# 113 - Violin Makers Thumb Planes - making them work well!

[@tomoshea5683]

VERY helpful. Thanks!

[@grahamvincentviolins]

Thank you!

[@Fireman9143]

Thanks for this! I have some cheap finger planes that I'll try to make useable now. I really appreciate your videos and the way you explain the process!

[@grahamvincentviolins]

Get that sharpening angle right and all will be well!

[@asherburdick6319]

Looking forward to trying the cork palm handle. I always get blisters

[@grahamvincentviolins]

Does really help!

[@Gonzalo_Chalo_Luthier]

Excellent video! Thanks!

[@grahamvincentviolins]

Thank you!!

[@Jeff034]

Thank you!

[@grahamvincentviolins]

Made you wait though!!

[@gervasegallant]

Great video! I have a couple of planes like your small ones... wooden wedge. The blade on these never stay seated long and your video hints that the cause is that it's so hard to plane that the blade just gets pushed back... I'll check that possibility... set the bevel as you did. Thanks for this.

[@grahamvincentviolins]

Let me know if that works.

[@gervasegallant]

@@grahamvincentviolins Just checked my largest finger plane... a hill style (with wedge)... the protruding bevel does resemble your "good" example... so think I am ok with it. I'll cut a new wedge and see where that goes. .... By the way your cork handles are pretty clever. Think I'll make some for some of my other, working finger planes... thanks again.

[@grahamvincentviolins]

@@gervasegallant I think you're probably thinking the same as me.... the new wedge needs to be at a shallower angle so it has more of a wedging action and will hold tighter, so the "thin" end needs to be thicker, as thick as it can be and still fit. I'm sure you've done exactly that!

[@fornermarc4993]

Merci beaucoup Vincent.. c’est une mine d’information pour moi , je viens de recevoir mes deux petits avions , un plat et un bombé .. effectivement ça ne taille pas beaucoup, je viens de comprendre grâce à la vidéo et la traduction en français ce que je dois faire pour qu’il taille correctement… un grand merci 🙏 🎻🎻🎻

[@grahamvincentviolins]

Vraiment content que ça ait aidé ! Merci!

[@treelore7266]

Great video! I wanted to make this kind of plane for a long time to make arrows but I had problems even with quite larger ones.

[@garylyman2600]

What angle do you sharpen the plane blade at. You mentioned that sometimes it can be sharpened at too steep of an angle.

[@kendyboston4225]

Interesting video . Would be beneficial to see a little more detail in the sharpening . Thank you

[@HL-ci5lr]

Excellent tips. Thank you.

[@grahamvincentviolins]

Thanks!

[@diydarkmatter]

i have not bought them but harbor freight has a set of three brass finger planes for if i remember right ten dollars . i dont know if you have harbor freight where you live . but if any one else who does have harbor freight its a option . i have not used them and cant say how well they will work . but there brass and im sure they will work fine given a good sharpening . they look very much like the ones shown in the video . of course you will have to provide your own brother in law who has corks lol .

[@grahamvincentviolins]

WHAT?? $10?? Deal of the century by the sound of it. I'll tell the brother in law to drink faster. Shouldn't be an issue...

[@diydarkmatter]

@@grahamvincentviolins lol . i looked them up on the harbor freight web site . they wanted just under 18 dollars for a set of three different angles . but that was the web site and they always are more then what you find at the store . how ever prices may have gone up since i was there last . ether way under 20 bucks is a great deal .

[@trahtrebor]

I have that set of planes. My set actually decent. Once decently sharpened they do well. If I were to do a good setup, I'm sure they would do great. I'd buy them again.

[@HighwalkerMTG]

Fantastic concept using cork! I'll definitely apply this to the new set I purchased. By the way, did you flatten the base of the new finger plane? I'm thinking of flattening the entire set I ordered.

[@grahamvincentviolins]

Yes, the cork works well. Must admit I've not flattened the bottoms of any of these, none of mine seem to have needed it.

[@guitfidle]

Thank you SO MUCH for this video!! I have a couple Ibex small planes that cut really well, and a couple cheap Chinese ones that don't. Your explanation of the cutting angles related to the sharpening angle of the bevel makes so much sense! I will now regrind the ones that don't work as well, that bevel angle on the iron is probably exactly the issue. Oh yeah, I have a couple spokeshaves that probably suffer from the same issue. Looks like I have to break out the grinder to reestablish some bevels 😍😍 On a related note, have you seen the spoon plane from Woodriver? It's an unusual item, literally shaped like a spoon with a plane iron mounted in it. The cutting angle is facing the handle, so it works on the pull stroke. The iron does need regrinding (mine did anyway), but once set up it works absolutely brilliantly for carving concave surfaces. And the long handle fits my hand quite comfortably. I used mine for cutting an archtop guitar top plate, and ended up using it way more often then the fancy Ibex planes that cost quite a bit more. (the large Ibex is like 3+ times the price). I have mine set so one side takes a deeper cut than the other, the cutting edge is wide enough to make this quite controllable. Tilt one side to hog out material, tilt the other way for a fine shaving.

[@hobonickel840]

Great content... Can you please tell me where I can get one or a set of these that have potential and can work with mods? ... where do I buy these I been desperately looking for a convex thumb is eBay where you purchased the convex thumb plane?

[@ericdavidmedhurst31]

where did u get you're small sharpping jig for holding the blade

[@grahamvincentviolins]

I'll get you a link when I'm back in the office later (or tomorrow morning).

[@grahamvincentviolins]

Here's the link to the honing guide, it's an Amazon affiliates link, I get a tiny commission if you buy it! Axminster honing guide

[@ericdavidmedhurst31]

thankyou

[@wmcrash]

I could have sworn these thumb planes are bevel up. I think I confused that with the bow making small planes, which are bevel up - I think :D

[@grahamvincentviolins]

I could be wrong!

[@tizio.qualunque]

Spritz? 😅