I used mine for the first time last night. Sometimes the internet scares me. This video popped up on my suggested viewing this morning after my very first time using the tool. This thing is really fun to use and works a charm! Thanks Nick!!
That's brilliant Nick! What you should be especially proud of is the fact that it's low tech, based on technology (wood planes) that've been around for a couple thousand years, the task you're using it for is not dissimilar to tasks boat builders and others have been doing for as long, or longer. So this could've been invented over the past couple thousand years--but wasn't--until you did it. There are shoulder planes, but this is different. And having built two of your designs, I know I spent at least half of the time shaping strips trying to think of a better way to do it. Well done.
I love my Robo Bevel. Worked like a charm. Took me a little practice to really dial it in, and I definitely still prefer working on one direction rather than the other (L to R rather than R to L). This tool is exquisite. Definitely much more pleasant than dealing with cove and bead imperfections and broken coves.There is nothing like the feeling of getting a super tight joint with the robo bevel.
Love the Robo Bevel! I’ve built two kayaks with cove and bead. This is the first time using square strips. After some practice, the process of beveling strips is a pleasure. The work is peaceful, with the satisfying sound of the sharp blade peeling away wood. Nice work Nick! I enjoy the videos! Your work is inspiring! Thanks!
After I got my Robo Bevel and used it, I realized that it was faster to just get another plane and have one on each slot. I found them at the best price from Lee Valley, but had bought my first one from Amazon, which was too expensive, in fact the price was for a whole set of mini-planes, but only got the one out of the set from the Amazon supplier, so it was a rip off. While it is nice to have the Robo Bevel in one piece, when I got to the last few strips, it would have been convenient to only have 1/2 of the bevel at a time, since it won’t fit in between the completed strips when only a few are left to place, like the the keel junction when placing the last of the strips. The other tool was a different edge plane which I use a lot for the last strips, just used a knife in the tightest spots, or use a low angle plane on the loose strip supported by another strip so the fine tapered strip would not bend. I figured this out and then saw Nick using that method as well. Thinking I may cut the Robo into two bevels now that I have two shoulder planes, or buy another one and shape it for my own needs. All in all this is a very time saving tool and well worth the purchase. 😎
Nick! I feel like I was reading your mind with my comment on your last video. It was the perfect segue into this one. Brilliant tool adaptation! Cheers.
I have used the bead and cove method and also the robo-bevel method on my last canoe, it does work well with a little block plane work to go along with it. All in all in my opinion using both methods I personally would go with the bead and cove. Spend the time up front to make the bead and cove.
wonderful tool... funny, i desired for so long the bead and cobe bits and now this method is so perfect! I purchased de bits, but now this Bevel... mmmmm
Skills is amazing 👌 Do ask myself about if cutting the strips with 15-25 degrés angle (to alter when round over) it will increase the glue area on each strip and width as well. 1-3 mm depending on angle... Perhaps not very traditional, but with modern glues there is another possibility to explore. Reduce the strips down to 2,5-3 mm for weight crazy daredevils. 😂 My lard rear would need a few layers of carbon though, no fun to play submarine.. Amazing videos about your skills 👌👌👌👌
There are several tips for building boats: Give yourself enough time. take advantage of done for you boat blueprints. (I read about these and more from Denelle Boat Builder site )
Hey! I don't know if you read these comments but I'd love to know what computer program you use in the designing of your kayaks and in demonstrations such as the one shown at 1:30
A few thoughts: 1) In the higher curvature of the bilge does trimming one side of each strip suffice? 2) A shoulder plane doesn't eject shavings very efficiently and with one side blocked even less so. In the same spirit of a long fixture plane - would a skew blade clear better? 3) I am considering holding fixture for two strips at a time that twist the pair of strips so flat shots with a bench plane would put the rolled bevel on. It's perhaps not as elegant as using the strips/forms as the fixture.
