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Thread: Supporting curved components for shaping

  1. #1

    Supporting curved components for shaping

    I am in the process of hand shaping some rear chair legs (spokeshave, scraper, etc.), and am having trouble clamping and supporting them properly while doing so because they curve in 2 directions, so they won't just sit flat in a traditional vice. I have been getting by using some wedges underneath the leg for support and clamping it to my bench, but it tends to slide around and not be very stable. I know I could build custom jigs for every orientation, but there must be an easier way I am missing. How do other people handle these situations?

    Thanks for your input,

    Ted

  2. #2
    1. Leave extra length on each end of the work piece for clamping until the shaping is done, then cut off. (Oh, too late? You've already cut the legs to length? Remember for the next time.)
    2. If the curves are cut on a band saw, retain the off-cuts and selectively tape in place to support the piece in a vise. (Already threw the off-cuts in the trash? Could be worth a dumpster dive if there's not too much food waste in the dumpster.)
    3. Invest in a wood carver's vise, with jaws that pivot to conform to varying shapes of workpieces.
    4. Visit a wood carver's forum and search on work holding. They have a lot of ways to do these things.
    5. Clamp your leg in a (long enough) bar clamp and support the bar clamp in your bench vise.
    6. Using hot melt glue or ca glue, mount some shaped blocks onto your workpiece to fit your vise; when shaping is done, knock 'em off and clean up the glue surface.

    Oops, nearly forgot.
    7. Build yourself a shave horse.
    Last edited by James Waldron; 02-08-2017 at 12:17 PM. Reason: Add element
    Fair winds and following seas,
    Jim Waldron

  3. #3
    Thanks for the quick response Jim!

  4. #4
    Maybe make some kind of shaving horse, or a similar clamping mechanism that can mount to your bench.

  5. #5
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    I've seen a lot of workholding done be using a handscrew to grasp the piece and then clamping the handscrew to the bench.

  6. #6
    Leaving extra length where possible is great. However, when spoke shaving, the other (free) end doesn't have enough support for chair legs, and can vibrate as you try to shape it.

    This is a case where a leg vise does very well. It has a narrow face vis-a-vis regular face vises so it doesn't rack, and the fulcrum is lower so it has tremendous holding power at the top, and good depth for longer things like chair legs.

    Another trick I use is to wrap the spindle or leg in a piece of shelf liner - or even better - thicker, flexible foam mats - like those puzzle mats you can get for your kids' playroom. I originally started doing that to protect the piece from the vise jaws marring it, but found that it provides a great deal of extra grip.

    Another tip I read but have not tried, is to cut a series of different sized, semicircular cutouts from a couple of 2x4's. You then position the pieces around your chair leg as best possible, and clamp the whole assembly in the vise.

    one more: If you use a tail vise, the gap holds extremely well.
    Last edited by Prashun Patel; 02-08-2017 at 10:13 PM.

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