John is back at the chair project.
Guess how I did this? Hint: It wasn’t a hand tool.
If the word “Stunod” was anywhere in your thoughts you win! Yup, I was trying to cut time making the arms for my two chairs. I wanted to clean up the rough surface left from the band saw. I was smoothing the parts with a file and spoke shave which left an ok surface but was taking forever. Also there was some difference between the left and right arm so I thought to myself, “try the router, yeah, that’s the thing”.
I smoothed the patterns perfectly which were made from ½ inch ply. I screwed them to the stuff and set about routing. I was doing fine until I hit the damn end grain. It’s always the end grain… Anyway the stuff shot back hitting me in the labonza, causing me to verbally acknowledge my error. It then continued its’ trajectory hitting the wall at reduced speed.
Well, I was back at it with hand tools when I had another idea! I put down the file and rasp and grabbed my floats! Yep, in front of me on the tool rack are four Lie-Neilsen floats. They leave a great surface and can hog off material depending on the amount of downward pressure you use. It is a great tool and easy to get the hang of. I actually started to get fast at this task.
Anyway, it was a router with a pattern cutting bit. And yes, I had to remake the entire piece.
– John
Were you cutting normally, or climb-cutting?
Well, I don’t know because I don’t remember. I was trying to follow the grain and I think I was cutting in the normal rotation but I do remember trying to climb cut. Either way I had trouble. I tried to run the grain straight through the largest part of the splat to increase strength, which cause the grain to change direction on the curved spots.
John
John,
I guessed right but don’t ask me how I knew! Spiral bits work better for this sort of thing as they don’t grab. I take it you were using a router table or you didn’t clamp the piece down. Be glad it didn’t hit you lower down.
Mike
Really? Spiral bits don’t grab? Can you then rout something that has changing end grain with them without it going for a ride?
I was using a router table and guiding the work on the bearing of the pattern cutting bit. I had the pattern screwed to the work. If the spiral bit works and has a bearing on it I am going to get one, or just stay with my spoke shave and floats.
Thanks
JH
When climb cutting, I find it more controllable to fix the work and move the router.
On a spiral bit the cutting angle is somewhat downwards rather than straight out to the side. This reduces the chances of problems in end grain (although they are still present). A spiral pattern bit is not cheap.
Of course, the other option is to do it in two passes. On the first pass, avoid the areas where you would be cutting against the grain. When you’re done everything else, move the template to the other side of the wood, then cut normally with the grain. Of course this means you need a non-damaging way to mount the template to the stock.
John,
Stunod? Hey you weren’t born in Brooklyn as far as I know so where did you learn that word? Stunod was a common word used by all of us especially by our parents, while growing up in Besonhurst Brooklyn. Thanks for bringing back such good memories.
Take care,
Michael
I am going to light the fire here and say just skip on the router. Your spokeshave, rasps, gouges and floats are more than adequate.
🙂
Yah, Chris, that was the issue. I could only fix the template to one side because the other was a show side. And Bjenk, yup I have the same love/hate relationship with my router that Chris talked about. For this kind of work I am sticking to the hand tools which went fast once I set my mind to using them properly. I was using the LV low angle spokeshave which actually worked great once it was set to the right depth and you paid attention to the grain direction.
Mike, I grew up near Philly where I heard that term a lot. Still trying to find out what "Lu-gots" meant. My grandmother said it was dirty and wouldn’t say anymore. I haven’t heard of Bensonhurst in a long time!
Thanks for all the commnets.
Peace
JH
John,
I should probably have said that spiral bits don’t grab as much! There is not as much of the cutter in contact with the wood at any given time. The pilot type are spendy but I have used the solid carbide and just used the smooth potion at the top of the bit as a pilot. I prefer the hand tools myself. Use a drawknife to get rid of the waste and finish with a shave.
Mike
John,
Since this is a family blog I’ll email you the meaning of "lu-gots or ungots" as to not offend anyone.
Thanks and take care,
Michael