Make yer own cabinet/card scraper, the cheapest way.

[Ttrees]

Hello folks
Just thought I'd do a quick scraper tute, since I have to stay out of the workshop for a bit
I replied to a thread a little while ago, but I thought why not post a WIP
Here's what you need .....
An old hardpoint saw, a fine single cut farmers own file, 4" angle grinder with a 1mm (burn yer clothes) disc, Marker and a straight piece of wood , A largish HSS drill bit (unscratched, this ones 10mm), a perfectly square block of wood that's as long as you want your scraper to be, a flat oilstone, some sort of vice for holding the scraper ..... and safety glasses for cutting the saw plate .

Try and get the widest fine single cut farmers own file you can get, this one's a bit slim ....
Notice that the teeth are only going in one direction

Make sure you've got at least, one perfect face side and face edge on the block of preferably hardwood ...make a mark like this if you don't ...This block makes it easy, just file away until you get an even shine across.... Often it will screech when you get there, or you will find resistance.

Make sure to clean the scraper and the block of wood afterwards, otherwise you will get a load of grit on your oilstone and it will dull your tool, before you ever get a fine square edge !

Once again the block makes it simples

Look for an even shine across the whole edge ....I usually give it a wipe just in-case of any residual crud .

All 10 fingers needed on the tool as sturdily you can, especially up close to the edge

One more go with the tool on its edge

 

[Ttrees]

Bit of oil on the drill (ahem)... I mean burnisher make sure its in contact with the scraper on the smooth side !
This could be highly polished if you had compound...or I'd say you could probably even do it with a brillo pad ?
Use the burnisher starting at just under 90 degrees and working gradually till you feel a suitable burr .... Too much pressure and/or angle, and it will not be possible to re-burnish again nicely.
O'yeah , burnish an edge on both sides of the tool (homer)

Finally put the thing to use and enjoy

 

[Ttrees]

Back again, as I forgot to mention, that you can refresh this burr again after use
I've used a real burnisher here just for demonstration purposes ...
What to do ....
With your scraper laying down flat, get your burnisher, lay it on top and pull the hook back towards the cutting edge,
Do this in a window wiper motion and work from BEHIND each side of the hook,
only MEETING towards the middle of the tool ...

After that with scraper held flat, lay the burnisher flat on your work surface and run it over, onto the scraper quickly,
to the other end and off again, multiple times.
It will make a clicking or ticketing sound if done correctly

Insert your scraper back into the vice again, and roll the edge once more....
Go easy forming this hook again, starting from very nearly 90 degrees as its quite rough...
working your way down 2 or 3 degrees more than before .
This is why you don't want the hook to be too aggressive the first time round ..
Ready for another go ...Yes its totally worth rolling the edge again 8)
Have fun

 

[matthewwh]

A comprehensive and technically sound tutorial.
Thank you for taking the time and trouble to put it together, I'm sure I will be referring people to this post for many years to come.

 

[Ttrees]

Thanks Matthew ..
I know its not as impressive and skilled, as some folk have done in video format ..but I thought it might help someone ...
I was originally planning to actually cut up a disposable tenon saw, to make a more flexible scraper with..
But this ended up being thicker than I thought it was
I needed a thinner one for scraping the varnish of a wobbly wardrobe before sanding it .

Anyone have any bright ideas for finding thinner stock to use ?
I must figure out how to post pictures in a non confusing manner though (hammer)
Thanks again
T

 

[pedder]

A piece of 0.3 mm thick polished steel, 5m long, 50mm high, costs about 14 € + shipping:

http://www.hs-folien.de/produkte/standa ... lware.html

good for at least 30 scrapers. But what to do with the other 29....

You could use old japanes saw blades.

Cheers
Pedder

 

[Ttrees]

Thanks Pedder ,but I don't think I could ever bring myself to cut up my Japanese saw ...not even if I had every tooth broken on it ..
I just hate to not utilize something I have allready( for that day when it might come in handy )...its a serious problem I have .

Id have to buy those Japanese saw files to learn how to sharpen them ...even if I really really needed a scraper from the saw ...
So as you pretty much have guessed , I'd end up having to make an excuse to make something for the rest of the thin stock . (hammer)
I've got enough rabbit holes to go down ...
Thanks though