: How do I block plain a concave curve of the hull on a Little Auk? Is this
: where a spoke shave would come in handy? Are there any other methods?

: Ross W.

Stanley sells a few different surform tools. You want something that looks like a plane, but has a bottom like a wood rasp. The tools usually comes with a flat blade, but there are flat and curved rasp blades for these tools, and the prices are pretty reasonable. I thinks this URL will get you to a listing for the curved (1/2 round) replacement blade

http://www.cascade.com/cgi-bin/cascade/cat.pl?catalog=21-293%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&commandval=0&contain=5

You can also try a Surform shaver. Same rasp-type cutting action, but the tool is smaller and can work in tighter curves.

If you have a standard plane and want to experiment a bit, buy a replacement plane iron for it, and hot glue a 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick piece of cedar or pine to the bottom of it. Youll need to cut a slot it in for the plane's iron to pass through, but that should not be difficult. Or, you jsut glue on two pieces of wood, and leave a gap between them for the iron to protrude. With sand paper you can shape the cedar or pine to a curved shape. The replacement iron can be ground to a rounded shape too, to match the curve of the temporary wood sole, or bottom, of your plane.

With the additional thickness of the wood added to the bottom of your plane, the iron is sticking out further than it should be, so adjust it for very slight cuts.

Paint scrapers can be found with rounded cutters, or you can regrind one side of a three-sided grinder blade rather easily

hope this helps.

PGJ