Is this cheating? Any one else using them?

[Maylon Harvey]

For my last few bowls I’ve been using card scrapers to smooth out the tool marks and get rid of tear out. They look like pieces of 16 ga. sheet metal cut in different shapes. I think that is what they are called. Normally used to smooth flat stock. Haven’t read on here of anyone else doing this but I’m sure they are. I use the square edged one for the outside and the convex curved one for the inside of my bowls. I have regular handled scrapers but these seem easier for me to control and I can make many faster passes than with the regular scrapers and they don’t chatter out near the edge. I’ve even been able to eliminate the 60 and 80 grit gouges :D:Dand on some woods I’ve even started at120 grit:D. Comments please

[Bill Bolen]

When it comes to turning there is no such thing as cheating! I've used them on occasion with bad tear out...Bill..

[David Christopher]

If it works it aint cheating

[Dustin Cranford]

I wouldn't say it's cheating, but if you are having to stick your hand inside a turning bowl I would say it's not safe. Others may have different opinions.

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

Maylon, I've used card scrapers for years. I typically apply sanding sealer before any sanding and then use a card scraper to remove most of the sealer. The sealer softens the wood fibers and by repeating the process several times, I can achieve about a 180-grit surface. As Dustin said, sticking your hand inside a turning vessel while hand-holding a card scraper is probably not the safest thing in the world; it does require a great deal of caution. For the inside, the smaller the scraper, the safer the practice. I'm not recommending it, but it has worked for me. For most segmented work, I only have to scrape side-grain; with non-segmented pieces, there's the two end-grain sides to deal with. If you over-use this technique, you can easily lose the roundness of your vessel because the scraper will remove wood faster on the side-grain sides.

[Jim Kountz]

I havent tried a card scraper but I read somewhere about using a block plane instead of a skew to smooth out spindle turnings. I tried it, I failed. I cussed!!

[William Bachtel]

I like a sharp bowl gouge, practice, and a good teacher, scrapers do just that they scrap, and a sharp bowl gouge will cut. It must be presented correctly. I know a lot of you guys use scrapers inside of bowls but I have learned how nice the right bowl gouge can be. It does take a lot of practice. But well worth it.

[Gordon Seto]

I have seen someone posted the accident that the card scraper has slashed his wrist while smoothing the inside. The picture was not pretty.

On the outside, yes; no experience on the inside.

[Joseph Barnes]

"How'd you do that?"..."Ancient chinese secret." I've had people ask how I bent the wood. It's not cheating but if the lathe is spinning and your holding a card scraper OMG:eek: If it's off the lathe and it was a green piece that you don't want to return it because you like the way it warped... hey that's not a bad idea!
Joe

[Toney Robertson]

I have used card scrapers in the past. Just on the outside.

Have you tried shear scraping? I have a Sorby's Multi-Tip like this http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=4248.

In most situations I have found that it works like a charm.

Toney

[Reed Gray]

I tried card scrapers and thought they did an okay job, but not a great job. I turn green to final thickness. On a warped bowl, when dry, if you use one, you have to go at very slow speed. I have found it much easier to do this when the wood is green rather than when it is wet, as a card scraper seems to work much better on dry wood. That being said, I prefer a good heavy scraper with a nice fresh burr for a shear cut to clean up what I couldn't get with the gouge. A scraping cut, with a gouge or a scraper, is a roughing cut, not a finish cut and will produce a rough surface with tear out, even if you take very light cuts. This is more true with flat grain than it is with end grain. A shear cut with a gouge or a scraper is a finish cut, and leaves a much smoother surface. If you can learn this cut, you can forget about the 80 grit gouge, and even the 120 grit gouge.

On a open bowl, a card scraper shouldn't present too much of a hazard if you drop it. If you are using one in a closed form, it can stay there and do some damage to your hand.
robo hippy

[Jeff Nicol]

I just use a wider skew and turn it up at an angle that takes a very nice shear scrape. I make sure that the last grind on the skew is opposite the the direction I need to move, this makes sure the best burr is towards the cut. I can get very fine long fluffy shavings this way and a very nice final finish cut. For the inside of a closed form I have made 4 different gooseneck tools that I can install any type /style cutter I need to do the same process. I posted earlier this month pics of some of them. I make the cutters out of old circular saw blades and grind them for whatever curve I need. Using a card scraper on the inside of any thing but a open bowl is just crazy!

Right tool for the job! But it still must be safe no matter what!

Bloody tools don't look so good!

Jeff

[Bill Keehn]

Seems like it would get REALLY HOT too.

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

Just to be clear, I would never use a card scraper inside a small closed form. On a large vessel with lots of room inside and with a roomy opening, it's not that much different than an open bowl. Also, I primarily use it for removing cured sanding sealer; it's a lot cheaper than clogging a lot of sandpaper.

[Wyatt Holm]

I don't use scrapers on bowls. On hollow forms I do, that is about the only way. Don't scrape if you can cut. That is what I would say.

[Maylon Harvey]

Sorry it's taken me so long to respond. Thank you for all your comments and insites, they are very thought provoking. I wouldn't use one on the inside unless it is pretty open as are most of my bowls. As for getting hot, they only get hot near the edge, I keep my fingers back a bit or let it cool for a bit, being thin they cool quick.

[Bruce McElhaney]

Recently picked up Malcomb Tibbett's segmented turning DVDs where he shows his light use of the hand held scrapers. His use of them Looks safe to me. I'll probably give the scrapers a try, especially on difficult areas. BTW, both DVDs are excellent and well worth the investment.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I agree with William B. I was shown by Mike Mahoney and Bill Grumbine shows it on his DVD a vertical shear cut on the outside and a shear cut on the inside. If you take a freshly sharpened gouge and take a couple of vertical shear cuts on the outside it leaves a extremely smooth surface. I have found also I use a conventional grind P & N gouge (no swept back) with a little mineral oil on the tear out after a couple of passes it is smooth. A shear cut on the inside with a freshly sharpened gouge will do the same thing.