Chamfering Know how
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MikeW
Established Member
Hi Colin,
One of the easiest ways for a [fairly] even chamfer is to use some sort of chamfer plane. These can be of the following type, but also spokeshave types with adjustable fences to set the amount of chamfer width.
Sorry for cutting the top of the plane off when I took the picture...
LV also make an adjustable attachment for their block plane that works on the same principle.
But if the chamfer doesn't need to be as near to true as these planes can make, I just use a regular block plane or spokeshave.
Take care, Mike
One of the easiest ways for a [fairly] even chamfer is to use some sort of chamfer plane. These can be of the following type, but also spokeshave types with adjustable fences to set the amount of chamfer width.
Sorry for cutting the top of the plane off when I took the picture...
LV also make an adjustable attachment for their block plane that works on the same principle.
But if the chamfer doesn't need to be as near to true as these planes can make, I just use a regular block plane or spokeshave.
Take care, Mike
Philly
Established Member
Colin
The best way to get consistent chamfers is to mark out the edges of the chamfers first using a gauge. Then you "just" remove the waste between the lines.
How you do that is up to you - a block plane is great for this kind of thing as well as shaves. And you'd be amazed how well a file works for chamfers on certain hardwoods - give it a try, you'd be amazed.
Hope this helps
Philly
The best way to get consistent chamfers is to mark out the edges of the chamfers first using a gauge. Then you "just" remove the waste between the lines.
How you do that is up to you - a block plane is great for this kind of thing as well as shaves. And you'd be amazed how well a file works for chamfers on certain hardwoods - give it a try, you'd be amazed.
Hope this helps
Philly
Colin C
Established Member
Hi Colin
I would add to Philly and say try to use a pencil gauge so that you dont have to try to get rid of lines that a making gauge might leave
I would add to Philly and say try to use a pencil gauge so that you dont have to try to get rid of lines that a making gauge might leave
engineer one
Established Member
how about making a jig which holds the wood at the reverse angle to that which you want to cut, and hold the plane horizontal.
actually you could make it work on your shooting board. seem to remember they have some kind of name for this attachment.
paul :wink:
actually you could make it work on your shooting board. seem to remember they have some kind of name for this attachment.
paul :wink:
Paul Kierstead
Established Member
If I may suggest, generally you don't need them to be as even as you might think; for the most part, 'machine' level consistency is not required. Mostly you chamfer until they look good or meet up with the opposing one perfectly, which isn't nearly as difficult as you might imagine; it comes pretty naturally. This is a little difficult for 'large' chamfers, though even then not that difficult.
That being said, I have had very good success with the Veritas attachment, though would love one of those planes that Mike showed.
That being said, I have had very good success with the Veritas attachment, though would love one of those planes that Mike showed.
Alf
Established Member
Looks more like you cut off the front, Mike, rather than the top*. :wink: :lol:MikeW":5wqo9285 said:
Sorry for cutting the top of the plane off when I took the picture...
Cheers, Alf
* Yes, I know. It's for comic effect, 'k? :wink:
bugbear
Established Member
Alf":2je7n88r said:Looks more like you cut off the front, Mike, rather than the top*. :wink: :lol:MikeW":2je7n88r said:
Sorry for cutting the top of the plane off when I took the picture...
Cheers, Alf
* Yes, I know. It's for comic effect, 'k? :wink:
I reckon he was just trying to centre the Preston Logo...
BugBear
garywayne
Established Member
Colin.
Would it not be feasible to double tape an angled block of wood to the sole of your plane at the chamfer angle.
Constant angle all the way round.
ATB Gary.
Would it not be feasible to double tape an angled block of wood to the sole of your plane at the chamfer angle.
Constant angle all the way round.
ATB Gary.
Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)
Established Member
A few years back I was struggling to find a complete Stanley #65 chamfer shave. Finally I took the hint and built a chamfer plane (inspired a little by a Japanese plane I had).
Jarrah body, 15 degree bed, two blades (one HA for face grain and one LA for end grain). The butterfly bolt is deliberate to permit rapid changes to depth of cut.
Using it recently:
A couple of months after making it I - of course - found a perfect #65 chamfer shave. And you know what, it was a big let down! Really did not do as good a job as the plane.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Jarrah body, 15 degree bed, two blades (one HA for face grain and one LA for end grain). The butterfly bolt is deliberate to permit rapid changes to depth of cut.
Using it recently:
A couple of months after making it I - of course - found a perfect #65 chamfer shave. And you know what, it was a big let down! Really did not do as good a job as the plane.
Regards from Perth
Derek
bugbear
Established Member
At the risk of plugging our resident tool factory owner...
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... 1182,48942
BugBear (who uses a pencil gauge and spokeshave)
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... 1182,48942
BugBear (who uses a pencil gauge and spokeshave)
A
Anonymous
Guest
For a through chamfer any old plane will do - you make the marks and plane down to them. Record 5 1/2 for me, for most things infact.
For a stopped chamfer a short plane. You would have to do the stopped ends with chisels etc whatever else you use. A bullnose plane gives more planeing and less chiselling.
Can't help thinking that chamfer planes/attachments are just more toys for the boys!:roll:
cheers
Jacob
For a stopped chamfer a short plane. You would have to do the stopped ends with chisels etc whatever else you use. A bullnose plane gives more planeing and less chiselling.
