My Scratch Stock Design

[Roy Lindberry]

Well, this started out as a marking gauge, but it wasn't working very well so I scrapped it. I think you can see the hole in one end of the body where the blade was. The basic design is an eccentric body with a matching hole on the fence so that a simple twist will lock/unlock the fence.

So when I started thinking about a scratch stock this seemed like the perfect tool, so I dug it out. I sliced a kerf about two thirds of the length of the body, and made a second fence (this one out of scrap mahogany - the first was out of Brazilian walnut). The fences act not only as a guide, but they also provide a clamping action to hold the blade in place. The somewhat round body allows for easily changing the angle of attack.

After a couple of minutes shaping up a blade, I gave it a run, and got a very nice triple bead. It's not perfect, but this was my first attempt with a scratch stock, so I'm sure it will get better. It'll probably help to spend a little more time on the blade as well - I can already see some modifications that I want to make to it. But the stock design itself seems to work very well.

It's not the Lie-Nielsen - but for the price, it'll do just fine. Comments or suggestions?

[Jim Koepke]

Looks great, what did you use to make a blade?

I was thinking about this from an earlier post and was thinking of making a beading blade with two small beads on the outside and a larger one in between them.

Also, when ever I watch the members of the House of Representatives speaking, I am always distracted by beads and carving on the wood work behind them. I often wonder if this was done with a scratch stock.

I am not sure if it predates tailed wood working tools.

jtk

[Roy Lindberry]

Looks great, what did you use to make a blade?

Just a scrap hand saw blade. It was a cheapo saw that was in the garage when I bought the house, so the steel might not be as good as in some top quality saws - I don't know. My step-dad has a couple of Disstons that are bent pretty badly, so I might see about getting those to use as well.

My dad gave me some old blades off of his 12" power planer, but that steel is too hard for me to file by hand. I could barely scratch it. But that triple bead is in eastern hard maple, so I think what I have will work. I didn't spend as much time lapping it as I should have (excitement got the better of me), and I don't have any sliptones to hone the inside of the profile, so it was only as smooth as the file could make it. That also might be an improvement.


I was thinking about this from an earlier post and was thinking of making a beading blade with two small beads on the outside and a larger one in between them.


Funny you should mention that. That's also a design I was toying with, though my file selection is limited until I go buy some different sizes. I think that will be a beautiful profile. Be sure to post some pictures if you make it.


Also, when ever I watch the members of the House of Representatives speaking, I am always distracted by beads and carving on the wood work behind them. I often wonder if this was done with a scratch stock.

I am not sure if it predates tailed wood working tools.

jtk

I can't help you with the dates of that craftsmanship, but I know what you mean. Every time I'm in an older building I am drawn away by the mouldings and millwork. Our forefathers were craftsmen indeed.