MicroLux/Micro-make power chisel

[wlell]

Do any shipmates have experience or recommendations regarding the microlux or micro-make power chisel for use primarily  on shaping masts? Are these both the same tool with different brand names?

Thank you

Bill

[Bob Cleek]

I can't imagine why anyone would want to try to use a "power chisel" to shape a mast. The easiest way to shape a spar is to use a plane to turn the piece into an octogon and then chuck it in a drill press or hand drill motor held in a vise and sand the dowel while it's spinning. A lathe is another obvious option, but, considering the tooling costs for taper attachment and steady rest and the setup time, planing and sanding is a lot easier. Particularly with the planing, building a "planing sled" jig for your desired taper angle will make turning out a large number of spars a piece of cake.

 

I don't do a lot of wood carving, but it seems to me that there isn't a hundred bucks worth of advantage to a vibrating chisel over a good set of well-sharpened hand carving chisels and I suspect there are a lot more blade shapes available with manual carving tool lines than with the power chisels. (It seems there only five blade shapes for the Micro-Mark model.)

 

If i had a hundred bucks to spend on a tool for shaping spars, I'd go first cabin and spend $85 on a Lie-Nielsen Model Maker's Block Plane, a high-quality recreation of the old Stanley No. 100 squirel-tailed model maker's plane and the rest on a sleeve or two of sandpaper.

 

https://www.lie-nielsen.com/products/Model Maker's Block Plane

 

[Moab]

Bob; I totally agree. I purchased this plane a few years ago and LOVE IT! I made one adjustment and called lie-Nielsen before making it. The throat is not adjustable (I assume because it’s a small tool) and shavings were clogging the plane (probably my fault). I was able to file the throat area enlarging the opening by about .3mm. No more clogging. It’s a great pleasure to use...Moab

[druxey]

Another possibility is a well-sharpened chisel held bevel side down.

[wlell]

Thank you for the advice. Looks like I am getting a Lie-Nielsen Model Maker's Block Plane for Christmas.

[EricWilliamMarshall]

On 12/1/2020 at 3:08 PM, druxey said:

well-sharpened chisel

I also vote for the well-sharpen chisel. I will also mention that there are also larger block planes (with or without adjustable mouthed) that are also delightful to use. 

Edited January 18, 2021 by EricWilliamMarshall