thumbnail prfile

W

wade

Member
Hello All,
I am working on a bonnet top highboy and I'm looking
for a thumbnail profile router bit. Does anyone know
where I might find one? I would also like to know how
you would cut one with hand tools if the bit is not available.
I have an idea as to how this would be done, but would like to
hear other approaches.
I am finished with the case work and most of the carving
(2 large fans and 1 small one). I will be starting the drawers
and mouldings this week.
Thank you for your response.
Wade Ellis
 
Not really answering your question, but if you have a shaper, I recommend buying a head that takes corregitated insert knives (I have a 4"x4" 2-knife Schmidt, www.cggschmidt.com) and then you can have custom knives ground to any shape you want.  There are lots of places that grind knives and you just fax or email them the profile you want.

martin
 
whitesiderouterbits.com
They're reasonably priced for industrial, high quality bits and.......get this...... AMERICAN MADE!!!!!!!! If I have any choice that alone makes the decision easier!
 
Hey Guys,
Thanks for the replies. The Whiteside and Pricecutter
bits are for table tops. They would be too big for drawer
use.
SB, thats what I am looking for as far as hand planing
goes. I was hoping I could find the profile in a router bit
but I guess I will start looking for that plane. I'll have to
go look through my collection to see if I have one.
Anyone know where I might find this plane either
new or used? Also could anyone tell me the width of
this profile?
Thanks in advance. Wade
 
This is a dealer you can trust (his name is Lee Richmond, BTW).  He's very careful to list everything that's wrong/missing with an antique tool, and unless he says otherwise, the molding planes on his site are all in shape to be used, save possibly sharpening the iron.

I've about 200 planes that I've bought from him, and never been dissappointed (and have no financial connection with him other than being a satisfied customer).
 
Wow.

His planes aren't cheap. Two hundred planes, if you're averaging $100 apiece,  that's $20,000 worth of old wood and steel sitting around the basement.

You must not be married.

Howard Steier
 
Try using a roundover bit that is a size larger than the bead. You will need to run a bigger bearing or pack out the edge and end but it will get you pretty close. Try it on scrap and see what you get.
Mike
 
Thanks Everyone,
SB, I was a little late getting there. Someone beat
me to it.
Mike, I think I will give that a try. Might just work
good enough that I can clean up with hand tools.
Thanks everyone. Wade
 
Ha!  You guessed it, Howard - I'm not married.  However, most of the planes were not $100 each.  He (correctly, in my opinion) prices the planes based on condition, desirability of the profile, age (i.e., hand-made or factory made) and whether they're English or American. 

Also, that 200 figure includes several sets of hollows and rounds, side beads, etc... where the individual plane price is about $20 - $40.  I've bought a fair number of flea-market planes for $10 each, but the problem is that a lot of them turn out to be worthless as users because of blade pitting, stock warpage, etc...  It's tough to tell how much blade pitting is present when it's covered by grime, and even sighting along the sole is sometimes not enough to tell whether the plane will be a satisfactory user until it's put to wood.  What Lee is selling is the best of the best, and all in all, I think someone that wants a small kit of users for his shop would be well advised to pay the extra $$ for his 20+ years of experience.  Just my opinion, though.
 
I've bought some things from him. However I've still had problems with quality. I have been buying an occasional molding plane as needed from Tod Herrrli, (Mississinawa planes). He makes a laminated plane body (won't warp) and the blades are well shaped so there's little or no headache in getting them to work. Much more expensive however.

Howard Steier
 
I looked at a bunch of these.  The attached picture may help.  Never seen a drawer front with an ovolo planed into it (with two fillets like the referenced plane would produce.)  My guess is this was done with a hollow or two and a bit of scraper.  You could probably do the same with a router (yuck) and the same bit of scraper.  Glen Huey does this and he makes nice looking stuff!

Adam
 

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You've a point, Adam - an ovolo is what's usually produced by a router bit unless you're careful not to go too deep. 

The plane referenced in the post, however, won't produce an ovolo (that's what separates a thumb-molding plane from an ovolo and makes it much higher priced on the antique market).  Since the blade does not extend all the way to the edge of the profile on the left side (looking from the front), this acts as depth stop and prevents a fillet from being cut on on both the edge and the face.
 
this is off the subject but I have probably 150 molding planes (yes a lot from the best things ) that I am thinking of parting with,2 crown,panel raiser,ogee,h&rs, beads and quite a few complex. if anyone is interested
I will let them ALL go for 50.00 a piece . some of these I have paid 150.00
and better. email off forum,please.
[email protected]
I want to sell all or nothing or there going on ebay individually !
 
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