# Smoothing large concave surfaces



## nashvegas (Nov 25, 2014)

Hello fellow lovers of wood and all that is good. I started a project long ago that involved 12/4 mahogany panels that would become gracefully curved sides of a table. The strategy was to use a plunge router and a custom sled to gradually hog out the material on the concave side, and then turn it over and take a similar approach on the convex side. It was too wide (~20") to stand on its side edge and cut with a 14" band saw. In the meantime, I have fallen in love with hand tools and would like to finish this project without burying my garage/shop in mahogany dust. Soooo, my thought was that I would use a hand saw to cut radial crosscuts down to near the line representing my finished concave curve. Then I would cut out the waste material, leaving a generally concave albeit very uneven surface. I attached an image that is not at all to scale to convey the general idea. 

My questions are: does anyone have a recommendation for how to smooth the surface? Stanley 113 circular plane? Spokeshaves and card scrapers? I don't own the 113, but it looks like a possible option. Also, if anyone has a better idea for how to accomplish the desired result, I am all ears (or eyes as the case may be). 

Thanks!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*It would be similar to this*

Charles Neil Scooping out a chair seat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6DaDGE_FJI&list=PLAE9DC8D7F27C9103


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

Many chair makers use an inshave or scorp.
http://www.traditionalwoodworker.co...37ywN87X0Ip9YnCqH_Yq0eMQaB5hx4isloaAtdf8P8HAQ


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## nashvegas (Nov 25, 2014)

Thank you both for the replies. The inshave looks like a useful tool for my purposes. The angle grinder Charles demonstrates would certainly make quick work of getting the surface ready for final smoothing, but wasn't quite what I had in mind by "hand tool". I may cheat and get one though as a backup plan. Happy Thanksgiving!


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Use a 4" grinding tool with a paint stripper instead of a grinding wheel. These are generally about 80 grit. Then you can finish the sanding by hand.

I sanded down/hollowed out the seats of rocking chairs using this method.

George


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