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Spokeshave Class

Project by Karson posted 518 days ago 1714 views 17 times favorited 27 comments Add to Favorites Watch

Today June 7 2008, our woodworking club Mason Dixon Woodworkers Delmar De. had a class to make spokeshaves. It was in the shop of one of our members and the cost was $60.00 and $40.00 of that was for the blade make by Kansas City Windsor Tool Works Three people took the class.

Ed, our moderator – instructor is into making Windsor furniture so he uses these tools for shaping the spindles etc.

Ed’s collection of spoke shaves.

You get the center of the block and start marking some of the cuts.

Drill the holes for the blade placement.

This is the blade we used. It is the medium size. They make a smaller one and a larger one.

The holes drilled.

use a dado blade to cut out for the space under the blade.

A router bit was used to cut the space under the blade.

Screws are put under the blade for the height adjustment.

A brass plate is cut and placed as a wear surface in front of the cutting edge of the blade.

A bandsaw is used to make the initial shaping of the handle and then files are used to to the intermediate shaping.

Sandpaper is used to do the final shaping.

Practice cuts.


Adjusting the brass plate to fit the edges of the spokeshave.

The brass plate on my spokeshave just clears the blade edge. The blade can be adjusted below the surface of the brass and will keep it from getting knocked around.

We started at 9:00 am worked leisurely took an hour for lunch and were done by 3:00pm. A lot of changing drill sizes for screws and countersinking, but everyone was able to keep together so there was not a lot of waiting for a tool or tool station to come available. We used Nickelson #49 and #50 files to do the shaping.

There is no finish on mine yet. I bought another blade and plan to make another one with some exotic wook.

Additional comments about the setting of the brass throat plate in relationship to the blade.

One additional note. I didn’t install the brass plate the way that they suggest in the instructions. The plate was 1/16” thick X ½ wide. You need about 3/8” in use So I installed the blade in the slot by sanding the length to match the Dado cut and then I drilled and countersunk the screws 2- #4 3/8” and screwed the plate down. I then placed the blade in and found out how much I needed to remove to give the clearance for the blade at the throat. I sanded the brass away until the blade would go below the surface of the brass. It took a few trials to get it correct. Some of the MFg ones that they had at the class had a throat space of about 1/16”. Mine is in the thousands.

I replaced the steel screws with brass screws #4 – 3/8” and then sanded the brass away on the outside and on the bottom so that it was flush with the wood. I’ll polish the brass later. Some of the screw heads were sanded down but the slot is still there if I need to remove later..

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †


27 comments so far

View WayneC's profile (online now)

WayneC

5855 posts in 976 days


posted 518 days ago

Looks like a great class. I would have loved to join you. Is there a link for the blade manufacture? Also, I think Ron Hock makes similar blades.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

View teenagewoodworker's profile

teenagewoodworker

2470 posts in 647 days


posted 518 days ago

thats cool, i never even thought of making a spokeshave before. thanks for the post.

View Karson's profile

Karson

25274 posts in 1279 days


posted 518 days ago

Wayne: The link is kcwtw

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View WayneC's profile (online now)

WayneC

5855 posts in 976 days


posted 518 days ago

Thanks Karson. I’ve added the link to my favorites.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

View Napaman's profile

Napaman

3416 posts in 956 days


posted 518 days ago

very cool Karson!!! was this the first one you have made before???

-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...

View gizmodyne's profile

gizmodyne

1658 posts in 968 days


posted 518 days ago

Great post. Thanks for all of the photos.

-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne

View Douglas Bordner's profile

Douglas Bordner

3415 posts in 942 days


posted 518 days ago

That looks like a winner. Considering the price of Dave’s Shaves and other wooden-bodied tools, I think I’d like to try one.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

View Zipsss's profile

Zipsss

112 posts in 992 days


posted 518 days ago

Looks nice. I will make one in between projects. I could have used it in the rocking chair I made. See you soon.

