 Whilst photographing my planes for another thread, I thought I would show you something I am trying with my scraper. I know that a scraper is usually used slightly flexed. Whilst scraping some oak settle arms the other day I became aware that this was causing the top of arms to become slighly curved in cross-section. I worked out that this was probably because it was a narrow piece of wood meaning that the scraper had to follow the same path for each pass. If you curve the blade then lean it over, you inevitably cause either a concave or convex cut to be taken (depending on which way you curve and lean). The scraper was doing such a good job of cleaning up the bandsawed then cross-grain planed then gross-grain belt-sanded arms that I came up with this to enable me to carry on using the tool, without leaving a curved top:
It worked really well, and as a bonus, makes it really easy to work on the edge of the scraper when sharpening.
Mike
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This site has often shown me dangers of being entirely self-taught.......and it has happened again! You see, I already have one of these: I have always called it (and used it as) a spokeshave!!!!!!!!! I knew it was a little different from the traditional wooden handled spokeshaves, and I will admit to wondering why it had such a flat base for something that I thought should be used for curved work!!!! Turns out that it is actually a scraper...... ........come to think about it, when I acquired it the blade was in the other way around......I just thought the previous owner didn't know how to use it! Right, before I embarrass myself anymore.......where is the number for that nice Mr Charlesworth???!!! In the meantime, the other bit of Axminster kit (the Veritas Cabinet Scraper Holder) is very like my quick bodge, but about £25.36 more expensive. OK, that is it! I give up in the office......I'm going out to the workshop, and I am going to examine every tool I own to see what else I have been using backwards for the last 20 years!!!!!!
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Mike It's hard to see clearly but the thing in your picture is a spokeshave as far as I can tell. A No80 Cabinet scraper is similar but has a much bigger sole. Heres a stanley no 80 and the veritas version (on the left) side by side for comparison. Yours doesn't look as big across ths sole to me. If you're seriosu about visiting DC he can be contacted via his website http://www.davidcharlesworth.co.uk/ I know for a fact that he has a couple of spaces left on his courses, or at least he did a couple of weeks ago, though he may have filed them by now. Cheers Mike
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| Edited: 02/05/08 14:50 |
Thanks Mike...... ......do you think if I asked Ben nicely he would remove this thread from the forum before I make a complete idiot of myself?!!!!!! As for the David Charlesworth course......one day, I promise. Mike
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_(90_x_120).gif) Not an idiot Mike, Just learning as you go and that is not a bad thing. I wish more people had a go at making things in wood, if only to realise the amount of tooling that can be required and the effort necessary to produce the item.( Let's not mention the fun!) More importantly when an architect ( there are few) has an understanding of what is possible and what is difficult but possible, as in the type of furniture you produce, then the realistic design ideas will push the craft on and the boundries pushed so that more is in fact possible. Carry on Mike, regards Rob.
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Cheers Rob!
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.jpg) I like you're thinking behind this Mike, although I don't tend to have the same problem on larger surfaces. What I might do on something like a chair arm though - without the aid of your latest jig  - is to flex the scraper as usual but to only use one-third of the blade, near either of its outer edges. Of course, this can leave you with unevenly sharp or dull edge over time.
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How is the scraper clamped in place, Mike? I can't see any screws or anything. Do you find it comfortable to hold as it is? I personally would've thought you might want to round or ease off the two outer ends of the holder?
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I agree Olly, that scraping a larger surface is easier. Don't tell anyone, but I have scraped for years using a 1.5" chisel! (It works perfectly well, but does tend to spoil the edge quite quickly). Therefore, I have been used to scraping with a straight, rather than a curved, blade. I enjoy this new scraper very much (so does my 1.5" chisel!!!), and this was a pragmatic solution for a bit of a one-off situation. Mike
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Chisels are great in small situations, I do it all the time ! It doesn't take long to work a burr on the back of the edge though, does it?
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Ollie, the scraper is just a friction fit, easily removable by hand. Simply gripping the piece of wood tightens it enough to resist any pull as the scraper works. The edges are all chamfered now, but if I stick with the experiment I will probably make a nicer handle out of oak or ash and do the job properly. Mike PS You must come in for a tea break at the same time as me!
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Actually, since it's only Saturday, I decided to make a late start today. I do notice that we're generally both online at the same time though...!  Oh, and as you seem to have forgotten, Mike, I like to spell my name with a 'y' on the end, not 'ie'. 
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oooops.......how long have I been doing that wrong, Olly?
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Oh, I don't know Mike... Only since you came back in to the country! Don't worry though, you're certainly not the only one doing it!  I like it when someone mis-spells their own name though - there's a guy on the other forum who has signed himself off at the end of a post as Toy instead of Roy!
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......"on the other forum" "ON THE OTHER FORUM" "ON THE OTHER FORUM"
"ON THE OTHER FORUM" ??????!!!!!!!! - - ....... I think I've told you about this before, young Oliver!!!!!!!!
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 Mike i have to admit i had a quick look at this other forum. It looked far to serious for me, although saying that so did last weeks Dandy. I`ll stick with this one, where else would i get my fix of Sparkies pictures. Baz.
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 Olly, I've just checked our membership numbers and we've just overtaken UKW. We currently have 3136 members, UKW have 3135!
I think that makes us the biggest woodwork site in the UK, possibly Europe!
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Congratulations Ben, it seems like a great achievement for a site that's barely been running for a year!! You could well be right about being the biggest Woodwork site in Europe - over at UKW, you'll often find members from all over Scandinavia, France, Belgium and Germany joining in. Not to mention woodworkers from North America, Canada and even Togo! It seems as if they really have nowhere else to go.
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