Hi Mark, The only place I have found I need to bevel both strips is at a chine. Beveling just the existing strip seems to work fine on short/wide boats with a lot of curvature. The mini shoulder plane does have trouble ejecting the shaving. A skew blade that produced a spiral shaving would likely work better, but I have not found a skew plane small enough to do the trick. A holding fixture may work, but the trick is calibrating the fixture such that it matches the required beveling on the boat. Transferring the angles on the boat to the fixture could be tedious. The question becomes: is it more tedious to frequently poke a pencil into the plane to eject the shavings, or to carefully transfer angle measurements to a separate fixture.
Nick Schade I have a pair of side rabbet planes that I think could conceptually work except the bearing surface needs to register to the forms instead of the mounted strip. What I might do is buy a small pair of side plane irons I have seen in luthier supplies and mate them to a fit for purpose flexible float instead of figuring out how to mount a Lie Niesen 98/99 pair.
Hey Nick, quick question. I am considering buying a robo bevel for my 2nd cedar strip canoe build. It appeals to me compared to the tedious nature of trying to get perfectly milled bead and cove strips, which end up being very fragile no matter what you do. It seems like the robo bevel would be the perfect tool for me except for when I get to filling in the "football" section of the canoe after the centerline is cut. Seems like the majority of the strip could be planed with the robo bevel, but at a certain point, the robo bevel tool is going to collide with the centerline, rendering the tool unable to finish planing the entire strip. This is basically my only hesitation to buying a robo bevel. What would you do in this scenario? Are the strips close enough to square in the football section that a plane isn't necessarily needed? Thanks.
The strips I'm using in the video are 3/4" wide. The staples are standard T-50 which are about 3/8" wide, and 9/16" long. I occasionally hit the top of some staples, but the tool rides over them.
Nick, I am new to your channel but have been looking at your designs for years. I often see that other people make the strips with a router curve on the inside and outside so they join together tightly. I don't know how that compares to the way you do it with the bevel, but I would love to know your thoughts on this. Some day I am going to build one of these! OK, Well I just read the page on your site and you pretty much cover all that I was wondering about! Thanks
Hi Wolf, When I refer to "Cove and Bead" in the video, that is where you router a set of matching curves on to the edge of the strips. This system works well, particularly for larger boats like canoes. I have found that on smaller boats like kayaks, they can have some issues. I discuss this a bit more in depth in this video: ua-cam.com/video/x9EWm_u0I-Q/v-deo.html
There are some times when you may want to bevel both sides of a strip, but the Robo-Bevel does most of the work in most situations. Cove and bead can be faster because any beveling work is eliminated in advance, but you must take the time to set up and mill the cove and bead.
Do you have a large supply of 1/4inch wood bodied rebate planes available to be modified? For the tool to work well, they would need to be 18" long. You could certainly make a similar tool without incorporating the mini shoulder plane, but at $40 for the Veritas tool, I would be hard pressed to make something as cost effective if I were to account for a reasonable labor rate.
I used mine for the first time last night. Sometimes the internet scares me. This video popped up on my suggested viewing this morning after my very first time using the tool. This thing is really fun to use and works a charm! Thanks Nick!!
That's brilliant Nick! What you should be especially proud of is the fact that it's low tech, based on technology (wood planes) that've been around for a couple thousand years, the task you're using it for is not dissimilar to tasks boat builders and others have been doing for as long, or longer. So this could've been invented over the past couple thousand years--but wasn't--until you did it. There are shoulder planes, but this is different.
And having built two of your designs, I know I spent at least half of the time shaping strips trying to think of a better way to do it. Well done.
I love my Robo Bevel. Worked like a charm. Took me a little practice to really dial it in, and I definitely still prefer working on one direction rather than the other (L to R rather than R to L). This tool is exquisite. Definitely much more pleasant than dealing with cove and bead imperfections and broken coves.There is nothing like the feeling of getting a super tight joint with the robo bevel.
Love the Robo Bevel! I’ve built two kayaks with cove and bead. This is the first time using square strips. After some practice, the process of beveling strips is a pleasure. The work is peaceful, with the satisfying sound of the sharp blade peeling away wood. Nice work Nick! I enjoy the videos! Your work is inspiring!
