Bead planes

Re: Bead planes

Michael Stadulis, in Gloucester County, NJ

>Davy,

Large diameter beads were used on baseboard's top edges in the 18th century.

-Mike

Re: Bead planes

Davy Barr

>Nice to know that. I learn something new every day. My next logical question is, where all else can you use bead planes?

Re: Bead planes

Mitchell

>A beaded edge creates a strong shadow wherever you want to strengthen the visual impact. The vee part of the bead is a also a good place to sink the nail. On larger and smaller sizes, beads can be used for trim details, interior and exterior.

Re: Bead planes

Scott Post

>I've used beads lots of places. On the inside and outside edges of face frames, along the front edges of shelving, and along the bottom edge of the stringers on a table just to name a few. Anywhere I want to add a decorative shadow line or break a sharp edge.

I should have added.........

Michael Stadulis, in Gloucester County, NJ

>That they are really very inexpensive and also very easily sharpened with dowels wrapped w/ sandpaper, so get a few to start out.

Once you have them at your disposal, you'll start using them all the time. I have a full compliment and use them all regularly.

A really nice use for a smaller bead, say 3/16 or so, is to bead the top and bottom of the facing edge of your shelves. It adds understated elegance, dare I say, and prevents the top edge from being damaged. You would probably otherwise either "knock off" the corner with a block plane or round it over w/ a router.

Good luck finding a few. I have some doubles in the smaller sizes that I'd sell so let me know if you have any interest and I'll check into what I have. You can check Ebay for the going rates also.

-Mike

Re: Bead planes

Alan Hamilton

>Davy,

Beads are often used to make a strong "visual" edge inside an actual edge. This retains a straight shadow line on a corner even though the actual corner is pretty well beaten up.

There's often a large bead on the edge of a board to keep a nice, straight line where there's likely to be heavy use and abuse. I've seen beads even on fairly rough carpentry to keep everything looking neat and straight even though the actual edge isn't neat and straight any longer. I've seen them on such places as the corner boards of clapboard or shingle siding, stair treads, battens, and the outside edges of frames in frame and panel construction.

As you say, beads were so ubiquitous that these days beading planes are as common as dirt--and about as cheap.

Alan

Re: Bead planes

Davy Barr

>So would a legitimate place for a bead be the edge of a table? Or not since you have to do corners with it? Does anyone have some pictures of old furniture with beads on it?

Re: Bead planes

Todd Stock

>The visual impacts are nice, but I use a bead wherever it's likely that the edge will take a beating, such as:

-Inboard edges (thwarts, rails, etc.) on small boats (helps hold varnish/paint and one less corner to bark a shin on)

-Top/ends of baseboards

-Overlap strip/stop on French doors

-Edges of horizontal rails on porch/deck railings

A sharp edge shows a minor ding, while a bead hides the damage to some degree, due to the impact being spread over a larger area. For exterior work, a bead or other edge treatment makes it more likely that the finish film will remain intact after damage.

Re: Bead planes

Alan Hamilton

>Davy,

I can't see how one use is more or less "legitimate" than any other. So long as it doesn't ruin the aesthetics, there's nothing wrong with putting a bead wherever you want one.

If you're worried about beads meeting and crossing over each other in a corner, that's easily avoided. Run the bead just to where the two inside lines meet. Then round over the outside edges to the point of the corner with a scratch stock, a rasp, file, sandpaper, or whatever else will work. That avoids the little 'X' in the corners.

Alan