What is your go-to hand tool for chamfering or rounding edges

[tibi]

Hello,

What hand tool do you use for chamfering/rounding edges on your furniture, if you do not use a powered trim router with an appropriate bit. I do not mean excessive round/chamfer, just a small one so that the edge is not sharp.
Do you use a block plane, smoothing plane, file, spokeshave or some profile plane? What tool is the most appropriate for this task?

Thank you.

 

[Tuna808]

I use a very sharp spokeshave.

 

[Daniel2]

I use a block plane and a spokeshave.

 

[thetyreman]

handplane, often a no 4 1/2

 

[Jameshow]

Block plane or no3 plane.

 

[tibi]

Can you get a pretty symmetric and even result with a spokeshave/hand plane? Do you draw lines of the boundaries or do you just do it by eye?

 

[D_W]

smoothing plane (4) or if a smooth plane won't fit, a file to blend in parts between the planed chamfers.

Chisel on really small things.

 

[CaptainBudget]

Can you get a pretty symmetric and even result with a spokeshave/hand plane? Do you draw lines of the boundaries or do you just do it by eye?

I do it by eye, once you've had some practice it's pretty easy.

I also do this to "break" sharp corners on my pieces prior to final assembly; I rely on planes to finish my work (not sandpaper) so the edges usually end up properly square and sharp. A couple of passes with a no.4 to put a fine chamfer on and it still looks square but won't slice your hand open...

 

[thetyreman]

usually I eyeball it with chamfers

 

[BHwoodworking]

plane and or a festool granat 120 sanding block

 

[Droogs]

A cheap copy of the woodpecker's rounding plane with a set of irons for 1/4", 10mm, 1/2 " radii and a straight iron chamfer

 

[tibi]

A cheap copy of the woodpecker's rounding plane with a set of irons for 1/4", 10mm, 1/2 " radii and a straight iron chamfer

I have read negative reviews for those Woodpecker's copies that the blade cannot advance enough to make a cut because of some manufacturing issues and the finish red paint just peels off and ruins the wood finish. Do you have a good experience with it?

 

[Ttrees]

I wonder what @Derek Cohen (Perth Oz) uses, since he has many fancy planes.
Can a high angle achieve the same polish/chatoyance as a tight set cap iron?

Personally I wouldn't chance deviating from anything without a cap iron,
but have often heard suggestions that a tight mouth might be beneficial here.

Not really done any precise long grain decorative beveling to make note of any issue
with an open mouth and it pulling off a chunk at the start of a cut....
so an interesting question to put to the folks who combine a tight mouth and some influence from the cap.

Two folks here I know of use both, @IWW & @hennebury
If beveling isn't the sole reason that they choose to use a plane like that, then I'd like to stand corrected.

Cheers
Tom

 

[Droogs]

@tibi mine is homemade body with spare #405 blades that have been ground on a tool grinder. I have had it for a very long time and was made for me by a railway model engineer I knew many years ago. When I get back into the workshop I will take some pics and put them up if I remember.
If I remember correctly is has a York pitch 55 deg or possibly even 60 so scrapes more than planes. Takes a good few passes before it really takes a lot off.

 

[paulrbarnard]

Block plane to knock off the arris. No5 for bigger chamfers or round over.

 

[kinverkid]

Block plane and/or No4.

 

[Citracal]

Hello,

What hand tool do you use for chamfering/rounding edges on your furniture, if you do not use a powered trim router with an appropriate bit. I do not mean excessive round/chamfer, just a small one so that the edge is not sharp.
Do you use a block plane, smoothing plane, file, spokeshave or some profile plane? What tool is the most appropriate for this task?

Thank you.

If you just want to break the edge so it's not sharp some 180 on a block is absolutely fine and usually easier than getting your block plane onto every edge. That is just to break the edge though.

If you want a more noticeable chamfer or roundover use which ever plane/tool fits the size of the piece you are working. Block plane is usually the handiest.

If you are asking because you want to purchase something to do this and don't already own a block plane then you should start by getting one before a spoke shave or whatever it is that woodpecker are selling.

Best of luck!

 

[mikej460]

Low angle block plane

 

[Orraloon]

Block plane or a #3 and sometimes a #4 if its closest to hand. Since I got a shinto rasp I have also found you can do it with that.
Regards
John

 

[Chris Hawkins]

I now use the HONGDUI Chamfer Plane (previously Veritas LA Block) - outstanding bit of kit. Whole thing on offer at the moment and doesn't cost much more than a blade from some places Link if you're interested. Chris