designed to solve some of your issues.

[bill howes]

David you are right about it being a hobby. I could probably have the legs on the chair in the time I've spent at fiddling with the spokeshave
Bill

[Phil Mueller]

That’s one of the things I love about woodworking. Not a problem when a project gets put aside for a moment to fiddle with tuning a tool, or restoring one, or just pulling out that one tool you just can’t seem to get to work and giving it another try or two.

Really nice job on the handle. I enjoy the mental relaxation of shaping wood in to something useful.

[Mike Holbrook]

I acquired a few shave bodies that were rejects from WoodJoy tools. WoodJoy and others offer kits for making shaves. Like Derek mentions, the first thing I did was totally remove the handles from a small shave with questionable handles. I use it regularly. I have not tried attaching higher handles, more like a travisher, but I plan to. Check out Dereks recent post on making green wood tools, particularly the travisher.