Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Feb 04, 2008 10:32pm | #1

   dlb,

   If you weren't going to use power tools, the profile could be carved out close to the finished size with a gouge and then finished with a piece of sandpaper wrapped around a dowel of the correct diameter.  A hand scraper shaped to the proper radius would also help to establish the profile after doing the carving.

   You could also rough out the hollow with a smaller diameter round followed by scraping and then sandpaper over a a dowel.

   I'd probably make the matching round first, which is easier to shape, and then make the matching hollow with it, that way you'd get two planes for not that much more work.

   John White

1. 
   dlb | Feb 04, 2008 10:53pm | #2

   "and then finished with a piece of sandpaper wrapped around a dowel of the correct diameter.  "

   True and when I finish roughing out the hollow I will use the dowel method.

   "A hand scraper shaped to the proper radius would also help to establish the profile after doing the carving."

   Good idea and worth a try.

   "I'd probably make the matching round first, which is easier to  shape, and then make the matching hollow with it, that way you'd get two planes for not that much more work."

   Well, it is a "Catch 22" situation - which came first, the hollow or the round? The DVD I have shows the reverse; hense, my question.

   Now, if I was going to use power tools what would you suggest for at least the roughing-out portion?

   Thanks,

   dlb

   .

    The undisciplined life is not worth examining.

1. 
   JohnWW | Feb 04, 2008 11:31pm | #3

   dlb,

   Compared to a hollow, a round is easy to make.  You draw the radius on the two ends of the blank plane body and then use an ordinary straight soled bench plane to plane away the edges of the blank to match the curves, no special tools needed.

   Using power tools, a shaper or router table with the correct size cutters would quickly create the needed shape, hollow or round, for a plane's sole. 

   To make hollows you could set up a table saw for cove cutting but the profile would be a parabolic curve not a constant radius curve, but that probably wouldn't be a problem with wider curves and they could be trued up.  Although not common, a molding cutter head for a table saw, a favorite tool of mine, could also be used to create the profiles.

   John White 

1. 
   dlb | Feb 05, 2008 12:40am | #4

   John,

   I see your point about rounds first. Now that I have had time to think about it and not to just accept what the DVD showed, I think that you are correct. By using a plane to rough away material and then sanding to a smooth finish I believe that I could achieve my goal.

   Now for another question: what size round should one start with?

   If the smallest round is manufactured then it could be used to produce the remaining sizes of hollows but if one were to reverse the decision then possibly it could not be used for the remaining planes.

   Thanks for the reply,

   dlb

   .

    The undisciplined life is not worth examining.

1. 
   JohnWW | Feb 05, 2008 12:47am | #5

   I'd start out making an intermediate size hollow and round set, starting with the round soled plane.  You'll know a lot more about what to make and how to make them after that, or even if you want to make more than one set.

   John W.