Rounders

[SlimShavings]

Was reading and old issue of "Woodworker" about a guy named Jack Hill a chairmaker in Sussex. He was using some tools called rounders. very interesting. Does anyone have any knowledge,sites,plans or otherwise so that a person could make some of his own.. These don't seem to be in the"murican" inventory or i've missed them.
Dave

 

[MikeW]

Hi Dave,

I've seen rotted out ones. Coach makers used them, as well as chairmakers here in the US. I don't think anyone in the US is still producing them.

Ray Iles makes em, here's a pic of his:

Ray's home page

buy Ray's at Tools for Working Wood in the US

Rounders and trapping planes, etc., made by and available at
Ashem Crafts in the UK

Mike

 

[Alf]

There are also this variety, which I imagine work as well as they look... Somewhere or other I might still have a magazine scan of how to "roll your own" too; I'll have a looksee. I'm not entirely certain, but I think rounders may have the greatest number of alternative names of any tool ever made:

Rounder Plane, Fork Shaft Rounder, Fraze, Jack Fork Staff, Jack Fork Stail, Ladder Rounder, Moot, Nogg, Rung Engine, Stail Engine, Stave Block, Tap, Thole Reamer, Trap, Turning Plane, Witchet or Widget (US)

All in all a pretty good reflection of how many trades used them and how wide-spread their use once was. My godfather has one that his father used for rehandling his farm tools, for instance.

Cheers, Alf

 

[SlimShavings]

Thanks guys

Whoa! Didn't know they were so expensive. Gonna have to figure how to make them. Got lots of beech. Need them in 1-2 " size anyhow

They sure would have been useful this weekend.(HAnd tool only weekend) Built a shave horse "shnitzlebunk" for my girl freind. She does willow furniture. When I made the legs I used an auger and bored the end of the leg just slightly to leave a layout mark and draw knifed them round to fit the holes. Worked Ok but if a person could make some "rounders" that would make a nice looking job. I even like the name. "Get me my rounders"

rubbish! now I got a whole new thing to collect. Does it ever end??? There are so many different kinds in the Ashem page. Truly "tool porn" when there so elusive. Where is Rob Lee??

 

[MARK T]

I am pleased to let you know that Rutlands Ltd have recently launched rounder sets, baller sets and pointer sets. You can see them on our web site http://www.rutlands.co.uk.

They are under the Hand Planes department, as we struggled to classify them.

Regards

Mark
On behalf of Rutlands Ltd

 

[Alf]

Someone didn't check the link I included... :roll: :lol:

 

[SlimShavings]

Mark T
Any idea where they are listed on your website. Did a search and came up with zip.
Thanks

Alf
ain't me! I been frapperized

 

[MikeW]

Someone didn't check the link I included... :roll: :lol:

Make that two people, right Slim :lol:

Go up a few responses to Alf's. The link is there.

Mike
feeling a bit mischievous today...

 

[Alf]

Someone didn't check the link I included... :roll: :lol:

Make that two people, right Slim :lol:

I dunno, you can only do so much... :roll: ](*,) :lol:

 

[DaveL]

Slim,

Have you seen this thread on the LV dowel cutters, they look like a modem if some what small version of this traditional tool.

 

[SlimShavings]

Alf
I check your link on Rutlands. But they only go up to and inch. I have looked at them to get a basis for making some larger ones. I just have to find an old plane blade and get the handle of my little scooter

 

[Anonymous]

Here are your wichet (adjustable rounder plane) plans courtesy of St. Roy.

Instead of forging a piece of lawnmower blade into a plane blade, I just robbed a blade from a junk block plane.

I would highly recommend getting all of his books.