Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Christian Soldier on January 15, 2013, 11:00:31 am
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I've decided my Bow tool collection needs one of these and I have an amazon gift card burning a hole in my pocket so do any of yall have suggestions for a spokeshave?
Also, any advice in use or technique?
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I don't like a spokeshave for building bows...except maybe for yew or ERC. My go tools are a draw knife, a rasp or 2 and a scraper.
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What PatB said,I know folks that use them,I think their is a learning curve to them that I just haven't taken the time to master. :)
Pappy
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I like spokeshaves a lot, dont know how much you are willing to spend...
I have had succes with the older stanley spokeshave (nr 151 if I am correct), not so much with the newer ones. You definitly need one with a flat bottom but I bet you already knew that, I dont have experience with low angle spokeshaves.
When using a spokeshave on the belly of a bow (lets say a flatbow) try to make the belly a little round, that way you wont experience any chatter of the blade.
Stefan
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spokeshaves seem to be best for...well uhh...spokes! tapering jobs.
not as good on surfaces where grain rises and falls,because unless they're razor sharp they can dig in and rip chunks.
If I had one of those gift cards I'd be tempted to get one of those heavy duty perferated rasps
where the material can exit through the diamond shaped holes.... what are they called? i obviously don't have one
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spokeshaves seem to be best for...well uhh...spokes! tapering jobs.
not as good on surfaces where grain rises and falls,because unless they're razor sharp they can dig in and rip chunks.
If I had one of those gift cards I'd be tempted to get one of those heavy duty perferated rasps
where the material can exit through the diamond shaped holes.... what are they called? i obviously don't have one
I believe you are referring to the Shinto rasp.
Grady
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...or a Surform.
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My inlaws just bought me a Stanley for Christmas. Unfortunately my father-in-law sharpened the blade up for me :o
I'm sure there is a learning curve, as you say, but I'm a lot more comfortable with a scraper and a Sureform at this point. I can't control the spokeshave as easily and it tends to chatter. I probably have to dull the blade a bit and mess with the depth. I have the least amount of blade showing right now but it still wants to cut too deep.
I would go the rasp or Sureform route if I were you.
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i had a spoke shave. but i broke it. In my opinion, get yourself a cabinetmakers rasp. a 6-8 grain is what id use for rough tiller and shaping, and because thats the main tool i learned to use along side the cabinet scraper when i learned from bryce. simply put, you can get a very nice tiller using the rasp and scraper, and with a surform rasp and drawknife you can get the rough shape of the bow.
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@limblover Why should you dull a blade? it will increase chatter. Are you sure that have inserted the blade correctly?
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Like Stefan suggests I think a very sharp spokeshave is the way to go..and very fine setting also. A spoke shave is useful wth even wood. Because of the foot of the spoke shave it doesn't handle uneven wood for me.
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Grady, yep! the Shinto rasp!
thats where MY money would go, though i've never used one. just how good are they compared to a standard rough cutting rasp?
I've just never enjoyed using sureforms, though i have two....they take off too little, and sometimes its like fingers on a chalk board
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The best spokeshave type tool I have found for making bows is the bowers edge from dean torges. Its different in that the angle of the blade is not set at a 45 its straight up and down. I've found it works well on lots of different woods. It's like a scraper on steroids :)
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I like the Shinto rasp. Takes alot of wood off though if you really bear down on it :o. I bought a spokeshave, but so far it has been used for working on arrows and debarking saplings.
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The best spokeshave type tool I have found for making bows is the bowers edge from dean torges. Its different in that the angle of the blade is not set at a 45 its straight up and down. I've found it works well on lots of different woods. It's like a scraper on steroids :)
+1 to the Bowyers Edge, although I can do about as good with a good sharp cabinet scraper. To me, the best way to go for tillering is a Nicholson 49 cabinetmakers rasp and a cabinet scraper. I do like the Shinto for bringing a piece down to floor tiller in a hurry. I have a couple of spokeshaves and have never found them to work for my purposes. Pat's right about them working on straight-grained wood though.
