Spokeshaves Flat and Round

Accessories 05P33.05 Replacement Flat & Round Spokeshave Blade Spokeshaves Flat and Round

05P33.01 05P33.03

814 Proctor Avenue 1090 Morrison Drive Ogdensburg, New York Ottawa, Ontario Patented 609 13669-2205 USA K2H 1C2 Canada INS-218 Rev. D © Veritas Tools Inc. 2005 Printed in Canada. Introduction Blade Adjustment The Veritas® Flat and Round Spokeshaves have been designed for smooth, Depth of Cut: To increase or decrease the depth of cut, loosen the lever effective shaping of spindles, panel edges, paddles, etc. The thick blade, cap thumbscrew so that it just holds the blade in position. With thumb and carefully machined lever cap and blade bed all combine to produce forefi nger, turn each thumb wheel in the same direction an equal amount, chatter-free cutting in virtually all conditions. The 1/8" (0.125") thick A2 as shown in Figure 2, until the desired depth of cut is reached. Sight along tool steel blade is seated at 45° to the sole. The ductile cast iron body the sole as shown in Figure 3 to gauge the degree of blade projection is fi tted with bubinga handles that are shaped for comfort and control, before trying a test cut. For very light cuts, withdraw the blade completely offering several ways to grip the tool comfortably with no corners or edges until it does not project at all, then advance the blade by small increments, to cause discomfort when either pulling or pushing. The toe provides a making a test cut on a piece of scrap each time. Re-tighten the lever cap convenient thumb rest that allows the user to choke up on the body to thumbscrew when adjustment is complete. With practice, you will fi nd achieve an unusual degree of control for fi ne work. The twin adjustment the lever cap thumbscrew can be tightened just enough to clamp the blade thumb wheels quickly and accurately control the depth of cut and skew. securely without preventing depth of cut adjustment. Together with the cast steel lever cap, the thumb wheels also ensure the The depth of cut should always be reached blade may be easily removed for sharpening and other maintenance, then by advancing the blade to prevent the re-installed into the same position. blade from creeping in use.

Lever Cap Blade Thumbscrew

Figure 2: Turn thumb wheels to set the depth of cut. Adjustment Thumb Wheels

Lever Cap

Handle Cutting Depth Blade Sole Figure 3: Checking the depth of cut.

Toe Skew: To achieve consistent and predictable cutting, you may set the cutting edge parallel to the sole. However, by using the thumb wheels to Blade Screw set the blade at a slight angle so that one side is higher than the other, you can achieve cuts of differing depths without having to re-adjust the depth Body of cut. With the right side of the blade set lower, you could make larger, Figure 1: Spokeshave components. roughing cuts with the right side of the blade and then shift over to the left side of the blade for ﬁ ner, ﬁ nishing cuts. This, of course, works only when the contact area of the workpiece is substantially less than the width of the blade, such as when working spindles.

2 3 Introduction Blade Adjustment The Veritas® Flat and Round Spokeshaves have been designed for smooth, Depth of Cut: To increase or decrease the depth of cut, loosen the lever effective shaping of spindles, panel edges, paddles, etc. The thick blade, cap thumbscrew so that it just holds the blade in position. With thumb and carefully machined lever cap and blade bed all combine to produce forefi nger, turn each thumb wheel in the same direction an equal amount, chatter-free cutting in virtually all conditions. The 1/8" (0.125") thick A2 as shown in Figure 2, until the desired depth of cut is reached. Sight along tool steel blade is seated at 45° to the sole. The ductile cast iron body the sole as shown in Figure 3 to gauge the degree of blade projection is fi tted with bubinga handles that are shaped for comfort and control, before trying a test cut. For very light cuts, withdraw the blade completely offering several ways to grip the tool comfortably with no corners or edges until it does not project at all, then advance the blade by small increments, to cause discomfort when either pulling or pushing. The toe provides a making a test cut on a piece of scrap each time. Re-tighten the lever cap convenient thumb rest that allows the user to choke up on the body to thumbscrew when adjustment is complete. With practice, you will fi nd achieve an unusual degree of control for fi ne work. The twin adjustment the lever cap thumbscrew can be tightened just enough to clamp the blade thumb wheels quickly and accurately control the depth of cut and skew. securely without preventing depth of cut adjustment. Together with the cast steel lever cap, the thumb wheels also ensure the The depth of cut should always be reached blade may be easily removed for sharpening and other maintenance, then by advancing the blade to prevent the re-installed into the same position. blade from creeping in use.

