AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Shop Made Tools => Topic started by: Jerry V Lape on September 07, 2016, 06:37:47 AM
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About 18 months ago I made a spokeshave using the Lee Valley hardware set and a sugar maple scrap. Just got around to using it and it is certainly a worthwhile addition to my handtools. Photos show my wife cutting with the spokeshave on a sugar maple stock. It provides rapid wood removal with good control. I know many on this site already use spokeshaves but maybe a few could use this information.
(https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e284/Carmentempe/DSC_2306_zpsak0km1zf.jpg) (http://s41.photobucket.com/user/Carmentempe/media/DSC_2306_zpsak0km1zf.jpg.html)
(https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e284/Carmentempe/DSC_2308_zpsl82nmihf.jpg) (http://s41.photobucket.com/user/Carmentempe/media/DSC_2308_zpsl82nmihf.jpg.html)
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Spoke shave is a push tool,works much better pushing than pulling. Nice looking tool.I use mine alot,have several different profiles and set up.
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A spoke shave is a great tool and it can be used by push or pull method - whatever works for the situation. I own and use all 4 along with a small (5") draw knife and small flat detail planes to shape gunstocks.
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P.W. Berkuta,
Can you show me a photo of the detail planes please?
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Push or pull, listen to the grain. The name "spokeshave" comes from--duh--shaving spokes, usually on a shaving horse, pulling the tool toward you. Also good for shaping chair parts. But there are no rules.
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P.W. Berkuta,
Can you show me a photo of the detail planes please?
Jerry the small detail planes are both a Stanley and a Kuntz and are 1" wide by 2" long with flat blades -- I use them for small area details not as molding planes so maybe the confusion in my use of the word of "detail" maybe I should have said small area planes instead - sorry about the confusion.
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My small antique wood spokeshave is one of my favorite tools.
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It is great to see such perfect control of a most effective tool. But I use the spokeshave as a finishing cutter. It takes too long to remove the bulk wood, so I use a razor sharp draw knife, bevel down, to get those corners down and shape the buttstock and lower forearm.
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi3.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy58%2FDTaylorSapergia%2FTaylorMadeGuns%2FHawken%2F100_5925_zpszr8kiz3y.jpg&hash=d7504e98dbf7b8c6a7982de3e6a198aba82b2a11) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/DTaylorSapergia/media/TaylorMadeGuns/Hawken/100_5925_zpszr8kiz3y.jpg.html)
Watching grain direction is imperative, of course, and you still need to use a lot of control. Otherwise, you could get into trouble fast. Shaping a butt this way takes only minutes.
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi3.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy58%2FDTaylorSapergia%2FTaylorMadeGuns%2FHawken%2F100_5916_zpsoxnqort8.jpg&hash=33529eb0cbc48a94dce3db867da37aac17df2e9d) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/DTaylorSapergia/media/TaylorMadeGuns/Hawken/100_5916_zpsoxnqort8.jpg.html)
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi3.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy58%2FDTaylorSapergia%2FTaylorMadeGuns%2FHawken%2F100_5921_zpsmljtk92m.jpg&hash=b1f63adbe60f25a3fb1f4eb647dc073a26d565f9) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/DTaylorSapergia/media/TaylorMadeGuns/Hawken/100_5921_zpsmljtk92m.jpg.html)
You can see by the size of the shavings on the floor that the wood came off fast, but accurately. My spokeshave is an iron Stanley, and I agree that it is very effective. I'd like to own a pretty wooden one like the op has posted.
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All I can say Taylor is you have guts to use that drawknife on that curly maple! I used to use one on straight grain maple and walnut, worked great about 98% of the time then after a couple of 2% screwups I quite using it! They can get me in serious trouble quickly if I get complacent.
A spokeshave is much safer in my hands! I also often use small block planes.
Dennis
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My experience with a draw knife parallels that of Dennis. Taylor's warning about watching grain direction cannot be over emphasized. A spoke shave is another matter altogether. Yes, my old metal Stanley is slower to remove wood compared to a draw knife but creates fewer "oops" for me. Honestly, for my old hands a rasp and/or one of the Japanese saw/rasps gives me more control. I have been very impressed with the rapidity of removal and control using a Japanese saw/rasp. Further, I do not see any fiber bruising with them like I do on occasion with my conventional rasps. Wish I owned one of the wooden spoke shave in a smaller size but I need to buy more tools at my age like I need yet another hole in my head.
J.B.
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My most used wood shaping tool is a Stanley spokeshave #12-951. In 30 years I have abut worn the blade out. It is a lot of tool for $20.
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My most used wood shaping tool is a Stanley spokeshave #12-951. In 30 years I have abut worn the blade out. It is a lot of tool for $20.
I HAVE to get one of those. I love using the single-edge tools for shaping wood, but my only spoke shave is a "tap-to-adjust" sort so I generally keep one side aggressive and the other side less. This works but is less than optimal.
Going shopping.
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By the way, does anyone like that dual-slot/curved-flat sort of spokeshave? I see a lot of them for sale and have held one in my grubby paws, but don't think I would like it for serious work. Methinks two separate tools would be much preferred. Am I wrong?
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Wade,
The one I had was a poor tool. Casting was rough and the blade "steel", if is was steel, was soft. So much so that I gave it away. You may have better luck than I did.
J.B.