Scrapers

[Dalboy]

OK I know this is going to start something.
Now what old woodworking tools can be turned in to scrapers without too much messing about with heating.
Will carpenters chisels work as a metal that is.

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

Don't know personally, but have been told not to use old tools in case they are damaged/weakened etc.

 

[woodyturner]

I have used many old tools like files from the age of 11 at school till about ten years ago and I could afford to just buy what I wanted and not once did any of them break or shatter but then most tools were made in the UK not cheap imports

 

[Dalboy]

Thank you TD I know what you mean I should have pointed out that this is not to make a complete tool just a scraper to my own shape to fit a Robert Sorby RS200KT.
Normal woodworking chisels used as a complete scraper is a no no the same as a file.

woodyturner I have heard that many a old turner used files without breaking.

 

[CHJ]

Don't attempt to use normal woodworking chisels as wood turning tools mounted in their original handles, they are normally housed in the handle by a narrow tang.
This has inadequate strength to avoid it bending if you should be unfortunate enough to have a bad catch, if this should result in the tool folding in front of and between the rest and the workpiece you could end up with damaged hands or if it breaks being speared by the broken shaft of steel.

The carbon steel could be used to form a scraper but you will need to remove the tangs and make a suitable handle system to secure the full width of the blade.
Being carbon steel they will not hold a sharp edge anywhere near as long as HSS.

Remember hand cutting tools cut wood at a few inches per second, lathe tools in the order of 26ft per. sec.

 

[Bodrighy]

I learned to turn at school using ground files as scrapers, that's all we had, no gouges, chucks or any such new fangled stuff. Must say I wouldn't use any now though, especially any that are new as they are probably of dubious quality steel and for the cost of a scraper just not worth the risk.

Pete

 

[Silverbirch]

The easiest solution (though not the cheapest, I don`t suppose) would be to buy a spare teardrop tip for the Sorby and grind it yourself. It will be HSS, of a suitable thickness and ready tapped to fit.

Ian

 

[yorkshirepudding]

The easiest solution (though not the cheapest, I don`t suppose) would be to buy a spare teardrop tip for the Sorby and grind it yourself. It will be HSS, of a suitable thickness and ready tapped to fit.

Ian

I second that. On first using the Sorby hollowing tool I hated it but since I reprofiled the tips I now love it and use it for finishing all my hollow turnings.

 

[Glynne]

Can you advise as to the shape you re-profiled it to please?
I inherited one and have hardly used it but if the altered shape is better....

 

[Mark Hancock]

Thank you TD I know what you mean I should have pointed out that this is not to make a complete tool just a scraper to my own shape to fit a Robert Sorby RS200KT.
Normal woodworking chisels used as a complete scraper is a no no the same as a file.

woodyturner I have heard that many a old turner used files without breaking.

Old planer blades are ideal for what you have in mind.

 

[Dalboy]

Thank you all for the replies.

The easiest solution (though not the cheapest, I don`t suppose) would be to buy a spare teardrop tip for the Sorby and grind it yourself. It will be HSS, of a suitable thickness and ready tapped to fit.

Ian

Could work out expensive as it is not just one I need, but a good idea all the same.

Can you advise as to the shape you re-profiled it to please?
I inherited one and have hardly used it but if the altered shape is better....

The profiles I want to make at the moment are side profiles of tyres to make wheels for toys as in the fire engine I built. I did those all on the lathe it was alright but I have quite a few to make.


Thank you Mark planer blades might just be the ideal thickness for what I have in mind.

 

[duncanh]

Thank you TD I know what you mean I should have pointed out that this is not to make a complete tool just a scraper to my own shape to fit a Robert Sorby RS200KT.
Normal woodworking chisels used as a complete scraper is a no no the same as a file.

woodyturner I have heard that many a old turner used files without breaking.

Old planer blades are ideal for what you have in mind.

Agreed. I have several with various profiles that fit the sorby tool well. I've no idea what grade of HSS they're made of but I couldn't get them to drill at all using my standard bits. I had some success with carbide bits (for glass/ceramic) but they still don't last long. These days I just cut a slot using a metal disc on a grinder and I now find this preferable to a hole as it makes them much faster to change - no need to remove the screw from the tool - just loosen.