Lever Cap Blade Thumbscrew

Figure 2: Turn thumb wheels to set the depth of cut. Adjustment Thumb Wheels

Lever Cap

Handle Cutting Depth Blade Sole Figure 3: Checking the depth of cut.

2 3 Instructions For Use Skewing the cut or holding the spokeshave at an angle to the path of travel will usually yield These spokeshaves are designed for use with either a pulling or pushing the best results on end-grain or green action. This allows you to always work with the grain. On more complex wood. This orientation lowers the shapes, this may involve frequent changes of direction, ﬂ ipping the tool effective cutting angle and adds and pulling or pushing as required. a slicing force to the cut.

As shown in Figures 4 to 7, the tool accommodates several different hand positions, depending on the task. These hand positions are only suggestions; the correct grip is always the one that yields the desired results on your workpiece with the least However, this technique fatigue and the most comfort. is not generally advised when working long grain, especially in dry hardwood, since a higher cutting angle is normally desired to reduce tear-out, especially around knots where sudden Figure 7: Power grip. reversal of grain direction is unavoidable.

Blade Bed Shims Figure 4: Pushing grip. A small envelope with two colored shims has been included with the spokeshave. These may be placed under the blade to modify the mouth opening for very ﬁ ne work with minimum tear-out. Before installing the shims, use a feeler gauge set to determine the size of the mouth opening. The shims themselves may be used to get a rough idea of the size. Plain bond paper (typically 0.0035" to 0.004" thick) can also be used. Before checking, adjust the blade so the cutting edge is aligned with the sole. The purple shim is 0.005" thick while the blue shim is 0.010" thick. The 0.005" shim will close the mouth by 0.007", the 0.010" shim will close the mouth by 0.014", and both together will close the mouth by 0.021". To install the Figure 5: Pulling grip. shims, remove the blade by ﬁ rst slackening the lever cap thumbscrew and removing the lever cap. Then, taking care not to damage the cutting edge by bumping it against any part of the spokeshave, remove the blade and set it aside.

Caution: At all times when handling the blade and lever cap be aware that they are very sharp and careless handling can result in serious injury.

Figure 6: Alternative pulling grip. 4 5 Instructions For Use Skewing the cut or holding the spokeshave at an angle to the path of travel will usually yield These spokeshaves are designed for use with either a pulling or pushing the best results on end-grain or green action. This allows you to always work with the grain. On more complex wood. This orientation lowers the shapes, this may involve frequent changes of direction, ﬂ ipping the tool effective cutting angle and adds and pulling or pushing as required. a slicing force to the cut.

Caution: At all times when handling the blade and lever cap be aware that they are very sharp and careless handling can result in serious injury.

Figure 6: Alternative pulling grip. 4 5 Use a slot screwdriver to remove the blade screw. Put the desired shim(s) Care and Maintenance in place and replace the blade screw as shown in Figure 8. Replace the blade and lever cap. Keeping your spokeshave working and looking like new is pretty straightforward. The body of your Veritas spokeshave is ductile cast iron and comes treated with rust preventative. Remove this using a rag Blade dampened with mineral spirits. Clean all machined surfaces, including the area under the blade.

We recommend that you initially, then periodically, apply a light coat of paste wax to the sole to seal out moisture and prevent rusting; this also has the added bonus of acting as a lubricant for smoother shaving. Wipe off any wood dust from the sole, apply a light wax coating, let dry, then Note blade bevel Lever Cap orientation. buff with a clean soft cloth. At the same time, the solvents in the wax will Blade Screw remove any harmful oils left from your ﬁ ngers that can lead to corrosion.

Keep in mind that paste wax contains silicone that, if transferred to your workpiece, could cause fi nishing problems such as "fi sh eyes". To avoid ® Shim this problem, use silicone-free products, such as Waxilit sliding agent and glue release or TopCote® table and tool surface sealant, which are excellent alternatives to regular paste wax. However, before treating with TopCote sealant, wipe off any fi ngerprints with a cloth dampened with a small amount of light machine oil. Remove any residual oil; then apply TopCote sealant to the spokeshave’s sole.

