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Greg James Reed Making Tools

Author: Joseph LeBlanc
Date: 2008-12-12 18:16
Attachment: Gouger3.jpg (27k)
Attachment: Gouger4.jpg (22k)
Attachment: Shaper1.jpg (18k)
Attachment: Shaper2.jpg (22k)

I've had a planer and shaper on order for quite some time now, with hopes they would be able to improve my blank making and save me time. There is very little information on these tools anywhere, so I thought that I would post my thoughts and some pics.

His planer with first jig cut(more on the first jig cut later) costs 389 Canadian(price can vary depending on what black plane you would like included). The design is pretty simple, it uses a track and a standard block plane. The construction is solid steel and brass. The rails are precision ground and the sliding motion is extremely smooth and secure. I opted to get this with a Veritas Block plane. James will custom make the planer to go with the block plane of your choice. Veritas is about the highest quality you can get. It is much easier to adjust then a typical stanley plane and the settings stay where you put them. It also has adjustment screws near the mouth, making it easier to center the blade(critical for flat reeds). The O2 steel blade will also hold an edge longer.

There are a few nice design features in this planer. First, the holding mechanism for the piece of cane is spring operated, no need to screw and unscrew each reed into place, you simply push in the screw to open the mouth. This is a big time saver actually and is much easier on the fingers than the Dilutis planer. Secondly, James has build in an easy and accurate way to control blank thickness. Under the brass plate that holds the reed is another plate that is on a slant. By moving this lower plate forward and back you can adjust the overall thickness. On my planer I have a range of about 2.5mm to 4mm in thickness. There are lines etched in the brass to help you keep track of the setting you like. It takes a few minutes to set the height but once you find it you are set. The planer comes with mounting screws. It needs to either be mounted to a work desk or clamped down.

The first jig cut makes the initial cut into the bark. It's located on the planer below the main cane holder. The reed is held in place by sliding the silver metal bar up. It basically just holds the reed at an angle so when you cut with the block plane it creates a smooth first cut on the vamp of the of reed. The first jig cut works well, it's much faster and safer than cutting the bark by hand.

Overall this planer is a big improvement in my workflow. I've cut my planing time in way down(now about two minutes including jig cut) and I get a more consistent result. I was hoping it would be able to produce perfectly flat reeds with almost no need for sanding however this is not the case. They come off a little flatter than the Dilutis and the thickness is more consistent. So they still need some finishing work with glass and sandpaper but generally not as much.

I'd still love to get my hands on the Reed's N Stuff gouger(planer) and see how that performs compared to the James but I just can't justify the cost!

James' shapers are built to your custom dimensions and they cost $160 Canadian. His concept is slightly different from what I've seen before. It has to be used with the included wooden brace. You set brace on your table and then put the shaper on the brace. One side of the reed will be sticking up and you cut it to shape with a chisel(both hands on the chisel, you don't hold the shaper or brace). I've always used a chisel even with my Dilutis shaper, if you keep it sharp it's safer than a razor blade and gets closer with less strokes. The shaper has an adjustment screw on one side that acts as a stopper for the reed. This saves time and it made me realize how sloppy I was before as I just lined it up with a tape guide(not a deal breaker, but it's nice to have exactly uniform results) . The steel he uses is heat tempered and you can really tell the difference. The chisel slides smoothly and the steel basically does not scratch at all. The tightening screws are smooth though like any shaper I've tried with two screws, it's a little bit cumbersome to use because you have to tighten each side a little at a time or the metal will bind. I would have preferred an handle over the wooden brace method, but I'm getting used to it. The overall build quality is great and addition of the adjustment screw is a nice touch.

I've cut my time down at each step. I have less finishing sanding to do when I'm done and the dimensions are slightly more consistent now. My time from tube to finished reed is now about 9 minutes. If you are considering ordering the tools feel free to email me, and I can get you James' contact info. A word of warning for those thinking about ordering though, I waited almost a year for these. All of his tools are made to order. He will give you an estimated finish date but be prepared for delays. My first order was placed in Dec 07 then was lost...so I reordered in May, paid in June, was expecting them in August and just got them a few weeks ago(late Nov!). I feel they were well worth it, but count on waiting for them.

-Joe

Post Edited (2008-12-12 18:18)

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