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Thread: LV wooden shave kit, a question.

  1. #1
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    LV wooden shave kit, a question.

    If anyone here has ever built the LV wooden spokeshave kit, I have a quick question. How big a gap can you get away with for the mouth? Mine wound up being south of 1/16 and north of 1/32. It takes a pretty fine shaving, but doesn't really cut end grain all that well (no surprise.) it is already one of my favorite tools, but I think I may need to redo the wear strip at the front of the mouth to make the mouth smaller. Great little project to stay occupied while I await more surgery on my noggin.
    Thanks!
    Paul

  2. #2
    I've made a few Paul. With the adjusters and blade as tight as possible the opening should be under 1/32". You make the mouth wider by using the adjusters so as tight an opening as possible should be the place to start.
    Dave Anderson

    Chester, NH

  3. #3
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    Yeah, I kind of figured that. I used cocobolo for the wear strip with hide glue. Looks like that was good planning! Taking it apart and widening the rabbet should be fairly straightforward. Does yours cut end grain well?
    Paul

  4. #4
    Mine cuts end grain just fine as long as I recently sharpened the blade.
    Dave Anderson

    Chester, NH

  5. #5
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    Love hide glue. Blowdrier, a little prying, and the strip pried right off. Reshaping with a rasp, a new strip, and now I have a nice, tight mouth. good stuff.
    Paul

  6. #6
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    Pictures, or it never happened.

  7. #7
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    Im not sure why a wide mouth would cause it to cut end grain poorly. Cutting end grain easily should be a product of how sharp your blade is. To me it sounds as though you are getting the blade as sharp as it should be. Although my kit did end up with a very tight mouth when the blade is set for a fine cut.

    spokeshave bottom.jpg

  8. #8
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    Then pictures you shall have. It still looks like crap, as I am only in the shop for about 30 mins at a time, (a very intense 30 minutes!) before I have to go sit down and relax. Shaping the wear strip (its still too thick, i used cocobolo) and the handles is next. Bear in mind, I'm a mediocre woodworker, its not much to look at!
    Paul

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tony Shea View Post
    Im not sure why a wide mouth would cause it to cut end grain poorly. Cutting end grain easily should be a product of how sharp your blade is. To me it sounds as though you are getting the blade as sharp as it should be. Although my kit did end up with a very tight mouth when the blade is set for a fine cut.

    spokeshave bottom.jpg
    Tighter mouth holds the fibres down better for a shearing cut, I believe. Same principle as a bevel up hand plane, or a regular hand plane with the chip breaker set back. That being said, I do need to hone the cutter.
    Before I redid the mouth, it worked very nicely with the grain, now hopefully will work better for end grain, and "semi end grain."
    Paul

  10. #10
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    Pictures. Still need to shape the handles with a rasp, and pare down the wear strip a lot. Be merciful, this is my first spokeshave, and I can only work on it in 30 minute intervals.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Paul

  11. #11
    Just take it really slow Paul. The mouth opening is the most critical part you have left to do. Everything else is just cosmetic. Do not try to rush and if you have any doubt about whether or not you will get the full 30 minutes uninterrupted, wait until you will have the time. Sneak up and test, sneak up and test, sneak up and test is the protocol for getting the mouth opening right.
    Dave Anderson

    Chester, NH

  12. #12
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    Thanks, Dave. I managed to get in time yesterday, and shaved down the wear strip to the right height. The mouth did not need adjustment in the end. It takes very nice shavings indeed, I need to give the blade a good sharpening, and try it on end grain.
    of course, the hard part now begins. Shaping it without wrecking it. Right now it looks like it was hacked out of a 2x4 by my impatient 8 year old.
    Paul

  13. #13
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    Another interesting fact I have discovered in regard to "flat" bottom spokeshaves. If you put a level on LA wood planes you may discover that the mouth, Paul's cocobolo, is frequently not flat. I have quite a few WoodJoy shaves and the brass plates on the WoodJoy tools are at around 4-7 degrees I believe. I should try to actually measure them one day, maybe when I put one of Glenn's kits together it will have instructions with the info. I am curious if the LV instructions that come with their kit mentions details on making the mouth?

    I want a small/medium 2-2 1/2" spokeshave with "gull wing" handles and a small curve in the blade. Not a travisher, a spokeshave made a little like a travisher. Travishers are typically large and more exagerated both in the handles and blade curve. I want a smaller tool for finishing Windsor chair seats. I think I will have to make it.

  14. #14
    I'm going from memory Mike, but I think the Lee Valley/Veritas kits specify a 2 degree angle. Yes, flat bottom shave are not truly flat.
    Dave Anderson

    Chester, NH

  15. #15
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    The article Ron Hock references for his blade specifies 1 to 2 degrees. I don't measure--just angle "a skosh."

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