Thread: The Bedan

is one of the oldest instruments of the French school, and is still used with great satisfaction by many masters in France, Jean Francois Escoulen is one of these

The Bedan With Jean François Escoulen Tokyo Japan Part 1 - YouTube

The Bedan With Jean François Escoulen Tokyo Japan Part 2 - YouTube

Woodturning: trembleur competition - YouTube

great technique and lots of exercise for these results ..

logically should be used along the grain ..

I have a std sized Hamlet, plus a home made miniature one (made from 1/4" sq tool steel). I use them mainly for boxes and tenons.

Great videos France'!! Thanks!!

I had actually watched some Videos of Jean Francois at work some time back.

He certainly is a master.

I have a bedan quarter by quarter inch for lace bobbins and 3/8 by 3/8 also a 1/2 by 1/2 inch the last two are more of a skew and I love to use them all! the 1/2 by 1/2 is an awesome parting tool on large work like 4 by4 posts as I turn a few newel posts at work. removing waste before turning the ball on the end! I'll try get some photos of them!

I have the Sorby ones and love them, especially for boxmaking and cutti g tenons.


Peter.

Hello Artme,
They are invaluable - get (2) smaller one and especially the 3/8th one.
They are great. Drillit.

They can be supremely accurate on ultra thin spindles. The French have a competition for turning things called 'Trembleur's'. The thickness of the spindle goes down to 1.8mm, all done with a bedan.

Yup. I love it.

Originally Posted by dai sensei

I have a std sized Hamlet, plus a home made miniature one (made from 1/4" sq tool steel). I use them mainly for boxes and tenons.

Did you have to chamfer the bottom edges?

hello, I used a 3/8 bedan and when super sharp with the points very crisp is a marvelous tool. I found also very easy, do not remember catches. Must be very sharp and use mainly the blade at the very edge. I use it rarely now because it is heavy on the tool rest. Niches and scratches are common given the very acute angles that lay on the tool rest. It is used in France but traditionally also in Italy where "bedani" are the heavy mortise chisels, very similar to the modern bedan and a relatively common family name probably derived from the profession.

Originally Posted by wm460

Did you have to chamfer the bottom edges?

I slightly chamfered one side so that when I went in on the spindle (bevel down), it wouldnt jam. If you use for
rolling over (like beads), then bevel up and push upwards, in and turn over. I guess similar to using a skew to roll beads
off the heal. Hope that makes sense. Others may elaborate further. Drillit.

these are more of a skew/bedan?! anyway this the I like them, hollow grind then hone till razor Sharp. one not shown and little one are Mcjings tool steel black one p&n and big one böhlerit S600 they are my first pick for beads, and parting off waste

My most used tools for Bowls & Platters.
Left to right.
- Henry Taylor 5/8" HS1 Superflute bevel about 60° & swept back wings.
- Robert Sorby 1" Roundnosed scraper with very long wings.
Tips is angled down at about 15°. Bevel at tip is about 70° & sides are about 55°.
- 3/8" square beading ground as a 35°bedan.
- 1/2" scraper cut off & ground to suit the angle on my chuck jaws.

I use the Bedan for sizing spigots for chucks.
I use the Angled Scraper for making the dovetails for chucks

Originally Posted by wm460

Did you have to chamfer the bottom edges?

On the home made one yes, for ~25mm