Shaping Maple Panel

Bill Simpson

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What tolerances? Looks like my hand planes are going to be honed a bit tonight.

Acclimating to my shop is a few pieces of 5/4 hard Maple, Waiting to become side panels for the driver's compartment of a Model T Towncar (1912) I'm at it again, seems the panels were not to specs (I didn't do it, previous builder did) so I must make new... had to get a new Micrometer to measure...

I plan to plane the thickness curviture, any better ideas? :dunno:
 

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For two that's probably as good as anything. I've seen a pendulum type deal over a belt sander in the grizzley catalogue I think. Theirs was smaller for guitar necks, but you could build a long radius version. At 70 in radius it would be a lot of work to build one just for two panels.

For the oposite curvature, I saw a video with a guy hanging a router from a pendelum to cut out a concave top of a stool. It was quite a cool little jig, had about a 30" radius and he just swung the router back and forth taking light passes off the top.
 
For two that's probably as good as anything.

That is what I was thinking, maybe a belt sander but what a mess, and I do love the planing process, although I wonder if my arms have still got it in them, been a while...

For the oposite curvature, I saw a video with a guy hanging a router from a pendelum to cut out a concave top of a stool. It was quite a cool little jig, had about a 30" radius and he just swung the router back and forth taking light passes off the top.

Lucky enough, the inside is flat...

Thanks for the opinion. I saw that pendelum clip as well, neat trick.

Fun project I have a 1918 Touring and would love to be able to do some work on it one day.

1912 Towncar is a full Wood body as well as a '12 touring, where your 18 tour is tin skin over wood frame. Still a great car. Is it in original condition? OOO... (Only "Original" Once) They are so much fun to work on. A real challenge sometimes.

Jay
 
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Its all original and been stored in a barn on the farm. Dad bought it in 51 before he passed. I last drove in in 76 and its been parked ever since because none of the rest of the family knows how to drive it or start it. When Dad bought it in 51 it had less the 650 miles on it and I doubt that today it has even 2000 on it. It is in rough shape as the mice ate up the interior and it has one broken top bow and of coarse the top is pretty much gone.:type:
 
Heh, Still 'working' on a 46' chevy I have parked out back... Only been working on it for 10 years now...
 
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