Which spokeshave will do the job?

[Frenchy]

Hey guys

I need an advice about a spokeshave, i found a site in germany but there is too much choice and i don't know which one i should take to shape my necks.

Here is the webpage Spokeshaves

If someone could have a look at the page and tell me which one would be the best (may be two differents or more if necessary).

Thanks in advance

Frenchy

[daveq]

I have two spokeshaves both like #151. Neither one works well for me. Nothing but chatter and some very rough chipping - even with soft wood like pine. I'm thinking about buying a nicer one some day and see if that helps. There's a spokshave made by Veritas for about $30.00 US that looks pretty nice - Veritas Spokeshave

[Devon Headen]

Anybody have any that they really like? US available would be best for me.

[krazyderek]

I use the old wooden handel traditional style, works fine for me as long as i use it correctly ( going in a certain direction with the grain)

but would the rounded veritas one be a bit more useful for the neck??

[Southpa]

I have one of the flatblade variety. But I sure would like to try out one of the concave blades like no. 55. It doesn't really matter what you get, just so long as you find it comfortable and it won't go out of adjustment while working.

[Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars]

Mine. I got it at home depot.

[daveq]

That's strange, my home depot doesn't carry them. Luckily, I now have a WoodCraft near by. There goes the bank account!

[Hotrock]

I had to borrow my old mans spoke shave, but it was useless (or more likely, I was useless with it).

I've just finished shaping my neck (well still a bit of sanding to do but nearly there) and I found that using a rasp worked really well. You can get it quite close to the shape that you want and then just sand it down. Carfull not to apply too much pressure to the rasp as it'll take out gouges, which are a pain to sand out.

Anyway, not sure if this is the best method (as it's only my first neck) but I'm more than happy with the results.

[Frenchy]

Thanks guys for the inputs, i think i will take the #151 and #151r and probably the convex one.

For the moment i have always used a rasp and a belt sander with nice results but this tool seems to be quite useful and i really want to give it a go

[daveq]

Have you ever tried those razor type rasps? Mioroplane is what they call them - Microplane

I have the two handed version and use it for shaping the body contour. They don't chuck out the wood. They are smooth compared to a rasp but do remove a bunch of wood with ease. I haven't used them for a neck but since someone mentioned a rasp - I thought I would pass this along.

[Grindell]

I use a $15 dollar Stanley I bought at the local home improvement store, but it had to be tuned. By that, I mean I lapped the blade and sharpened it on my japanese water stones, flattened the sole of the spokeshave, then flattened the back of the chipbreaker so that it would fit tight against the blade, rounded the edge of the chipbreaker so that it would actually work correctly, then used a file to take off the paint on the spokshave itself where the blade rests so that the blade made tight contact against the bed.

Once all that was done, it worked great.

Also, I have a little 3 set spokeshave set made of brass, that I got from some mail order tool catalog, like Heartsfield, or something. All I had to do was sharpen the blade, and they worked great.

[Grindell]

Oh, and I bought one of those concave spokeshaves, the green painted kind they sell at Woodcraft, but it was junk. The arc of the blade doesn't match the arc of the sole of the spokeshave, you almost can't set the blade depth correctly, and the chipbreaker is junk.

[Lex Luthier]

Also, I have a little 3 set spokeshave set made of brass, that I got from some mail order tool catalog, like Heartsfield, or something. All I had to do was sharpen the blade, and they worked great.

Like these?

[Frenchy]

Thanks Grindell for the tuning explanation, i think i will follow your advice once i receive my order

[tdog]

I use a Lie-Nielsen Boggs spokeshave. It is a beautiful tool! Expensive though! I also use a pair of Clifton Spokeshaves.

http://www.lie-nielsen.com/tool.html?id=BO...071538006794068

[Grindell]

Also, I have a little 3 set spokeshave set made of brass, that I got from some mail order tool catalog, like Heartsfield, or something.  All I had to do was sharpen the blade, and they worked great.

Like these?

Yes, exactly like those! Thanks! I guess they are bronze, not brass. My mistake.

[Lex Luthier]

I have the ones I linked to. They're neat, though I've never actually used them.