If storage conditions are damp or humid, your spokeshave should, in addition to the treatment outlined above, be wrapped in a cloth or stored in Figure 8: Using shims to adjust the mouth. a plane sack. This precaution will also guard against dings and scratches.

Every so often, take the spokeshave apart to clean and lubricate it where necessary. Remove the lever cap, blade and adjustment mechanism. Clean Sharpening all parts with a cloth dampened with a dab of light machine oil. The blade The blades for the Veritas® Flat and Round Spokeshaves come with a bed and other machined surfaces, as well as the adjustment components, fi nely ground 30° primary bevel and a 35° micro-bevel. This confi guration will benefi t from a light coat of oil to keep them working freely. For provides a strong, long-wearing edge that can be quickly honed many times corrosion, we recommend you fi rst remove the rust with a fi ne rust eraser, before the primary bevel needs to be reground. The 35° micro-bevel leaves then treat as described above. a 10° relief angle, more than adequate to accommodate the springback of the wood fi bers. Additional honing will improve performance. The fi nely The bright fi nish on the brass components can be maintained as above. If ground blade face can be readily lapped to a mirror fi nish. a patina fi nish is preferred, simply leave the brass components unprotected until the desired level of oxidation has occurred, then apply a sealant. If you want to make them bright and shiny again, you can revitalize the surface with a brass polish.

The bubinga handles have a lacquer ﬁ nish and should require nothing more than a wipe with a clean cloth from time to time.

6 7 Use a slot screwdriver to remove the blade screw. Put the desired shim(s) Care and Maintenance in place and replace the blade screw as shown in Figure 8. Replace the blade and lever cap. Keeping your spokeshave working and looking like new is pretty straightforward. The body of your Veritas spokeshave is ductile cast iron and comes treated with rust preventative. Remove this using a rag Blade dampened with mineral spirits. Clean all machined surfaces, including the area under the blade.

The bubinga handles have a lacquer ﬁ nish and should require nothing more than a wipe with a clean cloth from time to time.

6 7 Accessories 05P33.05 Replacement Flat & Round Spokeshave Blade Spokeshaves Flat and Round

05P33.01 05P33.03

05P33.11

814 Proctor Avenue 1090 Morrison Drive Ogdensburg, New York Ottawa, Ontario 13669-2205 USA K2H 1C2 Canada [email protected] Patented 610 www.veritastools.com INS-241 Rev. B © Veritas Tools Inc. 2006 Printed in Canada. Introduction The Veritas® Concave Spokeshave has been designed for smooth, effective shaping of chair spindles, panel edges, paddle shafts, etc. The thick blade, carefully machined cap iron and blade bed all combine to produce chatterfree cutting in virtually all conditions. The 1/8" (0.125") thick A2 tool steel blade is seated at 45° to the sole. The ductile cast iron body is ﬁ tted with African rosewood handles that are shaped for comfort and control, offering several ways to grip the tool comfortably with no corners or edges to cause discomfort when either pulling or pushing and permitting an unusual degree of control for ﬁ ne work. The twin adjustment thumb wheels quickly and accurately control the depth of cut. Together with the cast steel cap iron, the thumb wheels also ensure the blade may be easily removed for sharpening and other maintenance, then re-installed into the same position.

Blade Cap Iron

Adjustment Thumb Wheel Handle

Cap Iron Thumbscrew

Toe

Body

Figure 1: Spokeshave components.

Blade Adjustment To increase or decrease the depth of cut, loosen the cap iron thumbscrew so that it just holds the blade in position. With thumb and foreﬁ nger, turn each adjustment thumb wheel in the same direction an equal amount, as shown in Figure 2, until the desired depth of cut is reached.

2 11 Notes

Figure 2: Turn thumb wheels to set the depth of cut.

Sight along the sole as shown in Figure 3 to gauge the degree of blade projection before trying a test cut. For very light cuts, withdraw the blade completely until it does not project at all, then advance the blade by small increments, making a test cut on a piece of scrap each time.

Cutting Depth

Sole Blade

Figure 3: Checking the depth of cut.

