Shave horse

[Deerhunter21]

Hey guys, long time no post! Life’s been busy with school and stuff. Anyways, I’m trying to build a shave horse, and I was wondering if anyone’s got dimensions and plans for one that they’d be willing to share?

[Pat B]

Welcome back, Russell.  I'll take a pic of the one I built in a little while and try to explain my process building it.

[GlisGlis]

Hey Russel
I do not have plans as I did it from scraps and quickly.
I show you pictures tough as this shaving horse (half horse..) ended being very useful and may give you some ideas
The first requisite was it had to occupy very little space so I made it only 5''  in width
I' ve cut back on hind legs as I use a chair and i made it with as many detachable parts as i could.
This leave me with a basic L structure that can be easily stored in very little space.
It has some small flaws but on the whole it works (pretty light and not immovable)
I've used for bow making and spoon carving, also as attachment frame for loom weaving.

[Deerhunter21]

That’s a nice shave horse, I wouldn’t have guess you threw it together with some scrap, the explanation does help a lot, I think I might be able to pull this off.

Thanks pat, id appreciate that

[Pat B]

Sorry, but I forgot I gave my bow horse away a few years ago. I use a Stave Master now.
 I used an 10' 2x10 cut across at 6" so I have a 6" and 4" pieces . The 6' piece is the seat/base  and the 4" is the slanted piece that the knucklehead with foot peddle was attached. The legs I used an 8' 2x4 and plastic saw horse brackets to attach the four 2' legs.
Sorry, I don't have any pics. I do think there are how to's on YouTube.

[Eric Krewson]

I used a shave horse for years and kept it outside under a tree. When I built a shop with a sturdy work bench, I found I preferred a stout vice with padded jaws coupled with a post on the end of my workbench to help support the stave. I gave my shave horse away to a guy in N Georgia, no telling where it is now.

I had my shave horse before digital cameras came on the scene so I don't have any good pictures of it.

[Deerhunter21]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help. I’m gonna draw up some plans and then go for it. Hoping to make a relatively portable one as I’m moving a lot at the moment. Hopefully something I can keep in my car.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

I’m with Eric. I’ve tried a shave horse but not a fan. I prefer a bench vise with wood and leather jaws. I made a portable bench the vise is mounted to. Mainly since I can’t do heavy wood removal and put oomph behind a draw knife with a shave horse. I think this picture shows the bench well enough. Just throwing your the info for another option. Nothing wrong with a horse, just doesn’t work for me.

Kyle

[TimBo]

I also tend to prefer a vise, but have enjoyed using a shave horse now and then.  I am planning to build something like this one over the summer:
http://www.greenwoodworking.org/shaving-horse-plans/
There are lots of variations in shave horses, so looking at a few different ones should get your creative juices flowing!

[ksnow]

This design is cheap and very portable.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,61151.msg854435.html#msg854435

[Deerhunter21]

I prefer a bench vise as well, but I’ll look into getting another one once I can set up something semi permanent.

Ksnow that is a really nice design. Good place for me to start I think. I appreciate the help

[Hawkdancer]

Russell,
Good to hear you got off the rocks ok! I use a bench vise with padded jaws, not so portable, but bolted together for easier breakdown.   Based on the design Jawge had on his site.
Jerry