-- Zipsss

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

2991 posts in 900 days


posted 518 days ago

Great stuff Karson.
I want to do one now too.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

View sharad's profile

sharad

686 posts in 683 days


posted 518 days ago

A very well illustrated demonstration to show how a spokeshave can be made. Thanks for the posting.
Sharad

-- patanjali

View sharad's profile

sharad

686 posts in 683 days


posted 518 days ago

A very well illustrated demonstration to show how a spokeshave can be made. Thanks for the posting.
Sharad

-- patanjali

View jockmike2's profile

jockmike2

7222 posts in 1125 days


posted 518 days ago

Wish I could have been there. mike

-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com

View USCJeff's profile

USCJeff

899 posts in 947 days


posted 518 days ago

Nice. My first attempt was a disaster. This is helpful, will have to try again.

-- Jeff, South Carolina

View FJDIII's profile

FJDIII

166 posts in 689 days


posted 518 days ago

Thanks for this post Karson!

I had started to attempt one after I returned from my first chair class, this will be a big help.

-- Fred.... Poconos, PA ---- Chairwright in the making ----

View Jeff's profile

Jeff

996 posts in 972 days


posted 518 days ago

Great information Karson!

Do you or anyone else know a source that details the concepts/standards behind the sizes and shapes of the handles?

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

View John Gray's profile

John Gray

1722 posts in 764 days


posted 518 days ago

I favourited it THANKS!!!

-- Only the Shadow knows....................

View Karson's profile

Karson

25274 posts in 1279 days


posted 518 days ago

Jeff:

I’ve got a paper that was passed out in the class for the measurements. I’ll see if I can scan it into the computer and provide it to anyone that sends me a private e-mail message so that I have their e-mail address to return it to.

I believe that the handle is a personal taste. One of the guys in the class had two of the one’s made and shown on the KCWTW web site. Theirs are made with a deep pocket place for your thumb. I didn’t make mine that way. I think I’d make a longer handle though. This one is 11” long, it only goes to the third finger on each hand. I don’t plan on using it for long cuttings but something more comfortable would be nice.

You could just carve some handles in different shapes to see what is comfortable before using your good wood and making the spokeshave. A handle curved to you like bike handlebars might be comfortable but would require more wood. This one is 7/8 X 1 1/4 X 11 I think. I don’t have the paper handy right now.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View GaryK's profile

GaryK

9496 posts in 867 days


posted 518 days ago

That’s very cool, Karson. A lot simpler than I thought it would be.

Thanks.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

View thetimberkid's profile

thetimberkid

1944 posts in 582 days


posted 518 days ago

Great job!

Thanks for the post

Callum

-- For wood working podcasts with a twist check out http://thetimberkid.com/

View Jeff's profile

Jeff

996 posts in 972 days


posted 518 days ago

Thanks Karson. I’ll drop you a PM with my mail.

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

View Richard Williams's profile

Richard Williams

140 posts in 671 days


posted 518 days ago

Wow, I am truly amazed at what talent there is on this Lumberjocks site. Very nice.

-- Rich, Nevada,

View Dorje's profile

Dorje

1768 posts in 875 days


posted 515 days ago

Looks like fun!

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

View TedM's profile

TedM

1839 posts in 611 days


posted 514 days ago

Interesting… I concur with Gary… seems like a straightforward process to create a fine tool. Sounds like it was a great day.

-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com

View Davesfunwoodworking's profile

Davesfunwoodworking

259 posts in 754 days


posted 514 days ago

Karson, How much fun you must have had doing this. Where I live we dont have classes for woodworking. But Well worth the 60.00 to have fun all day and walk away with a great tool that you will have for a long time. Great job!!!!!

-- Davesfunwoodworking

View Scott Bryan's profile

Scott Bryan

20071 posts in 700 days


posted 513 days ago

Karson,

It looks like you had fun with this class. It was well worth the effort and cost to come away with (1) the experience and (2) a nice tool to add to your collection.

Well done. And, as usual, your post was both insightful and informative in addition to being well documented.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

View Lee A. Jesberger's profile

Lee A. Jesberger

3709 posts in 858 days


posted 509 days ago

Hi Karson;

A little late in responding but these look like a fun project. One that the maker gets to both keep and use!

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

View bryano's profile

bryano

546 posts in 812 days


posted 504 days ago

This is one nice spoke shave. Karson brought this tool to the picnic at Lee’s house today and what a fine tool this is. It works really well and its nice and comfortable to use.

-- bryano

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