45 on maple

[Paul Downes]

I have a quick question for you old school folks. Is there a hand plane for planing angles on a board? I want to hand plane a 45 degree edge on some drawer fronts. These maple drawer fronts seem pretty brittle and burn easy so I was thinking about doing them by hand.

[patrick anderson]

You can get a chamfer plane but I've only seen them used to knock of the corners or flat stock. I'd probably opt for cutting almost all of it on a table sae and then use a block plan to finish it off.

[Paul Downes]

Patric I have been using the table saw but have experienced to much tear out. These are book matched figured, spalted maple boards (15 drawers) and I can't afford to lose even one. I thought a hand tool might be the safest way. I have looked at some planes on the web and might go that route. I may just set a guide up and use my one plane to put the chamfers on.

I am beginning to see the light and wisdom on having more hand tools. I just hate to buy new tools when I could have been collecting them from yard sales and the like. A Lee Valley block plane with chamfer guide runs $180.

[patrick anderson]

I just had another thought but it would require you to make it. You can build a shooting board and then make a 45 degree support and place your workpiece on it and plane away. I'm assuming it's not a long chamfer you need to do.

Here's an idea of what it looks like

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMad...erfection.html

scoll down to "testing the donkey's ear"

[Don Baer]

I just had another thought but it would require you to make it. You can build a shooting board and then make a 45 degree support and place your workpiece on it and plane away. I'm assuming it's not a long chamfer you need to do.

Here's an idea of what it looks like

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMad...erfection.html

scoll down to "testing the donkey's ear"

was thinking that it could be done with a shooting board.
Yes I

[Tom Niemi]

Do you have or have access to a Ridgid Oscillating Edge Belt / Spindle Sander? the table can be tilted to 45 degrees and use the belt sander setup and accomplish with out tearout. Not a real wide belt, but used carfully it works. I have used mine that way.

[Bill Satko]

I just use my block plane, no fence or shooting board required. You would be surprised what you can accomplish by hand. Granted you should practice first. You can mark (lightly) the edges of the chamfers with a marking gauge to ensure uniformity of the width and plane away until they just disappear. Develop your hand skill instead of always falling back on jigs or aids first and the work will go faster in the long run. Just my two cents.

One more thing, do the end grain first.

[Paul Downes]

I may look into both the shooting board just for the sake of learning something. On the other hand I am used to doing a lot of hand work from my previous career so Bill's idea is what I was leaning toward. It does give me pause considering the book-match issue and not being able to screw one drawer up. I do have plenty of the wood so I something to practice with.

[Travis Johnson]

You will want to hone up on your sharpening skills. I am with Bill on this one. Just use a block plane freehand, but with spalted wood which is like end grain everywhere, it would have to be super sharp.

[tod evans]

use a #12 or the like......no tearout.