The Shavehorse Project, Part 2
When I am teaching interstate and don’t have access to the workshop, I like to have the ability to do some green wood preparation, shaping and carving. The shavehorse shown is the one I showed how to make in the last issue.
However, add a holdfast at the back and a comfortable seat, and make yourself a little worktable to hold tools or the other end of a longer piece of wood, and the hours you spend shaping will be even more fun (photo 1).
Holdfast and V-jig
Most holdfasts need 50–60mm of bench thickness to grip well, so I glued a 15mm thick offcut of Vic ash under the seat (fig.1). Check the grain direction is the same and then drill through with a 19mm forstner bit (for a Gramercy holdfast).
To assist with holding round or variable sized stock for hand cutting I add a jig to the rear end of the seat plank with a V-notch cut out. This is simply an 18mm ply offcut with slotted holes for adjustment (photo 2).
Insert T-nuts into the endgrain and the jig can be easily adjusted. This can also be the connection point for other jigs