 

[Dalboy]

These days I just cut a slot using a metal disc on a grinder and I now find this preferable to a hole as it makes them much faster to change - no need to remove the screw from the tool - just loosen.

I like that idea looks like I will have to do that with the scrapers I will make.

 

[chipmunk]

I'd say that it depends upon your level of expertise and the scale of the turnings whether wood chisels will do the
job. For small scale work I think that they may have a place. Carbon steel is easier to shape than HSS but will not hold an edge as long so it's a trade-off between complexity of profile and edge holding.

Dave Springett in Woodturning Wizardry suggests making your own scraping tools out of reground cheap Chinese wood chisels (original handles) to turn small intricate Chinese balls etc. These are used flat on a platform rest (like the Sorby box scraper rest).

Chas makes a good point about the tangs being a potential weak point and so it'd be wise to rehandle them to make sure they're ok but you may be lucky. I've just rehandled some cheap block plastic handled old Stanley woodchisels and the tangs on those were 3/8" solid rods - definately not the thin spikey tangs.

So if your wheels are only a couple of inches across I'd say a reground old chisel might be just fine but I certainly wouldn't advocate using a reground wood chisel on a bowl over that sort of size unless you know what you're doing.

HTH
Jon

 

[Dalboy]

Thank you Chipmunk for the comments I will not use complete chisels because of the dangers of breakage that is why I want to make small scrapers to fit my tool I have.

Your comments are appreciated especially for beginners to the hobby who do not know.

For those that don't know how much turning I do here is a link to some of my work http://s702.photobucket.com/user/diggerdelaney/library/Turnings Most of it is basic turning as I also make other things as well. And that does not include all the pens I have made(well you have to make a pen DON'T YOU).

 

[chipmunk]

Hi Dalboy,
Apologies for overlooking your clarification about scraper tips. I was following on from some of the other comments about chisels as turning tools and comparing them to files which they are not

To try to make amends for my previous post...

I also make my own Sorby-style HSS scraper tips as duncanh says but still think drilled holes are ok with a spear point tile drill.

If you haven't any planer blades then I would recommend... HSS Tool Bit Rectangular 3/16"x1/2"x4" from here...
http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Cutting-Tools/High-Speed-Steel-Toolbits

HTH
Jon

 

[winemaker]

For those that don't know how much turning I do here is a link to some of my work http://s702.photobucket.com/user/diggerdelaney/library/Turnings Most of it is basic turning as I also make other things as well. And that does not include all the pens I have made(well you have to make a pen DON'T YOU).[/quote]


Like the pictures some very nice bowls etc: I will as good as that one day
Tom
p.s not tried Pens yet not sure if I want to.

 

[procell]

Very creative. May have to pinch a few ideas from some of your turnings. But that will be in the future once I have had lots more practice.

 

[duncanh]

For those that don't know how much turning I do here is a link to some of my work http://s702.photobucket.com/user/diggerdelaney/library/Turnings Most of it is basic turning as I also make other things as well. And that does not include all the pens I have made(well you have to make a pen DON'T YOU).

Like the pictures some very nice bowls etc: I will as good as that one day
Tom
p.s not tried Pens yet not sure if I want to.[/quote]

That's a nice variety of work.
I couldn't help noticing that the first one is what appears to be a baby rattle. Whilst I like the shape I should point out that it wouldn't pass the 'choke tube test' for children's toys. You can see a diagram of such a tube on page 7 of http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file25392.pdf, but essentially it says that parts must be wider than 31.7mm. It's probably not an issue if you're giving them away but if you sell them then you could get caught by trading standards.
I recently started selling a few (which pass the test) and someone on another forum raised regulations. They said that a trading standards officer had stopped them from selling some because they weren't made from a fruit wood (which was required because they don't splinter). I can't find anything about this in the regs, only that they must be made from something suitable. I went in to my local trading standards office and eventually got to speak to an officer on the phone. He basically said that they won't look at things before sale and would only act if they saw something whilst out on duty - if I want something testing beforehand to see if it passes I'd need to send samples off to a lab :-(

Also, I think that all toys are supposed to be sold with a CE label. Whilst we can self certify I couldn't find a decent check list for what to test.

Sorry for the thread hijack!

 

[chipmunk]

Does this help...
https://www.gov.uk/toy-manufacturers-and-their-responsibilities

There is a series of links from the page which may shed some light on what's required.
HTH
Jon