Chamfering Know how

[Nick W]

I'm puzzled by the desire to use hand tools to produce the 'perfect' results that are best achieved by machine. With hand-made work you will get small variations which, IMHO, by their lack of sterility only add to the appeal of the finished item. So I plane chamfers by hand, and they vary a bit in depth and angle. I finish surfaces from the plane or cabinet scraper, and they are not perfectly flat. I think that the way reflections move on these surfaces (assuming they are polished) only adds to the interest.

Next time you're in a National Trust property, or similar, take a look at the tops of high quality tables etc. in a glancing light; they may well have a very high polish, but they almost certainly won't look like they've been through Norm's 'time saver'.

Learn to celebrate the small imperfections that come with hand techniques, don't try to ape machine made perfection, otherwise you may as well build your stuff from printed chipboard.

 

[Nick W]

Ah Mike, I see we cross in the ether once again.

 

[engineer one]

i think you are both right, and did not mean to suggest go for perfection, but there is "right" which is a look, and not right, which does not quite meet the standards we all set for ourselves.

because there are so many different edges of raised panels, it confirms that people have for many years tried to gain a shape, or surface which looks "better" in all situations. the fact that there are so many states that people are not all satisfied to reproduce that of others, which is good.

to my mind though unless you have some guide, or sighting aid, you might well have major differences between all four edges on a raised panel.
certainly i would have thought that once you have planed the two ends down to the lines, it is more difficult to see the lines on the then angled pieces, and you might well i guess get greater errors.

the real question is are they acceptable? :twisted:

at the end of the day practice is the only thing which will allow you to produce what you want, whether it be "machine perfect" :twisted:
or hand made "attractive" :roll: :lol:

my personal preference is for the hand made "attractive"

paul :wink:

 

[Nick W]

Paul,

If you work your chamfers on one edge at a time going round the piece, you will see at the corners how well the two chamfers match. If you watch the corner as you make the second chamfer you can correct for mis-alignment as you go.

 

[engineer one]

i can see that nick, and thanks, i guess i forgot tha when hand working you don't necessarily think so much about end grain break out, as you would for instance with a router or table saw.

paul :wink: