Travisher progress and a question... *Pics*

Re: Travisher progress and a question... *Pics*

Terry in Ottawa

>Scott, that's a very nice looking travisher that you have under way there. I hope you post final pictures when you're done and report back on how well it works.

I started on a travisher project a few months ago but I'm suffering from paralysis by analysis. Perhaps you can help me.

How closely does the curvature of the travisher body match the blade, and how did you cut the curve? I imagine tracing the curvature of the blade onto my blank, cutting slightly oversize with a band saw and then rasping/filing down to my line. Is this what you did?

From your pictures, I think you bored holes for the tangs as opposed to cutting open faced channels. How did you layout the starting points for the holes and how did you figure out and mark the proper inclined angle for the tangs?

If I ever get my project to the stage where yours is now, I'm planning on treating it with boiled linseed oil.

Thanks for the posting.

Terry

Re: Travisher progress and a question... *Pics*

Jack Guzman from Maine

>Nice lookin travisher. I treated my shaves(I made two of them)with BLO.I dumbly put shellac on one and it rubbed off where the shave touches wood.---Jack

Re: Travisher progress and a question... *Pics*

Jim in Burlington Ontario

>Very nice always wanted to make one just need the time. Great job.

Looking good...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>Man that's really comming along. I'd finish it with BLO (also) and possibly some wax.

Shavings must see shavings...

Re: Travisher progress and a question... *Pics*

Mike McDaniel

>It seems as though BLO is the favorite, but I have a slightly different approach. I tend to think of my tools as works in progress. I like to use a renewable finish. For this reason, I use Raw Linseed Oil. It takes longer to dry, and never really hardens, like a top-coat. That way, whenever the surface wears, I can reshape, then recoat. I also use the rawLO to make up my own home-brewed finishes.

Mike McDaniel,

WV

What is the benefit...

Bryan in Broad Ripple, IN

>I'm baffled. What is the benefit of using Raw linseed oil for this application instead of BLO?

-Bryan

Re: Travisher progress and a question... *Pics*

Steve Knight

>looks good. though woudn't it benifit from a wear plate or is that later?

Re: What is the benefit...

Mike McDaniel

>Boiled Linseed oil has dryers added, effectively making it an topcoat. So even though it is a oil finish, thereby providing a deeper penetration for preservation, it is limited in it's effectiveness. Raw Linseed oil should be applied liberally.(put it on until the wood cannot soak up any more) This gives a deep, long lasting protection, that may be rejuvinated by simply giving another soaking. This method was introduced to me in the early 1980's, while building my work bench.(FWW issue #4, Fall '76- Tage Frid illustrates a European-Style Workbench)

Mike McDaniel,

WV

Some answers...

Scott in Douglassville, PA

>Hi, Terry -

I'm attaching a scan of the body laid out before I did anything. Basically, I traced the iron, so that the tangs were perpendicular to a square edge. I used three radii to get the curves I wanted for the inside and outside. I found the center of the tangs from my tracing and extended them to the top of the stock. Eyeballing where the edge of the iron should be, I marked where to put the mortises. I made sure the top and bottom edges of the stock were parallel, then, using a drill press, drilled 9/16" holes down into the stock, then bandsawed the bottom of the body free. For the top of the body, I removed enough waste with the bandsaw to allow access to the top side of the mortises but still prvide enough material to clamp in the vise, rasped and scraped the bottom of the body to the layout line, then started working the mortises from the bottom of the body. When the tangs penetrated the body, I started smoking them with a candle to coat them with soot, inserted them as far as they'd go, remove them, the pared gingerly with a chisel (thanks, Darrell!). Kept repeating that until they fit nicely. The whole process to here took maybe an hour to 75 minutes.

Don't worry too much about perfecting the bottom right from the start, 'cause you'll have to tweak the bedding of the iron after you shape, anyway, and you can adjust things then.

Hope this helps. Lemme know if I'm confusing things even more.

Scott

Later...

Scott in Douglassville, PA

>Hi, Steve -

I just want to get the thing together and make sure it works. When I get a chance later, I'll add a wear strip. Might be the next revision, though - not sure this'll be a long-term keeper yet.

Thanks,

Scott