New Glaser V10 Bedan Tool

[Mike Minto]

Received my new Glaser tool in the mail today; didn't know it would be quite so massive - at 1/2" wide, it's a big tool. Can give overall dimensions if anyone cares. I was using my Crown parting tool (about 1/8" thick) to make tenons - this should be much easier. Mike

[Gordon Seto]

Mike,

Congrats on the new bedan. What's the cross section? square, rectangular or trapezoid?

[curtis rosche]

great lookin tool. how much vibration does that wide of a cut make?

[Mike Minto]

gordon, trapezoidal - never used one, but i'm wagering it's just the tool for tenons. glad i went for the 1/2" instead of the 3/8. mike

[Bernie Weishapl]

Mike I have a bedan tool and love it. You can do a lot with it. I think it was Stuart Ablett that has a video on U-Tube called Bedan Practice. You can search for it. He gives a pretty good demo on it. I saw one used by Jean-Francois Escoulen at a demo. He used it like a skew and did several things with it.

[Gordon Seto]

Bernie,

The one that Stuart used in U-Tube was the French bedan. The bedan has square or rectangular cross section. That was the reason I asked about the cross section. Jean Escoulen bedans are forged.
When using the trapezoid bedan in a bevel up fashion, the sharper than 90 degree edge is more likely to dig in the tool rest and doesn't glide as smoothly.
The English bedans (trapezoid cross section) are meant to be used flat on the tool rest and not rotated.

[Steve Kubien]

Looking at the pictures, I am wondering if this is any different than a narrow, thick square scraper? I realize that the metal is different than most and the angle is not "normal" but is there something else I am not seeing?

Curious.

Steve

[Scott Conners]

Steve, the big difference is that it is used with the bevel on the top. Typically used in spindle turning, it can do much that a skew can do and some things a gouge can too.

[Doug Thompson]

Steve, the big difference is that it is used with the bevel on the top. Typically used in spindle turning, it can do much that a skew can do and some things a gouge can too.

So you can flip the tool over and use it like a skew and you will also have a negitive rake scraper which could be real handy.

Gordon, when you get back to the states I need to learn about a bedan, someone at the national symposium had to be using one because to many people were asking about it.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Looks like quite the tool Mike! I have never used one and look forward to your comments once you get the chance to use yours. Sure looks like it would work great for tenons!

[Mike Minto]

Tenons are the main reason I got the tool, as I said; but having never used one, I was surprised at the versatility displayed in the YouTube videos with this type of tool. I was very surprised to see it used bevel up; being trapezoidal, I thought it would be used bevel down, to lessen any chance of binding, as in a diamond cross-section parting tool. Will have to try both ways. Mike

[Richard Madison]

Whowouldathunkit, a tool that you use upside down. Very interesting and educational video. Thanks Bernie for mentioning it. Should be easy to whip one up from a 1/2" tool bit. Think I read that the bevel is 45 degrees.

[Mike Minto]

Richard, yep, should be very easy to make your own - it looks like 45 degrees to me, this one being trapezoidal in shape - that should be fairly easy to do, too. mike

[Gordon Seto]

Whowouldathunkit,

If you have a chance to watch Jean Escoulen to demo how he did the furniture spindle, it would surprise you. He grew up in his father's production shop.
The 3 tools he used for spindle from square stocks are sledge hammer, bedan and a spindle gouge. He used the sledge hammer to center the square blank on the lathe. He put the square blank loosely between centers by eyeballing; then used the sledge hammer to knock it center before tightening the tail stock. There was no measuring, marking for center. Centering is important in pummel cuts. His method works for him.
He turns at extreme speed, everything was done with the bedan, from roughing to finishing. Only changed to a spindle gouge for tight cove.
The way he masters the bedan makes one humble. It has the smooth finish of a skew. It is more rigid than a skew because of thickness; that allows it to reach a great distance over the tool rest. The single bevel and smaller width allows for better visibility than a thick skew.

[Bill Wyko]

Nice looking tool. You'll have to give us a review on it once you put some miles on it. Just wondering, how much did it set you back if you don't mind my asking?