Shaving Horse

[Gofor]

I made one based on the plans I posted about a month or so ago. I lengthened it some and changed a couple wood dimensions, but, having yet to use one, will wait on other mods until I see what I need. Its fairly easy to make and can easily be disassembled. Also, not too heavy.:

My version:

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[ptt49er]

Now lets see some action pics! That looks GREAT! nice work :-D

 

[Steve Martin]

Good looking horse! Does the seat slide back and forth or is it fixed? Did you consider using the German style with the single arm coming up between the main horizontal members and a head that is open on the sides? Since you have the two "beams" it may be pretty easy to make up one so you could switch them according to the kind of shaving you need to do. Next thing you know you'll have a chair made. Good job.

 

[Travis Porter]

Much simpler than I would have expected. I have been wanting to make one for some time just haven't gotten around to it.

What are you going to be making with it?

 

[Gofor]

To answer the questions:

1. The seat just is a cross piece with a cleat in the middle between the rails, so it slides and can be configured to your contour. I just took a couple of pieces of drop from the assembly to make this one, but may sculpt it a bit as I see the need. (The plans have a foam insert and fancy padded seat, but it is still sliding and removable).
2. As for the style, I was torn because I am not sure where this is going to lead, so I liked this design in that I could easily adapt the head and support to meet future needs. The support surface is just screwed on, so is easily modified, and the clamp crosspiece in the jaws is also just held by a bolt, so it also can be shaped for need. The limitation is width, but right now I do not see that as a problem. If it becomes one it can be easily rectified by adding spacers and threaded rods to hold the clamp arms.
3. Travis, yes it was pretty simple. The hardest part for me was drilling the holes exact and aligned with my drill press. (if I would have had some 8" long bits it would have been a piece of cake). In retrospect, I would probably use my brace and an auger bit with all the pieces clamped together for the long bolt and dowel holes. Hand tools do have some advantages.
4. As for what I plan to do with it: First are some hiking staffs/walking sticks as I have some nice woods back of the house, and have BIL and nephews that are into the outdoors. 2nd is handles for a few chopping and other tools. As I get older and my finger joints less forgiving, I find egg-oval sculpted handles make some tools more friendly. Other projects in the works/lineup are a table for LOML, and possibly some chairs, so hand shaping the leg curve round-overs and chair slats and possibly attempts at carving some details are other uses I envision.

I built a workbench a while back, but it lacks a good method of holding a piece for drawknife/spokeshave work. Hopefully this will meet that need. For about $20 materials (not counting the walnut I used for the ratchet which was spit ends off 8/4 rough cut and a bit of 3/4 plywood drop) I feel free to experiment with it without any regrets. I admit it is a work in progress (as the lack of finish suggests), but hopefully not a wasted week-end.

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[Truefire]

Very, very nice. I like that. I have been thinking for some time how i could make something in which to make my wooden osage orange bow with. Now, this has given me an excellent idea. Thanks so very much for sharing. Any websites that include actual dimensions for making. I love brainstorming and designing my own plans.

However after having multiple projects always goiing simultaneously it is sometimes nice to simply look at a materials list and purchase such. Helps relax the ol' gray matter a bit.

Thanks for sharing with others. Chris:icon_thum

 

[Gofor]

Chris: I got the basic plans from American Woodworker Magazine #135 May 2008. The plans had all the basic parts made from one 10' 2 x 10 SYP pine board. At the local (not borg) builder's supply, I found the 2 x 8s to be better as for warp, bow, knots, etc, so I made mine from 2 1/2 2 x8s. The plans have the rails 5 1/2" at the thickest part, and I left mine a 7". Plans called for 4' length, and I extended mine to 5'. The only pieces that are thickness critical are the sliding support arm, the ratchet catch, and the seat cleat, which need to be just enough thinner to freely move between the rails.

The web site does have a lot of the plans free, but runs a year or so behind the magazine: http://www.americanwoodworker.com/aspx/HowToLibrary.aspx

If you need more pictures, I will try to get to taking some.

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[Truefire]

Thanks a million Mark for the very detailed reply and the website. I know it took effort in order to locate the magazine and such in order to give me all of that information. I do appreciate it sir. Chris:icon_thum