Thanks!
Thanks Steve, I'm glad the tool is working for you.
After I got my Robo Bevel and used it, I realized that it was faster to just get another plane and have one on each slot. I found them at the best price from Lee Valley, but had bought my first one from Amazon, which was too expensive, in fact the price was for a whole set of mini-planes, but only got the one out of the set from the Amazon supplier, so it was a rip off. While it is nice to have the Robo Bevel in one piece, when I got to the last few strips, it would have been convenient to only have 1/2 of the bevel at a time, since it won’t fit in between the completed strips when only a few are left to place, like the the keel junction when placing the last of the strips. The other tool was a different edge plane which I use a lot for the last strips, just used a knife in the tightest spots, or use a low angle plane on the loose strip supported by another strip so the fine tapered strip would not bend. I figured this out and then saw Nick using that method as well. Thinking I may cut the Robo into two bevels now that I have two shoulder planes, or buy another one and shape it for my own needs. All in all this is a very time saving tool and well worth the purchase. 😎
Nick! I feel like I was reading your mind with my comment on your last video. It was the perfect segue into this one. Brilliant tool adaptation! Cheers.
NECESSITY..! The Mother of All inventions! Very Cool tool... Nice job.
"Simple" once You've seen it, as many great invetions.
A quite ingenious solution to this problem.
I have used the bead and cove method and also the robo-bevel method on my last canoe, it does work well with a little block plane work to go along with it. All in all in my opinion using both methods I personally would go with the bead and cove. Spend the time up front to make the bead and cove.
Fantastic idea in keeping with the quality you achieve in the construction of your strip boats. Very nice. JD/Missouri
Way kool! Innovative kayaks, innovative tools! Thanks Nick!
I just ordered this tool, can’t wait to try it.
wonderful tool... funny, i desired for so long the bead and cobe bits and now this method is so perfect! I purchased de bits, but now this Bevel... mmmmm
Excellent, Thanks for making it available!
Nice! I like the idea of this. Down the road I think I might give it a try.
Skills is amazing 👌
Do ask myself about if cutting the strips with 15-25 degrés angle (to alter when round over) it will increase the glue area on each strip and width as well. 1-3 mm depending on angle...
Perhaps not very traditional, but with modern glues there is another possibility to explore.
Reduce the strips down to 2,5-3 mm for weight crazy daredevils. 😂
My lard rear would need a few layers of carbon though, no fun to play submarine..
Amazing videos about your skills 👌👌👌👌
I love my robo bevel. So great.
There are several tips for building boats:
Give yourself enough time.
take advantage of done for you boat blueprints.
(I read about these and more from Denelle Boat Builder site )
Hey! I don't know if you read these comments but I'd love to know what computer program you use in the designing of your kayaks and in demonstrations such as the one shown at 1:30
I did the animations in Adobe Animate CC 2017
Nick Schade thank you.
A few thoughts:
1) In the higher curvature of the bilge does trimming one side of each strip suffice?
2) A shoulder plane doesn't eject shavings very efficiently and with one side blocked even less so. In the same spirit of a long fixture plane - would a skew blade clear better?
3) I am considering holding fixture for two strips at a time that twist the pair of strips so flat shots with a bench plane would put the rolled bevel on. It's perhaps not as elegant as using the strips/forms as the fixture.
Hi Mark, The only place I have found I need to bevel both strips is at a chine. Beveling just the existing strip seems to work fine on short/wide boats with a lot of curvature.
The mini shoulder plane does have trouble ejecting the shaving. A skew blade that produced a spiral shaving would likely work better, but I have not found a skew plane small enough to do the trick.
A holding fixture may work, but the trick is calibrating the fixture such that it matches the required beveling on the boat. Transferring the angles on the boat to the fixture could be tedious.
