Monday, April 26, 2010

Back Bevels Saved My Ass Today...

So I have been putting off the final surfacing of the Claro Slab that will be the table top for a while now. I kept trying to plane the top, but I was getting nasty tear out. The kind of tear out that makes you want to quit the project altogether! I really wanted to deliver the client their table this week so it was time to dive in head first and git 'er done.

I had the pleasure and privilege of studying with two hand tool masters this weekend, Chris Schwarz of Popular Woodworking Magazine and Thomas Lie-Nielsen of Lie-Nielsen Toolworks (probably the best tools know to man).

It just so happens that I was taught about back bevels this weekend. Back bevels what the fuck are those?

If you hone a 25 degree bevel on the back of your plane iron, you can trick your plane into thinking that the blade is set at somewhere like 75 degrees (if I remember correctly). This enables you to plane crazy grain like the claro walnut without heart-breaking tear out!! Man back bevels saved my ass today! And it looks like the client will get their table this week.

I will post pictures of the finished table in its new home hopefully this week. I am also hoping to get my friend Naomi to help me do a bit of set design to make that shit look tight!

THANKS CHRIS + TOM!!!! you guys rock!!!!



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