How to make bull nose profile

Re: How to make bull nose profile

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

Hi Bill

I can only speak to the way I prefer to do this:

Create a template of the bullnose shape (cardboard, MDF). Use this to mark off both ends of the board or stretcher.

I would use a hand plane to remove the waste.

Then finish either with a scraper and sandpaper, or use a wide Round moulding plane.

But we are on the Power Tool forum ....

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: How to make bull nose profile

Tom Norton

I have a router bit with this profile.

question

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

An attractive bull nose requires a sharp transition from the arc of the edge to the face. And, this transition as well as the center line of the profile must be straight. These attributes are not easy to achieve and less so if the edge has curvature.

Sanding in my hand destroys the sharp transition. What techniques/aids do you use for maintaining these desirable bull nosed attributes?

Re: How to make bull nose profile

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

What bit would you use for the curved legs show in my other post?

Re: question

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

Bill, I would not sand near an edge, unless it was flat and the sander had a hard, flat platen. Otherwise the danger is of dubbing. On a curved edge, to preserve the sharp corner, I would plane this first (with a Round or a block plane), and then any sanding would stay away from the sides and just work the inside area. A scraper instead of a sander may be better. I have curved cabinet (card) scrapers, and use them for this very purpose (still, stay away from the edges).

Regards from Perth

Derek

Whiteside Oval Bits

Stephen Roth

Whiteside makes oval profile bits that could replicate this shape. Check out ...

http://www.carbideprocessors.com/search.php?search_query=oval#/?_=1&filter.brand=Whiteside&page=1

Re: Whiteside Oval Bits

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

How would I used these bits on the leg shown in post above?

Re: How to make bull nose profile

John in NM

If a router bit in a table won't do it, I would try to find the appropriate hollow plane from a set of hollows and rounds. Might still be more curve than you want though.

Molding planes aren't that hard to make, and a hollow is a simple one. Maybe give that a try if you can't find anything that suits.

Re: Whiteside Oval Bits

Sgian Dubh

"How would I used these bits on the leg shown in post above?"

Inverted router. Overlong template attached (e.g., screwed) to the overlong curved wooden part (e.g., a leg), running off a single point fence sitting above the bit set to coincide with the circumference of the bit's arc.

Spindle moulder (shaper). Similar cutter type mounted in a block, similar overlong template, and ring fence set correctly under the cutter.

Cut the part to length after moulding the edge. Slainte.

New improved bull nose bits

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Because I don't have the machines you describe, nor apt to ever own them, I am thinking that someone should make these bits with a pilot bearing that would ride on a tempate.

For straight runs I can use the bits with a fence (I have several sizes).

Re: New improved bull nose bits

Keith Newton

Template guide bushings for your router. Of course the template would need to be half the difference between the diameter of the narrowest part of the bit and the larger guide bushing.

But you can also get a pretty good likeness by just using the bottom half or less of a large roundover but. I’ve got a couple of 1.5” R bits, which would have a 3.5” cutting circle, so you would need to make sure it would pass through the hole in the router sole. Plus some might find spinning a bit that large a little frightening.

And of course the bearing on the second pass will not get to ride on a flat but rather a little down the first R, which will make it a little aysemetrical, but it’s just not a big deal to feather in the overlap with a random orbit sander.

Re: New improved bull nose bits

Mark Hennebury

If you own a router and a roundover bit you have several options;

If your roundover bit has no top bearings or bottom bearing.You can add a bearing to the shank side (Bottom), or use Template bushings, or a Pin.

1. Use a template and a hand held the router. bearing on the bottom.

2. you can use a router mounted under a table, and use same bit/ bearing and template.

3. You can use a router mounted under the table and make pin and holder to mount over the top of the bit ( Pin routing) the pin is your template guide, the same as a top mounted bearing would do.

4. Template guide bushings in either the hand held or table router.

5.If the curves are constant you swing the router with a homemade trammel.

Lots of ways to get things done.

Re: New improved bull nose bits

Sgian Dubh

"I don't have the machines you describe, nor apt to ever own them, I am thinking that someone should make these bits with a pilot bearing that would ride on a template."

Bill, I didn't realise you don't own a router. And there was me thinking you are primarily a power tool man, only reluctantly turning to hand tools out of necessity, ha, ha. Slainte.

Re: How to make bull nose profile

Joe in a Cleveland suburb

Bill. I'm curious to know what method you decide to use for this bull nose profile.

Last time I made a candle stand I wanted the same type of round over. I didn't wanted it rounded over, I wanted it to be part of an oval shape if that makes sense.

I made a scraper. It worked ok. Not the greatest.

Re: How to make bull nose profile

TomD

Me too. I use an oversized plane or spokeshave.

It is funny to use hand tools to do power tool cheapness, but it comes up a lot in lutherie, where the necks are cut with huge shapers/routers. That can be the look that people want, so one spends a some time reproducing it by hand.

There used to be this local company that would make any router bit you wanted. I wanted a really modern roundover on my trimaran deck so I got them to make this thing with like a 2" radius, or something. It was difficult to figure out even how to get it on the router. I fired it up the one time I used it, and it was like sticking your head in the outflow of an industrial chipper. Never again.