How to make a fair curve?

[Andy Dingley]

Hmmm... That's an interesting idea. Anyone tried it ? How well did it work out ?

[Lazarus Long]

Draw it with a CAD program then print it out full scale. If one doesn't have a large format printer, you'll have to go to a place like Kinko's for that.

Then spray adhesive, then bandsaw.

[Conan the Librarian]

I've got a couple of new handmade ones, and they are great. However, if you try to buy an old one from someone who knows what they are, you'll be out anywhere from $50-100 for a good one. (I got mine for shipping costs. *meep* *meeep*) They were used mostly for making wooden planes (i.e., flattening beds, cutting wedge abutments, etc.).

I have a Nicholson, and I've found it to be worth every cent I paid for it. I do a fair amount of curved work these days, and I tend to reach for it often. I've also got a couple of those Microplane thingies, and I'm not that impressed. I expect they make great cheese graters, but I don't like them for working wood.

Of course the one tool that no-one mentioned in all of this is a spokeshave. When I'm doing curved work I cut the shape wide of the mark with a coping saw or fretsaw (depending on thickness), and use a combination of rasp and shave to work to the line. The nice thing about a shave is that it leaves a really gorgeous surface that needs no touching up.

Finally, I'll second the idea of making a template. If it's oversize and you are going to freehand it, here's one simple way to make it uniform: Draw out half of the curve on graph paper. Transfer that to your template. Then flip the half curve over and draw the rest of the curve on your template. As long as you align things properly, it has to be uniform.

This is also helpful when you can layout your design online but it's too large to print on standard paper. If you can fit half the curve on printer-paper, then you can draw the rest from that.

Chuck Vance

[Swingman]

The very first table top I ever made, in England some 39 years ago and using my ex FIL's tools, I did the curved corners using a spokeshave that had been passed down to him from his grandfather ... wish I had that beautiful old tool now.

It was a mahogany top and the corners looked like they were cut with a router they were so crisp.

Going back for a visit in June for my oldest daughter's wedding ... ... hmmmmm, wonder if he still has it?

[Conan the Librarian]

I know of no other tool that can handle those sorts of grain transitions any better. I've been doing some handcarved bowls and trays, and the shave leaves such a wonderful surface, even on the endgrain transitions, that it would be a crime to touch it with sandpaper afterwards.

And using a shave is probably my favorite shop activity of all.

Now that would be gloatworthy. :-)

FWIW, if you are in the market for new shaves, definitely check out the LV/Veritas ones. Their low-angle is a shop favorite, and they recently came out with a higher-angle shave that is reminiscent of the Record/Stanley #151 (I think that's the number). (No affiliation, etc.)

Chuck Vance Just say (tmPL) Yes, to spokeshaves.