Curves for Carpenters and other tools...

The classic problem – your laying out something with curves and would like a guide to either help with the curve or to replicate the curve.

While I have used thin strips of luaun before to help, there are a couple products on the market that can come to the rescue as well. (Both available at Lee Valley)

Drawing Bows: This works on the same principle as the strip of wood but has several improvements that allows for 1 person to easily do it themselves

Blending Curves: Can use to match a series of points, or for smoothing the point where a straight line meets a curve.

Plastic razors: able to contour around edges, won’t rust, good for paint or cleaning or assorted other jobs, these pieces definitely made it on my home shop wish list.

Bo Wrench Deck Tool: used for position warped lumber on top of joists. Perhaps not the most theatrically useful, but I have definitely had situations where it would have been helpful. This could join the variety of jigs I have seen in use for dealing with warped wood in shops all over. Seems like a good idea for a book – shop build jigs for theater use….

Audels Carpenters and Builder’s Guide: First published in 1923, it’s a 4 volume set that contain woodworking info. As a firm believer in the fact that older technologies may be as good or better than newer (or newer isn’t always better), I like having this type of information around.