Be aware that the concave confi guration of the tool makes the side-to- side position of the blade quite important. It may seem that the blade has been advanced more on one side than the other, when actually it has just shifted off center in relation to the sole. You may easily center the blade when the cap iron is loose by sighting down the sole and using your fi ngers or a small brass hammer to adjust as required. Re-tighten the cap iron thumbscrew when adjustment is complete. With practice, you will fi nd the cap iron thumbscrew can be tightened just enough to clamp the blade securely without preventing depth of cut adjustment. The depth of cut should always be reached by advancing the blade to prevent it from creeping in use.

10 3 Instructions For Use Care and Maintenance This spokeshave is designed for use with either a pulling or pushing action. Keeping your spokeshave working and looking like new is straightforward. This allows you to always work with the grain. This may involve frequent The body of your Veritas spokeshave is ductile cast iron and comes treated changes of direction, ﬂ ipping the tool and pulling or pushing as required. with rust preventative. Remove this using a rag dampened with mineral spirits. Clean all machined surfaces, including the area under the blade. As shown in Figures 4 to 7, the tool accommodates several different hand positions, depending on the task. These hand positions are only We recommend that you initially, then periodically, apply a light coat of suggestions; the correct grip is always the one that yields the desired paste wax to the sole to seal out moisture and prevent rusting; this also results on your workpiece with the least fatigue and the most comfort. has the added bonus of acting as a lubricant for smoother shaving. Wipe off any wood dust from the sole, apply a light wax coating, let dry, then buff with a clean soft cloth. At the same time, the solvents in the wax will remove any harmful oils left from your ﬁ ngers that can lead to corrosion.

Keep in mind that paste wax contains silicone that, if transferred to your workpiece, could cause fi nishing problems such as "fi sh eyes". To avoid this problem, use silicone-free products, such as Waxilit® sliding agent and glue release, or a table and tool surface sealant. Either is an excellent alternative to regular paste wax. However, before treating with a sealant, wipe off any fi ngerprints with a cloth dampened with a small amount of light machine oil. Remove any residual oil; then apply the sealant to the spokeshave’s sole. Figure 4: Pushing grip. If storage conditions are damp or humid, your spokeshave should, in addition to the treatment outlined above, be wrapped in a cloth or stored in a plane sack. This precaution will also guard against dings and scratches.

Every so often, take the spokeshave apart to clean and lubricate it where necessary. Remove the cap iron, blade and adjustment mechanism. Clean all parts with a cloth dampened with a dab of light machine oil. The blade bed and other machined surfaces, as well as the adjustment components, will benefi t from a light coat of oil to keep them working freely. For corrosion, we recommend you fi rst remove the rust with a fi ne rust eraser, then treat as described above. Figure 5: Alternative pushing grip. The bright fi nish on the brass components can be maintained as above. If a patina fi nish is preferred, simply leave the brass components unprotected until the desired level of oxidation has occurred, then apply a sealant. If you want to make them bright and shiny again, you can revitalize the surface with a brass polish.

The rosewood handles have a lacquer ﬁ nish and should require nothing more than a wipe with a clean cloth from time to time.

Figure 6: Pulling grip.

4 9 • Disc: Make a 31/8" diameter disc from Hex Nut 5 3 31/8" dia. /8" or /4" thick plywood, as shown Washer in Figure 11. This can be done on the lathe, bandsaw, or by hand. Once roughed out, assemble the disc and mount the assembly in a drill press to sand the edges. This will ensure concentricity. Then wrap the rim with a strip of 120x PSA sandpaper (preferably Carriage Bolt, 3/8-16 UNC, blue zirconia). 2" long Figure 7: Power grip. Note: Although the 31/8" disc diameter 120x PSA While not necessarily a frequent occurrence, most spokeshave users have does not match the curvature of the sole, Abrasive when the blade with a 35° bevel is mounted had a shaving curl up around and back into the mouth, thereby clogging the tool. If you ﬁ nd your workpiece seems to be regularly producing such on the 45° bed, the arcs will match and Figure 11: Homemade provide a 10° relief angle. shavings, place a 1/2" × 1/8" rare-earth magnet (not included) where shown grinding disc. in Figure 8. This should deﬂ ect the shavings so they are unable to curl around and clog the tool. • Holder: Cut a 35° bevel on one end of a 6" × 11/2" × 11/2" piece of wood. Drill a pilot hole for a #12 wood screw into the bevelled end as shown in Figure 12. Fix the blade to the holder with a #12 × 1/2" round-head wood screw and washer.

