Reply To: Cabriole legs
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Okay, here it is, leveled. I used a shoulder plane and a bench plane, working across the grain of the post. A rabbet plane probably would have been fine, but the only rabbet plane I have is too junky to set finely, so I used the shoulder plane. The shoulder plane got down into the corner and also provided the relief needed for the mouth of the bench plane. The bench plane (I used a #3, but anything would be fine) is wider, covers more ground more quickly, and gives a nice flat surface.
Here are the critical things that I experienced. When you work across the grain, you must take great care about breaking out the edge you are pushing towards. If you push towards the outside corner, you can break out your show edge. If you push towards the apron (inside) corner, there too you can break it out and if you’re too heavy handed, you could get in trouble. I’m playing with a leg and apron that are clamped but not glued. In a glued up joint, the apron ought to protect the edge from breaking out, but I’d still be careful. I was able to carefully work towards the outside show corner but *keeping the heel of the plane on the apron.* This means the toe of the plane is pointing upwards just a bit and does not go off the show edge. This relieved the corner on the apron side. I then turned around and worked towards the apron and flip flopped back and forth. Again, for a glued up joint, this probably isn’t needed.
The other thing to beware of is that when you come in from the outside edge, you may be going against the grain of the apron material, which was the case for me. That means big tear out. So, be sensitive for when you come flush so that you can turn around and skim with the grain of the apron.
I am hesitant about the chisel ideas for several reasons. For a wider apron, you’d have trouble with the mechanics. Also, when I cross-pare a tenon, it leaves a rough surface. In the end, you will need to figure out how to get a plane in on the action to get a smoother, flat surface, I think. As for paring along the grain, I think you stand a substantial risk of having the grain dive on you. The sweeping paring will probably be helpful at times, but the planes worked.
Doucette and Wolfe make beautiful stuff. Their videos are inspiring, their designs elegant, and the craftsmanship admirable. Thanks for posting that one…I’d not seen it. I think his chiseling is really shaping the top of the knee and then relieving the fibers. Then, the plane is being used on the post. That’s my guess, anyway! Perhaps he has relieved the outside corners before planing to keep from breaking them out?
Here’s a photo of the result on this test piece (maple).