R&F panels, by hand only...with a difference!

[woodbloke]

Paul C and I went round to see Newt (Pete) yesterday afternoon and after an extremely pleasant lunch (those who've dined at Pete's will know what I mean :wink: ...many thanks Pam) we retired to the conservatory for a natter. One of the many varied topics under discussion was making a small, raised and fielded panel using hand tools only. Normally this is easily done with a badger plane, carriage plane or the like leaving a flat bevel to the panel...not too difficult and quite easy to munch them out once the 'set' on the plane is correct.
However the problem with a flat, tapered section, traditional panel is that once it's in the frame problems can occur. If the wood shrinks due to seasonal movement, a gap then develops 'twixt the slope of the panel and the edge of the groove...the result will be a loose fit and a consequent rattle :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
Conversely, if the wood expands, the taper will wedge itself ever more tightly into the groove. If it then subsequently shrinks and doesn't free itself the result in this case will be a split panel :evil: :evil:

In an ideal world, what's needed is a parallel section of the panel where it fits into the groove...the panel will then move to and fro quite easily in the groove. The difficulty arises where the fielded slope meets the flat at the edge...it should be a seamless transition but this is very, very hard to achieve.

I made such a panel this afternoon:

You can see in the pic the flat section (around 8mm wide) where the panel could fit into the groove. Unquestionably, this is one of the hardest things I've ever done using just hand tools...in this case a Veritas plough and medium shoulder plane. It's taken some intense concentration to get to this stage and took all afternoon to do it.

If you want to have a go at one, I suggest that you clear your 'shop, give yourself plenty of time for brew breaks and allow at least 5 hours min to do it! - Rob

 

[Aled Dafis]

C'mon the Rob, HOW did you do it?? Where's the WIP?

If you share your afternoon's work, I may well do the same...

Cheers

Aled

 

[Dodge]

When I did my apprenticeship It was my job to field the panels and yes that was by hand - Traditionally doing a large rebate to form the inner shoulder, then a second rebate to form the tongue which would slide into the corresponding groove in the frame. The last stage would be to chamfer/angle between the two to form the traditional angled edge using a shoulder plane - I used a Record 311 and still have the very plane.

From start to finish I was allowed an hour per panel and I was timed! - no routers or spindle moulders used.

Now though I must admit that I have a set of fielding cutters for my spindle moulder and panels like that take about 2 mins!

Rog

 

[Alf]

Would have been quicker to make a panel plane, Rob...

 

[TheTiddles]

ok, you've got them fooled, when can I have my router cutter back then?

Aidan

 

[Paul Chapman]

Turned out well, Rob :wink:

Cheers :wink:

Paul :wink:

 

[woodbloke]

It was finished with just a cursory wipe over with a bit of 220g paper, so for all practical purposes it was left straight from the plane, which is probably why it took so long, no scraping either...another pic tonight - Rob

 

[newt]

This is what Rob and Paul were discussing yesterday, as Rob said not easy.



013 by pmhnewton, on Flickr



012 by pmhnewton, on Flickr

 

[Harbo]

What about a pair of Veritas Skew Rabbet Planes?

5 hrs - did that include a siesta after Pam's food?

Rod

 

[woodbloke]

What about a pair of Veritas Skew Rabbet Planes?

5 hrs - did that include a siesta after Pam's food?

Rod

OK to jest Rod :lol: ...you try one. Finish has to be straight from the plane :lol: I can't see how the skewed rabbet planes would have made the job any easier - Rob

 

[Paul Chapman]

What about a pair of Veritas Skew Rabbet Planes?

Hi Rod,

The appropriate plane is really determined by the width of the sloping parts of the panel. I think the panel Rob made was quite small, so the blade of the skew rebate might well have been too wide in this particular case.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[woodbloke]

The appropriate plane is really determined by the width of the sloping parts of the panel. I think the panel Rob made was quite small, so the blade of the skew rebate might well have been too wide in this particular case.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

The bevel is only about 3mm wider than the plane blade width so around 20mm or so...not very wide. The overall dimensions of the panel are about 250x140mm - Rob

 

[heimlaga]

That would be easy.

Making a dedicated panel fielding plane takes a few hours and then you can crank out panels almost as fast as you want. I have made one such plane with the typical profile used by local joiners in my area in the late 18th and early 19th century and could easily make a few more with different profiles.

 

[houtslager]

That would be easy.

Making a dedicated panel fielding plane takes a few hours and then you can crank out panels almost as fast as you want. I have made one such plane with the typical profile used by local joiners in my area in the late 18th and early 19th century and could easily make a few more with different profiles.

this I would love to see, got any piccies of that profile?

K

 

[Alf]

That would be easy.

Making a dedicated panel fielding plane takes a few hours and then you can crank out panels almost as fast as you want.

I believe there may be a really delayed echo in this thread... :lol:

 

[woodbloke]

That would be easy.

Making a dedicated panel fielding plane takes a few hours and then you can crank out panels almost as fast as you want. I have made one such plane with the typical profile used by local joiners in my area in the late 18th and early 19th century and could easily make a few more with different profiles.

That's probably true, but then I only had one panel to make. Were I in the situation of having to make loads of panels by hand then a dedicated fielded panel plane would be the way forward. As I'm not in that situation, I opted to do it with just a shoulder and plough plane, which is what took the time - Rob