35°

1/2" × 1/8" Rare-Earth Magnet

Blade

Washer Figure 8: Clog prevention.

#12 Wood Screw Figure 12: Blade holder. Blade Bed Shims Mount the disc in a drill press and turn at approximately 1200 rpm. Take care A small envelope with two colored shims has been included with the not to catch a corner of the blade on the disc. Grind until a wire edge develops spokeshave. These may be placed under the blade to modify the mouth on the back of the blade, being careful not to overheat the blade. Hone as opening for very ﬁ ne work with minimum tear-out. Before installing the described above. shims, use a feeler gauge set to determine the size of the mouth opening. The shims themselves may be used to get a rough idea of the size. Plain bond paper (typically 0.0035" to 0.004" thick) can also be used. Before checking, adjust the blade so the cutting edge is aligned with the sole. The purple shim is 0.005" thick while the blue shim is 0.010" thick. The 0.005" shim will close the mouth by 0.007", the 0.010" shim will close the mouth by 0.014", and both together will close the mouth by 0.021". To install the shims, remove the blade by ﬁ rst unscrewing the cap iron thumbscrew and removing the cap

8 5 iron. Then, taking care not to damage the cutting edge by bumping it against Honing any part of the spokeshave, remove the blade and set it aside. Put the desired Use a 1000x round stone¹, carver’s slip or a sheet of 600x (20 µ) sandpaper shim(s) in place and replace the blade, cap iron and cap iron thumbscrew wrapped around a large dowel (about 1") to hone a small micro-bevel on screw as shown in Figure 9. the edge. Hone only until a fi ne wire edge develops over the full width Blade of the edge. Lap the back on a series of at least two stones, starting at 1000x or coarser and fi nishing with 4000x or fi ner. This will create a good Cap Iron working edge, but you may further refi ne the edge with honing compound. Thumbscrew A piece of clear, soft, even-grained wood such as white pine or basswood (at least 1" × 2" × 6") is an excellent substrate for honing compound. One of the 2" × 6" surfaces may be left fl at to lap the back and one of the 1" edges may be radiused with your (assembled) concave spokeshave to Cap Iron create a good form to hone the bevel.

Note blade bevel orientation. Round Stone

Shim

Blade 2°

Figure 9: Using shims to adjust the mouth. Figure 10: Honing.

Caution: At all times when handling the blade and cap iron be Grinding aware that they are very sharp and careless handling can result in The blade of your concave spokeshave is precision ground to match serious injury. the profi le of the sole. To maintain its proper shape, do not regrind the blade until absolutely necessary (i.e., when you can no longer create an Sharpening acceptable cutting edge by honing). The best way to accurately regrind the bevel is with a simple homemade blade holder and grinding disc driven in The blade for the Veritas® Concave Spokeshave comes with a fi nely ground a drill press. This will ensure that you maintain the blade’s original profi le 35° primary bevel. This provides a strong, long-wearing edge and a 10° and bevel angle. relief angle, more than adequate to accommodate the springback of the wood fi bers. Additional honing will improve performance. The fi nely ground blade face can be readily lapped to a mirror fi nish. ¹ Abrasive grading is often misunderstood. Many people assume water stones and sandpaper are graded on the same scale. In fact, abrasives sold in the USA and Canada are mostly graded on the CAMI (Coated Abrasives Manufacturers Institute) system, whereas water stone grades follow the JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) grading system. These two grades have similar values in the coarse range (240 JIS ≅ 220 CAMI) but diverge widely in the fi ne range. Consequently, a 1000x water stone is not equivalent to 1000x sandpaper, but rather to 600x. A further source of confusion is the micron grading system used for newer abrasive products. Unlike all other methods of abrasive grading, micron grades (µ) are expressed as smaller numbers as the abrasive grade gets fi ner; consequently, 9µ ≅ 1200x CAMI ≅ 2000x JIS.