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A spokeshave has it's uses, but takes allot of use to master. I use them on about 1/2 of the bows I make. It's definitely not for every bow or bowyer. If you know someone close by that can use one well ,it will take a bunch of the frustration out of it for you, otherwise you will likely find it chatters ,tears chunks out ,jambs up and then sits (or is thrown ) into the corner.If you really want one , than more power to you! I like them ,but not a tool for everyone, and not for every situation. I've been using them since I was about 10 ( weird kid / misspent youth?) and I think I have them figured out 30 years later ??? If you do decide to get one ,I'll see about putting up a few pointers on a post . Hell, maybe if I get time I'll do it anyway. What you want is one with positive feed adjustment and a good thick blade. From there it's all about tuning and technique.
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The best spokeshave type tool I have found for making bows is the bowers edge from dean torges. Its different in that the angle of the blade is not set at a 45 its straight up and down. I've found it works well on lots of different woods. It's like a scraper on steroids :)
I seen Will use this and it looks like a winner. I'm gonna try to find one for sure. Not been lucky so far in finding one tho!
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(http://) I believe this is the same Idea as the bowyers edge that you are talking about. They've been around for centuries in various sizes and shapes. You could also make your own if you were so inclined. Veritas also makes one like a spokeshave. I'm sure anywhere that sells quality woodworking tools will have similar at a range of prices .(Not familiar with the American stores but I'm sure you know them)You might be able to find them at antique stores as well.
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I have a few rasps (Farriers, 4in1, and one medium tooth with a handle) but I don't like 'roughing up' the bow when I'm nearing completion. So I usually just use my mora as a scraper. Unfortunatly, it doesn't take off much wood at a time.
Since spokeshaves seem to have mixed reviews, Do yall have any suggestions regarding scrapers.
I'm all for multi purpose tools. If I buy something I prefer it be able to 'do it all', so the more versatile the better. Also, inexpesnive is better. :)
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Spokeshaves wouldn't be my choice for final tiller . Too risky. It's a tool that I use between Bandsaw/ Drawknife /Hatchet and the scraper for final tiller.The spokeshave just evens out humps and dips left by roughing out. If your tiller is good go on to a scraper to reduce weight and put the finishing touches on your bend. Just a plain old card scraper/cabinet scraper. People call them by different names but it is just a flat hard piece of steel,the size of a playing card. Lots of info on the net about use and sharpening ,I'm sure. If it takes you more than 3-4 minutes to sharpen it, you chose the wrong video ;). You can rework the edge a few times before resharpening as well and that should only take a minute or so for two sides. These will follow contours and soft grain,so they take a little skill as well. The pic of the tool I posted is just a holder for card scrapers,essentially. It uses the principal of a plane/shave to even out the humps and valleys .
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About time a spokeshave Master jumps in.
But I will speak up instead.
I happen to love spokeshaves. I have gone thru several Stanley's. I learned how to tune them up and use them properly. Unfortunately I didn't learn to not drop them on concrete floors. The cast iron bodies can be a little delicate.
Eventually I graduated to a Veritas spoke shave from Lee Valley Tools. Yeah, it's 4x more expensive than the Stanleys, but the tool bed is machined to tolerences varying less than a 0.001 so that when the blade is installed and tightened, it beds flawlessly to the tool body. This seriouslycuts down on chattering. The blade I chose is the A2 carbon steel, and lemme tell you, it's seriously hard stuff to sharpen. But it cuts cured osage like it's styrofoam!
I like the fine adjustments I can make to the tool and how I can control how much material I remove at a pass. If you learn to read grain, a spokeshave works just fine, you just pick your battles.
The spokeshave is just another tool in the chest. It does not replace a scraper nor a rasp. Nor does the scraper or rasp replace the chisel and mallet. The chisel and mallet does not replace the saw. Plus, the Veritas spokeshave is just plain pretty to look at!
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I've found that a spoke shave works pretty good on a round belly with straight grained wood. For everything else, most other tools work better.