Thread: Shaping chair seats

Took a photo of my travisher.....looks like woodwind already beat me to it.

Mine had a really nice couple of handles....but they were too long, so I cut them off ! They got in the way all the time. Maybe mine wasn't origionally meant for chair seats. Seen other travisher designs with high handles.

But incase my sawnoff version works a treat, working cross grain looking for good slices with grain.

Zelk,,, Google 'peter Galbert'......he's a american chairmaker. Nice bloke. Lovely chairs. He's got a blog, and theirs plenty to learn from him. Heaps of interesting pictures. I think he talks about travishers in there as well.

Originally Posted by apricotripper

Took a photo of my travisher.....looks like woodwind already beat me to it.

Mine had a really nice couple of handles....but they were too long, so I cut them off ! They got in the way all the time. Maybe mine wasn't origionally meant for chair seats. Seen other travisher designs with high handles.

But incase my sawnoff version works a treat, working cross grain looking for good slices with grain.

Zelk,,, Google 'peter Galbert'......he's a american chairmaker. Nice bloke. Lovely chairs. He's got a blog, and theirs plenty to learn from him. Heaps of interesting pictures. I think he talks about travishers in there as well.

Jake, which side of the blade do you sharpen, inner or outer?

I did mention poor success with my scorp. When I bought it, the edge was not sharpened and I along with the salesperson just assumed that the inner edge had to be sharpened. Well, while at Carbatec a couple of days ago, I had a look at their new stock of identical scorps only to find that this lot had sharpened edges and what's more it's the outer edge that is sharpened.

Earlier, while using the gouge, I did note that the outer edge of the tool was sharpened and wondered whether the scorp should have been sharpened the same way, I should have paid attention to my instinct.

Zelk

A bevel on the outside of the blade will afford far better control than on the inside (assuming the angle of the handle(s) is correct).

on my travisher, the bevel is inside......so to sharpen, you have to grind/lap away on that bevel..... the outside face you don't touch except to back off (just a light lapping to help flick the burr)

It'll take some practise to learn how to sharpen it. tricky because the inside is curved like that. you have to find a way of getting in there....

I sharpen it the fastest way I can. Thats with a grinder and buffing wheel. (I do a lot that way)..... Basically I eye off the very edge to get an idea what to do.......then often lap very edge straight on a diamond stone just to establish a little flat that I can see......now that I can see what I'm doing, I freehand the blades bevel against the edge of grinder wheel. light consistant strokes. Checking my progress often......basically trying to remove that little flat simultaneously from one end to the other whilst maintaining a consistant angle....burring the blade.

Once its burred, I can buff it successfully to razor sharp. Same sort of stroking on the buffing wheel to flick the burr....feel it when its gone. Thats when I buff the back (backing off). Just use the side of the buffing wheel.

I hope that helps some. My methods not traditional, but its practical in my opinion. If you can't sharpen them well and quick you'll be there all day

Hi Zelk,

I have a small wooden radius plane - abit like IanW's that I got from McJing'shttp://www.mcjing.com.au/. It only cost $10 but I needed to totally regrind the whole blade, but it now works a treat. I also have a travisher and its a nice tool to use, still looking for a good inshave or scorp. Scorp bevel of course needs to be on the outside.

Regards,
Steve

Originally Posted by apricotripper

on my travisher, the bevel is inside......so to sharpen, you have to grind/lap away on that bevel..... the outside face you don't touch except to back off (just a light lapping to help flick the burr)

Jake, have you given any thought to regrinding it so the bevel is on the outside?

I've little experience with "travishers" as such, but enjoy using straight & curved drawknives. I agree with Woodwould that having the bevel on the bottom gives better control, as you can use the bevel as a fulcrum to finely control the depth of cut. (In sorta the same way that the heel of a plane controls depth of cut.)

The other way 'round always gives me problems, esp. when grain changes direction. Then a "bevel up" tool wants to dig in big time...

(And an added bonus with bevel down is easier sharpening. )

Thanks guys,
I reground my scorp edge so that the bevel is on the outside ie: bevel down. This made a substantial difference with the shavings being much smoother. Previously, with the bevel up, the shavings were quite course. The other problem was that eventually the scorp would develop a wire edge.

