Hollows and Rounds?

[Jay Pique]

Anyone know of a company making hollows and rounds these days? How about custom sizes - specifically 1.0625" radius. Just curious, really, but I had a need for one today.

JP

[John Grossbohlin]

Lie-Nielson has blanks for irons.

and they sell a DVD on how to make them "Making Traditional Side Escapement Planes"

Stanley had cutters for No 45 and No 55 planes for hollows and rounds and they are still available in the used tool market.

John

[charlieb]

1.0625" radius = 2 1/8" diameter.

By hollows and rounds I assume you mean what turners call coves and beads (concave half round and convex half round).

I've got a #45 with a complete set of irons and the widest iron is about 1 1/4".

There's a router bit referred to as a Box Bit that might do for the "hollow" though I haven't seen one that's 2 1/8" in diameter.

Looks like LV blanks only go up to 1 5/8".

Might I ask what you need to do?

[Michael Faurot]

Clark & Williams[1] do, but you're going to need deep pockets. I've not used them myself, but Christopher Schwarz[2] thinks highly of them.

[1]:

[Steve Turner]

very nice planes but WOW, at nearly $140 a pop that would get pricey in a hurry!

[Jay Pique]

link.

I mis-typed when I said a 1.0625 radius - that's actually the diameter.

JP

[Michael Faurot]

Indeed, and I don't think I have the tenacity to save up for a set as long as Christopher Schwarz did. I did just notice that Lee Valley[1] is going to have Asian made some hollows and rounds available very soon, for what look to be a very attractive price. Not sure if these are the same type as the ones Japan Woodworker[2] has. I do like that Lee Valley will have the option to buy the whole set of 12 for $229.

[1]:

[Steve Turner]

they are a different design than the traditional European molding planes, and I wonder how a person who is experienced in the traditional designs (I'm not one of them, unfortunately) would compare the two.

[Michael Faurot]

I only have a bit of limited experience with molding planes, which are of the traditional side-escapement type design. The biggest difference I see is the Asian planes have the shavings go through a mouth and throat instead of a side-escapement. Beyond that difference, my guess is that both traditional molding planes and these Asian planes would have a similar limitation. That limitation being, they work best with wood species that have straight and well behaved grain.