Can't help thinking that chamfer planes/attachments are just more toys for the boys!:roll:
cheers
Jacob
Alf
Established Member
Oi! Inverted tool snobbery is one thing, but sexist inverted tool snobbery I object to! :lol:Mr_Grimsdale":15skjn12 said:
Cheers, Alf
A
Anonymous
Guest
oops sorry :lol:Alf":1bdze3oo said:
correction, add; "n'gals"
cheers
Jacob
Alf
Established Member
That's better. :lol:
Paul Kierstead
Established Member
Mr_Grimsdale":7xiq4j3j said:
It is a sorry day indeed when one becomes so serious that they cannot appreciate a good, useful toy.
I'll agree it is always quite important to differentiate between "this tool will do a great job of X" and "you need this tool to do X", but I see no one here saying you need the tool, just some appreciation of clever nice tools that do the job well (even if it can be done well otherwise).
Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)
Established Member
Agreed Paul. I am more likely to pick up a block plane to shave a quick chamfer, but if it is going to be a feature, I will use my chamfer plane - I don't need it, but it is nice - and fun - to use.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Regards from Perth
Derek
MikeW
Established Member
Seems to me this concept of a specialized or customized tool being a toy could be made for most such tools.Mr_Grimsdale":25y5ngtv said:
I recently posted about a panel plane. I have used many different planes to raise panels. All of them worked. But even the less-than-good panel plane I made myself after doing all those other methods worked better and was easily repeatable. Without the fuss of measuring out on every panel.
That is how I look at chamfer planes. It is simply a tool designed to do one thing repeatedly and easily. Still not perfect, an attribute I rarely strive for. But working well and easily repeatable I do like.
The chamfer guide for the LV block also works OK. I had one. I didn't like swapping it and the adjustable mouth plate in and out. But as I had, uh, several block planes I left it attached.
Take care, Mike
engineer one
Established Member
surely the whole thing about this is practice. most of us here do not spend too much time planing chamfers, so we do not get that practice.
i think the hardest thing to understand about the freehand method is keeping the angle right. i mean come on most of us have enough problem
sawing in a straight line by hand, so planing at an out of the horizontal angle has to be difficult.
not impossible just difficult. if you practice enough then ok, but who has the time and need? :twisted:
anything we can use to make life easier whilst still retaining the hand skill must be worth considering, not least because in general it will save wood and frustration :roll:
we would all like the skills of jacob, but untrained, or improperly trained, we have little time to perfect said skills.
paul :wink:
i think the hardest thing to understand about the freehand method is keeping the angle right. i mean come on most of us have enough problem
sawing in a straight line by hand, so planing at an out of the horizontal angle has to be difficult.
not impossible just difficult. if you practice enough then ok, but who has the time and need? :twisted:
anything we can use to make life easier whilst still retaining the hand skill must be worth considering, not least because in general it will save wood and frustration :roll:
we would all like the skills of jacob, but untrained, or improperly trained, we have little time to perfect said skills.
paul :wink:
MikeW
Established Member
One issue bantered about once in a while is the concept of perfection in out work. Perhaps "perfection" is incorrect.
There was a thread somewhere which in part was discussing aspects of approaching handwork from the viewpoint of machine work. This, in general, I think is a common error. There are aspects of handwork which can and even perhaps be pretty darn good. But good handwork and good machine work are different in many respects.
Most importantly, the performance of handwork, how one approaches tasks and what those tasks are, is different. But...what is left to see is also often different.
With machine work, a 45 degree chamfer is going to be near perfect. Everytime.
With handwork, there should be a different mindset brought into the work. That is, when making a chamfer, does it truly need to replicate the "precision" of the shaper? Why so? I think it is because of many people approaching handwork form a machine work background or general preference of work.
Which is why I mentioned earlier that "One of the easiest ways for a [fairly] even chamfer is to use some sort of chamfer plane." It isn't that it is going to be a perfect chamfer, it simplifies repeatability much like using a marking gauge.
Paul Kierstead said, "If I may suggest, generally you don't need them to be as even as you might think..."
To which I add my hearty agreement.
Take care, Mike
There was a thread somewhere which in part was discussing aspects of approaching handwork from the viewpoint of machine work. This, in general, I think is a common error. There are aspects of handwork which can and even perhaps be pretty darn good. But good handwork and good machine work are different in many respects.
Most importantly, the performance of handwork, how one approaches tasks and what those tasks are, is different. But...what is left to see is also often different.
With machine work, a 45 degree chamfer is going to be near perfect. Everytime.
With handwork, there should be a different mindset brought into the work. That is, when making a chamfer, does it truly need to replicate the "precision" of the shaper? Why so? I think it is because of many people approaching handwork form a machine work background or general preference of work.
Which is why I mentioned earlier that "One of the easiest ways for a [fairly] even chamfer is to use some sort of chamfer plane." It isn't that it is going to be a perfect chamfer, it simplifies repeatability much like using a marking gauge.
Paul Kierstead said, "If I may suggest, generally you don't need them to be as even as you might think..."
To which I add my hearty agreement.
Take care, Mike
