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I did a search and didn't find anything very instructive... I assumed this
was a common newbie question.

Anyhow, what tools do you use to carve braces? I've seen those tiny
planes, and figure those would be good. How small do you go? One has
an 8mm blade!

On the chisels, do you use dedicated carving instruments and if so, what
kind? I see references to relief carving and round carving, inside bevel and
outside bevel, and I assume there is some relation...

Long thin paring chisels or short stubby palm jobbies?

I see Henry Taylor has an extensive set of skew carving tools... right and
left gouges and such.

And finally, what about some of those really specialized carving tools like
macaroni and fluteroni carvers?

It's bewildering.

LMI sells a chisel specially designed for cleaning glue from the braces.
They claim is the berries. Can anyone tell me what it is?

Obviously, I haven't read a book yet...

Cameron Reddy

Don't go too crazy on chisels. Just learn to razor-sharpen them. The least expensive chisel that is well sharpened will work as well as the most expensive ones. The premier chisels will usually hold a sharp edge longer.

I also use the finger planes to profile and scallop braces. Practice on scrap to develop your technique.

Good luck!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

I just use a long 1/2" straight chisel that is so sharp that it will cut you from just looking at it. Small planes work as well, but a chisel is my tool of choice.

Al

Cameron,

I find it doesn't take a large assortment of tools to carve braces. Here's pretty much all I use:



I use the 1/2" chisel mostly for scalloping the brace ends, although I will also use it at times to shave contours into the lengths of the braces. But for most of the contouring work, I prefer using small planes. The one on the right is an old Stanley that can be found on eBay for pretty cheap. The small brass plane was made by a fellow in England, first name's Mark -- don't recall his last name -- but I think he might be a member here. It's a nice little plane and allows me to get the contour close to the glue joint. Number one consideration for your chisels and planes is that they are sharp, or else you'll get chatter and/or tear-out.

I use emory boards to smooth down the braces after planing.

To remove glue, I use a piece of mahogany that was an offcut from bandsawing a neck to its rough outline. It looks like a long, flat, tapered stick. I put an angle on the thin end and sanded a bevel into it. Works just fine for my needs.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

Here's my stable. I go for simple.

The little plane-like thing is a cheapo X-acto plane with the wings cut off. It's one of my favorite tools, though not much good for anything else besides brace shaving.

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

I use the little Ibex violin planes, regular chisels, and sandpaper. I'm going to get a nice old paring chisel though, when I can find one on eBay that doesn't cost an arm and a leg!


BTW Cameron, Welcome to the OLF, you've come to the right place!

-Mark
Mark Tripp38963.8031944444

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Pullman, WA

The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

trippguitars.com
OR
Find me on Facebook

My brace shaping technique:

1. Initial peaking done with a very sharp paring chisel (either a 25 or 20mm) and/or a small plane.

2. Sand to final shape with 120 grit sand paper.

3. Rough scallop with chisel.

4. Final scalloping with 120 grit paper.

One thing to watch is digging your chisel into either the side of abutting braces or the top. When chiseling towards side of another brace I tape a steel cabinet scraper against same so if the chisel slips it hits the scraper and not the brace. To lower the risk of slipping with the chiesl make sure the chisel is sharp and I always have my free hand holding the end of the chisel and one of my fingers running along the brace with the chisel.kiwigeo38963.8310416667

I use the little Ibex finger plane( 18mm )blade.I like the convex bottom . Also I use the so called glue clearing chisel from LMI.It has the skewed blade which is great.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

I pre shape mine on the bandsaw and drill press drum sander before bracing the plates, then use chisels to finish rounding and shaping.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

1/2" chisel here and will try the 36mm instrument maker's IBEX plane i bought at Lee Valley, i also use sandpaper to smooth them out.

Chisels, IBEX fingerplane, Mark's little handmade fingerplanes.

1/2" chisel and a small block plane. I find that if I turn my chisel over and carve with the bevel side down, I can take smaller shavings and get more controll over the process.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

check out lee valley - they sell a small rosewood body plane for 16 bucks that is great - its wood, so the body is easily modded to add side angle, shorten, whatever. I also have a 1 inch chisel that sees a lot of use for shaving ends to fit into the brace pockets. When braces need a lot of height removed, its the LV low angle block (set to 56 though) that does the job.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

18mm paring chisel and Mark's fabulous little plane.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Ibex finger planes, 1" Marples chisel and a $5.00 plane I got at the local discount tool store.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Ditto for a 1/2 inch chisel and a block plane. Eventually I would like to get a convex bottom finger plane. I used one once and it made the scalloping a bit smoother.

JJ i will agree with you on a sharp chisel is a sharp chisel. The difference lies in how long it will hold the edge. The same is true on scrapers and plane blades. It takes the same amount of work to get them sharpened correctly. but unless you abuse high end blades they will hold and edge or hook many times longer. at least that has been my experience.MichaelP38965.6700578704

ditto


Tom Armstrong

Must be a Uk thing, but I too use an 18mm Paring Chisel and the smaller of the two planes made by Mark.

OK, don't everyone laugh at me here but I bought a electric chisel at a garage sale and guess what? It works fantastically!!!!

Unbelieevable control and can shave slivers with it. I think I paid $10 for it and have seen them on different tool sites for under $50. The chisel bit is very thin at the cutting edge. Cuts spruce like butter and with good control. You can be agressive or very gentle.

The one I have has 2 settings for agressive or less agressive.

I know this is not as cool as using chisels (which I do use for many things) but it works for me

Hi Cameron,

On my one and only brace carving experience (so far) I used 2 chisels:

The first is exactly the same chisel as Michael McBroom: the blue-handled Marples 1/2" firmer. (The whole set was $30.)

I also have some fancy-dancy LMI chisels, with beautiful Rosewood handles and I think Rockwell C-62 or something like that steel. I used the 1/2" one. (They were more like $30 each.)

So, I sharpened both, and used them sort of interchangeably. I really can't remember if the LMI steel stayed sharper longer or not.

I also have some larger and smaller firmers (flat chisels) and a few gouges (curved chisels), and I did try them all just to see what they would do. But the 1/2" firmers seemed the best size and most versatile, even for cutting the curved tapers at the ends of braces.

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

Hi Cameron,
I usually reach for whichever chisel is sharp at the moment.
I've also had great service from some tools made and sold by St. James Bay Tool Co.




On top is an "Instrument Maker's Carving Plane".
Below it is the little "Bow Maker's Shave".

These are great tools, and not very expensive.

www.stjamesbaytoolco.com

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Chisel and finger plane

I must admit that I do use a table saw and don't split off billets by hand. Tried it once and found the saw better than I was.

Mike
White Oak, Texas

The "Instrument Maker's Carving Plane" reminds me of a similar tool that a ran across some time ago. The difference is that the tool cut on the pull stroke. Should have bought it at the time as I now can't remember who has it. Can anyone help me out here?
Nelson

I have a set of the blue handled Marples chisels also. They seem to hold an edge pretty decently and mine came off E-Bay at a very reasonable price. I also use a sharp pocket knife. Had an old Case knife that finally ran out of blade from being sharpened. Ended up replacing it with a Bokker 'Tree' knife after reading "Clapton's Guitar". I'm pretty happy with it. I'm going to check out the "Instrument Maker's Carving Plane" -- looks to be a handy tool.     

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Jim Howell
Charlotte, NC