How to scribe - advice

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Howjoe

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Hi all,

I need to learn how to scribe properly. In particular edges of boxing-in (ply) to an un-even wall. Is the best way to use a compass and guide the pin down the the un-even surface with the pencil replicating the line on the wood?

What do people do when there isn't enough room to use the compass in a tight narrow space?

Interested to hear your tips. :)

Cheers

Howard
 
Howard,

Try this www.trendmachinery.co.uk/perfectbutt/

IMHO it is excellent and always gives a perfect scribe. It come with 3 different wheel sizes, and the pencil has a spring to keep it in contact with the work piece all of the time.

You can use a compass and a number of other things (including a piece of scrap wood) and they do cost a lot less then £25.50, but after trying the "Perfect Butt" for the first time you will see it is well worth the money.

Regards

Woody
 
I just use an offcut of wood slightly larger than the widest gap and a pencil. Hold the pencil close to the wood and simply drag the two along the wall or whatever.
 
Thanks all -Very useful.


It's just the practice I need now.....I've been working on the same piece now for over an hour trying to get a decent fit :roll:

Cheers

Howard
 
Way to go Alf.

Don't bother wasting your hard earned money on gimmicky money wasters.

I use different sizes of washers and a pencil, depending on how big a gap there is.

ATB Gary.
 
garywayne wrote:

Don't bother wasting your hard earned money on gimmicky money wasters.

Surely if the person who paid for the item thinks that it is money well spent, then to him or her it is not a waste of money.

I was going to say that mine was NOT a waste of money, but now that i have seen Tim's Veritas i am not so sure. His might have cost almost 3 times the price of mine, but it probably is a lot more versatile.

You could also say that a non collector of woodworking planes is wasting their money by buying a dozen or two of them, many of which will do the same job of the others. But the person/s who spend their hard earned cash on these delights do not think so.

So let me spend my pennies and you spend you washers. :wink: :roll:

Regards

Woody
 
I usually cut myself an L shaped piece of scrap (L shaped means that you can have a decent sized piece to hold on to without it catching the wall along it's length).
 
I don't see anything gimmicky in using something that does the job better and faster than other options.

The problem with the washer type scribe is that the curve of the washer determines the accuracy of the scribe line. If you have very acute angles to scribe to eg various mouldings, hard returns, rough stone walls and skirting boards (think torus) then the washer will not let you duplicate those accurately because it can't fit into the shape. What it will give you is an average of the surface at that point determine by the diameter of the washer. Thats not good enough for me.

I agree that the veritas log scribe is expensive and if (at the time I was looking) I could have found a wide opening compass, I would have bought one. Personally, I think that my hard earned cash is earned more easily using this piece of kit.

Cheers

Tim
 
tim":l1fsqmel said:
The problem with the washer type scribe is that the curve of the washer determines the accuracy of the scribe line.
That's true, which is where I'd then use a pair of compasses or dividers. When you need fine detail and in an enclosed space, well then it appears neither the log scribe or "perfect butt" would solve the problem either, so everybody ends up swearing. :lol:

Woody, no need to get personal, mate. You may spend your money on what you like, I don't mind. Just seemed reasonable to point out alternatives in case Howard would rather spend his elsewhere.

Cheers, Alf
 
Alf wrote:

Woody no need to get personal, mate. You may spend your money on what you like, I don't mind. Just seemed reasonable to point out alternatives in case Howard would rater spend his elsewhere.

Who is getting personal with you???? I never mentioned you at all. My post clearly states "garywayne wrote:" And even then, like Tim, all i was saying is that if you buy a product, and you are happy with it, and how it works, then to you it is not a waste of money.

Then i went onto say, again to gary, but very "tongue in cheek" (hence the wink and rolling eyes at my attempt of a joke) "So Let Me Spend My Pennies And You Spend Your Washers"

As for giving Howard other alternatives, if you look at my first post, i too stated that there are a number of ways and i then mentioned a compass.

Good God, i even back tracked in the end by saying that after seeing Tim's Veritas, even though it was 3 times the price, i am not so sure that mine was a good buy.

Regards

Woody
 
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