6 7 iron. Then, taking care not to damage the cutting edge by bumping it against Honing any part of the spokeshave, remove the blade and set it aside. Put the desired Use a 1000x round stone¹, carver’s slip or a sheet of 600x (20 µ) sandpaper shim(s) in place and replace the blade, cap iron and cap iron thumbscrew wrapped around a large dowel (about 1") to hone a small micro-bevel on screw as shown in Figure 9. the edge. Hone only until a fi ne wire edge develops over the full width Blade of the edge. Lap the back on a series of at least two stones, starting at 1000x or coarser and fi nishing with 4000x or fi ner. This will create a good Cap Iron working edge, but you may further refi ne the edge with honing compound. Thumbscrew A piece of clear, soft, even-grained wood such as white pine or basswood (at least 1" × 2" × 6") is an excellent substrate for honing compound. One of the 2" × 6" surfaces may be left fl at to lap the back and one of the 1" edges may be radiused with your (assembled) concave spokeshave to Cap Iron create a good form to hone the bevel.

Note blade bevel orientation. Round Stone

Shim

Blade 2°

Figure 9: Using shims to adjust the mouth. Figure 10: Honing.

6 7 • Disc: Make a 31/8" diameter disc from Hex Nut 5 3 31/8" dia. /8" or /4" thick plywood, as shown Washer in Figure 11. This can be done on the lathe, bandsaw, or by hand. Once roughed out, assemble the disc and mount the assembly in a drill press to sand the edges. This will ensure concentricity. Then wrap the rim with a strip of 120x PSA sandpaper (preferably Carriage Bolt, 3/8-16 UNC, blue zirconia). 2" long Figure 7: Power grip. Note: Although the 31/8" disc diameter 120x PSA While not necessarily a frequent occurrence, most spokeshave users have does not match the curvature of the sole, Abrasive when the blade with a 35° bevel is mounted had a shaving curl up around and back into the mouth, thereby clogging the tool. If you ﬁ nd your workpiece seems to be regularly producing such on the 45° bed, the arcs will match and Figure 11: Homemade provide a 10° relief angle. shavings, place a 1/2" × 1/8" rare-earth magnet (not included) where shown grinding disc. in Figure 8. This should deﬂ ect the shavings so they are unable to curl around and clog the tool. • Holder: Cut a 35° bevel on one end of a 6" × 11/2" × 11/2" piece of wood. Drill a pilot hole for a #12 wood screw into the bevelled end as shown in Figure 12. Fix the blade to the holder with a #12 × 1/2" round-head wood screw and washer.

35°

1/2" × 1/8" Rare-Earth Magnet

Blade

Washer Figure 8: Clog prevention.

8 5 Instructions For Use Care and Maintenance This spokeshave is designed for use with either a pulling or pushing action. Keeping your spokeshave working and looking like new is straightforward. This allows you to always work with the grain. This may involve frequent The body of your Veritas spokeshave is ductile cast iron and comes treated changes of direction, ﬂ ipping the tool and pulling or pushing as required. with rust preventative. Remove this using a rag dampened with mineral spirits. Clean all machined surfaces, including the area under the blade. As shown in Figures 4 to 7, the tool accommodates several different hand positions, depending on the task. These hand positions are only We recommend that you initially, then periodically, apply a light coat of suggestions; the correct grip is always the one that yields the desired paste wax to the sole to seal out moisture and prevent rusting; this also results on your workpiece with the least fatigue and the most comfort. has the added bonus of acting as a lubricant for smoother shaving. Wipe off any wood dust from the sole, apply a light wax coating, let dry, then buff with a clean soft cloth. At the same time, the solvents in the wax will remove any harmful oils left from your ﬁ ngers that can lead to corrosion.

The rosewood handles have a lacquer ﬁ nish and should require nothing more than a wipe with a clean cloth from time to time.

Figure 6: Pulling grip.

4 9 Notes

Figure 2: Turn thumb wheels to set the depth of cut.

Cutting Depth

Sole Blade

Figure 3: Checking the depth of cut.

10 3 Accessories 05P33.12 Replacement Concave Spokeshave Blade 05P33.20 Hardware Kit for Spokeshave Handles Concave Spokeshave

05P33.11