The question becomes: is it more tedious to frequently poke a pencil into the plane to eject the shavings, or to carefully transfer angle measurements to a separate fixture.
Nick Schade I have a pair of side rabbet planes that I think could conceptually work except the bearing surface needs to register to the forms instead of the mounted strip. What I might do is buy a small pair of side plane irons I have seen in luthier supplies and mate them to a fit for purpose flexible float instead of figuring out how to mount a Lie Niesen 98/99 pair.
Let me know how it works out.
Hey Nick, quick question. I am considering buying a robo bevel for my 2nd cedar strip canoe build. It appeals to me compared to the tedious nature of trying to get perfectly milled bead and cove strips, which end up being very fragile no matter what you do. It seems like the robo bevel would be the perfect tool for me except for when I get to filling in the "football" section of the canoe after the centerline is cut. Seems like the majority of the strip could be planed with the robo bevel, but at a certain point, the robo bevel tool is going to collide with the centerline, rendering the tool unable to finish planing the entire strip. This is basically my only hesitation to buying a robo bevel. What would you do in this scenario? Are the strips close enough to square in the football section that a plane isn't necessarily needed? Thanks.
Hi, I wanted to buy one but it's not on the website
Hi Nick,
I use 7/8” strips and 3/8” staples. Will the bevel pass by without hitting the staples? How wide are your strips?
Thanks
The strips I'm using in the video are 3/4" wide. The staples are standard T-50 which are about 3/8" wide, and 9/16" long. I occasionally hit the top of some staples, but the tool rides over them.
Nick, I am new to your channel but have been looking at your designs for years.
I often see that other people make the strips with a router curve on the inside and outside so they join together tightly. I don't know how that compares to the way you do it with the bevel, but I would love to know your thoughts on this. Some day I am going to build one of these!
OK, Well I just read the page on your site and you pretty much cover all that I was wondering about! Thanks
Hi Wolf, When I refer to "Cove and Bead" in the video, that is where you router a set of matching curves on to the edge of the strips. This system works well, particularly for larger boats like canoes. I have found that on smaller boats like kayaks, they can have some issues.
I discuss this a bit more in depth in this video: ua-cam.com/video/x9EWm_u0I-Q/v-deo.html
Thanks for the Video link
Quick question...Are the strips just cut on the table saw then...without hitting them with the router?
Yes, the strips have a square edge, no cove and bead.
How does the blade hold up? Would you suggest an extra blade? Can they be sharpened?
The blade is pretty easy to sharpen, and stays sharp for a long time. I have not used mine long enough to wear it out.
So are you skipping the cove and bead entirely? Or still using it on flatter sections of the boat?
I do not typically use cove and bead at all.
Great Job.
Will this tool work with 3/16" thick strips?
Yes, it probably works better with 3/16" than 1/4" but it works with both, or anything thinner.
I just received a set of plans and my Robo bevel today. I'm going to be making the micro Bootlegger sport.
Super job!
Thank you! Cheers!
Love it!
this is smart.
It seems much easier to use the Robo-bevel than to make bead and cove on all the strips. As I far as I see, you only plane the one side of the strip.
There are some times when you may want to bevel both sides of a strip, but the Robo-Bevel does most of the work in most situations.
Cove and bead can be faster because any beveling work is eliminated in advance, but you must take the time to set up and mill the cove and bead.
Thanks. I will probably go for the plane. Then I also get to buy this cool little plane :-)
wood wizardry.
I have heard the process called a "Progressive Bevel".
couldn't a 1/4 inch wood bodied rebate plane be modified wirh a fence to do the same job? Vertias tools are PRICY
Do you have a large supply of 1/4inch wood bodied rebate planes available to be modified? For the tool to work well, they would need to be 18" long.
You could certainly make a similar tool without incorporating the mini shoulder plane, but at $40 for the Veritas tool, I would be hard pressed to make something as cost effective if I were to account for a reasonable labor rate.
Veritas miniature shoulder plane is $41.50 US on the Lee Valley.com website (May 2020).
:-)