Lie Nielsen DT video

[Mark Baldwin III]

I was just over at the LN site looking at their tools, as I'm considering adding a few to my tool set. I watched the DT video and found it to be pretty educational. Has anyone tried the card scraper technique demonstrated in the video? I'm half-tempted to go and buy a scraper to grind up just to try it out. It's the half-blind video...and he uses a card scraper to help cut the waste out.

[Michael Peet]

Neat, never saw that before. Looks like it would really speed up waste removal.

Mike

[Pam Niedermayer]

The card scraper trick is a very old one, think I first saw it in a Tage Frid book about 25 years ago. It's a good one.

Pam

[Rick Erickson]

I saw that as well. I haven't tried it but can't imagine a card scraper fitting it the kerf caused by the set of my saw. Maybe my scrapers are just too thick. It's a great time saver though if you can pull it off.

[John A. Callaway]

something I want to try with my next practice set of half blinds. It seems pretty effective, although ... The thinnest card scraper possible would be necessary for most of the current thin plate commercially available DT saws....

[Andrew Gibson]

I have a scraper that doesn't see much use that is thin enough to do this. I have 5 drawers that need making in the next week or so, I will have to give this a try. Thanks.

[Mike Brady]

Here is the first try using the technique in the LN video. I used a .025 scraper in a kerf that was about the same, (.006 adding both sides of the set to the .020 plate thickness). I felt it was a breakthrough for me, literally, as I have had problems with medium hardwoods like walnut and cherry breaking out the front of the pin board as I chiseled down the sides if the pins. The scraper prevents that and leaves you chiseling waste that is already defined by either saw cuts or scraper cuts. I sharpened the scraper like a chisel, not like a knife, for the length of the scraper. That way, the scraper is always following the path of the saw cut.
You do all of the left side cuts with one end of the scraper and all of the right sides cuts with the other end; if you follow me.http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee300/finefettle/dovetails001.jpg. I have done some better dovetails since the above photo, so I am reasonably happy.

[Mark Baldwin III]

I measured my scrapers and they are all .035". My saws are thinner than that, though. So, what I'm going to do is take one of my scrapers to work on Monday and run it through the surface grinder and bring it down to .025". Then I'll be able to give this a go. I was attempting a half-blind the other day, and that uncut web was a real pain.

[John A. Callaway]

Mike... I am sold. I dunno how good your DTs looked before... but those are super nice. Definitely a must try.

[Tri Hoang]

Tage Frig uses an old section of a band saw blade. You can take its thickness down a little on the stones if necessary...definitely a time saver

[Pam Niedermayer]

Tage Frig uses an old section of a band saw blade. You can take its thickness down a little on the stones if necessary...definitely a time saver

Tage, unfortunately, is dead, so that should be "used." :) I think in his dovetail video he used a scraper, at least it was really tall for a bandsaw blade; but I suspect he wasn't religious about the source. Sorry I can't rewatch to verify, all the vcr's are dead.

Pam

[George Neill]

I have used this trick for at least a couple of decades. In stead of a scraper though, I use a pallette knife which has a convenient rosewood handle and even a hole for hanging it up!

[Mark Baldwin III]

I ground a small scraper down to .025" today. I'm thinking I can give it a go this evening.

[Chris Griggs]

That same guy from the LN video has a video on FWW.com where he used a cheap DT saw with the teeth ground off. Have been meaning to try it but haven't gotten around to it yet.

[Tony Joyce]

something I want to try with my next practice set of half blinds. It seems pretty effective, although ... The thinnest card scraper possible would be necessary for most of the current thin plate commercially available DT saws....

Mike Wenzloff offers scrapers in .018, .020, .025, .035 thicknesses on his web site.

[Glen Johnson]

I have used this technique for a bit. I found that if I cut a card scraper lenthwise and taped wood to the sides (on the that is not driven into the kerf) it was easier to use. This is because if you bang it in a tight kerf and into the uncut wood, you will also have to bang it out. I found it uncomfortable to hold the full size scraper with the sharp corners as I tapped on the bottom to get it out of the kerf. The knife handle made it more comfortable.