So, with the bevel down the scorp works better, however, while hollowing a small seat, I now find that the angle of the handle unsuitable, the knuckle of my fingers would come in contact with the workpiece.

Steve, I had a look at the plane you mentioned, I must admit I was put off buying it, since it had a rusty and pitted blade, you must have put a lot of effort into getting it to work. McJing had a Two Cherries brand of scorp for $90, it too had the bevel on the outside.

Cheers,
Zelk

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Jake, have you given any thought to regrinding it so the bevel is on the outside?

I've little experience with "travishers" as such, but enjoy using straight & curved drawknives. I agree with Woodwould that having the bevel on the bottom gives better control, as you can use the bevel as a fulcrum to finely control the depth of cut. (In sorta the same way that the heel of a plane controls depth of cut.)

The other way 'round always gives me problems, esp. when grain changes direction. Then a "bevel up" tool wants to dig in big time...

(And an added bonus with bevel down is easier sharpening. )

I agree it be absolutely easier to sharpen.

But I don't think it be an improvement. In fact I Don't think it work.(sorry, I don't mean to come accross deliberately negitive to your idea. just trying to describe my visualisation of it. I think tossing around ideas is great) In use the fulcrums the leading woodern part of the tool. Fair bit of pressure at that point, and thats where the wood seems to wear away.

For this tool, if I ground the bevel the other way around the edge of the blade wouldn't cut, because it be under this woodern toe (fulcrum whatever) Probably could design a new tool from scratch to do it though. Probably already one made from years past.

What I find particularily interesting about this old spokeshave in this use (crossgrain slices) is that setting the depth of cut isn't that important, compared to say a hand plane. just bang it in into the old woodern body, and the blade can stick out from the old beatup sole say half a mill even and I'll have no problems shaping fast with it. (as long as she's real sharp of course) The cutting action, with the way you pressure with your hands, doesn't have it crash diving into the wood as one might expect. can control it, so you don't really have to worry about depth of cut.

anyway, somebody probably disagree...

Yeah, my mistake. For some reason I was thinking along the lines of "unsupported" blades, like drawknives, rather than "housed" blades such as spokeshaves, etc.

A bit of a moment.

no matter.

Earlier, the first hole I drilled through the seat base for the legs did not turn out as planned, it pays to try out a new technique on scrap timber first. The forstner bit created an irregular hole towards the top side of the seat, as shown in photo one. Some would say that the problem is quite trivial and not worth worrying about. However, I feel that putting effort into solving such a problem , as painfully distracting as it may be, can be rewarding and no doubt will develop some more woodworking skills.

Rather than use putty or epoxy, I decided to use the same timber with particular attention to maintaining similar direction of grain. I decided to glue laminations of timber to the affected area and then redrill the hole using the same forstner bit.

I used a bit of plastic ( camera film cylinder) which expanded in the hole and helped keep the lamination compressed. I later realised, that I should have created more even pressure to the reduce glue line and improve the strength of the overall laminate. I was trying think of something quick that could expand in the hole to provide adequate even pressure, but couldn't come up with anything at the time.

The final job isn't too bad, but it could have been better if I had used a sharp forstner bit.

Originally Posted by zelk

....
The final job isn't too bad, but it could have been better if I had used a sharp forstner bit.

A good solution, but I am wondering why it was necessary - aren't you going to split the top of the leg & wedge it? In which case, wouldn't that expand the leg into the oversize top of the hole & lock it nicely? Your wandering Forstner has drilled & reamed at the same time - you could claim it was deliberate.

Originally Posted by IanW

A good solution, but I am wondering why it was necessary - aren't you going to split the top of the leg & wedge it? In which case, wouldn't that expand the leg into the oversize top of the hole & lock it nicely? Your wandering Forstner has drilled & reamed at the same time - you could claim it was deliberate.

Ditto.

Or insert larger diameter legs. I would have reservations about the integrity of your remedy.

Unfortunately, the legs are already made. I would feel uncomfortable with leaving one of the three holes irregular. As mentioned the irregularity is towards one end of the hole, so it made sense to patch it up only. When using wedges, do you still have to maintain a snug fitting leg and is it necessary to use in this case as I am using relatively soft timber?

I knew you guys would question my technique, but I am glad you offered some alternatives.

regards,
Zelks