The New, Improved Scraper

[John Hart]

Okie Dokie....I decided that I must have a new scraper. No...not because the other one is ugly.:p I wanted something with a good reach so I could make larger Hollow Forms without all the chatter and bashing myself in the face with the handle. Some folks at work provided me with a piece of tool steel that is 15" long and 3/4" in diameter. I hacked away the general shape that I was after and then spent the day hand filing it true and sharp. Turned a 15" Oak handle and set it in place. Total exposed shaft length is 11" for a total length of 26". It's heavy too!! I'll continue to use the ugly-stick for initial opening and up around the inside of the shoulder...but Big Bertha is for depth.

Wish me luck!!

[Bill Stevener]

HI John,
Looks good on this end, should do the job, if you can hang on to it.
Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>:)

[Andy Hoyt]

John - Your grind is quite a bit steeper (farther away from 90 degrees from the top surface) than my scrapers. I'll admit that I've tried to maintain the angle that came with each of them from the foundry.

Have you had success? Problems? What inspired this? Is it too aggressive or not enough?

Or was it just a place to start with no clue as to what you were doing?

(There, I said it for you)

This is a serious point for me because right now I really don't like scrapers and I have no idea why.

[Carole Valentine]

OK, I am going to ask what no one else has....have you tried it out? Looks good (Ugly is going to develop a complex) but the proof is in the biscuits!:D If you get a big catch with that big rascal deep into a form, it might pick you up and fling you across the shop! LOL

[Carole Valentine]

John - Your grind is quite a bit steeper (farther away from 90 degrees from the top surface) than my scrapers. I'll admit that I've tried to maintain the angle that came with each of them from the foundry.

Have you had success? Problems? What inspired this? Is it too aggressive or not enough?

Or was it just a place to start with no clue as to what you were doing?

(There, I said it for you)

This is a serious point for me because right now I really don't like scrapers and I have no idea why.
Andy,
It seems to me that scrapers take a very delicate touch. I think of them as a finishing tool rather than something to hog out a hollow form with. I ground my round scraper to a side grind which I like and I am fond of the tear drop and round shaped ones, but I have a square scraper that I just cannot use to save my life! LOL

[John Hart]

Thanks for the questions!! If the ugly stick starts getting jealous, I'll threaten it with fire.:D Nope...haven't tried it out yet. I have to let the Epoxy fully cure. Maybe tomorrow night.
Andy - The angle is a match to the ugly stick's angle. I have some round-nose scrapers that have the manufactured angle and they tend to be more tempermental. Oddly enough, I get less tear-out with this angle and generally get a smoother inner wall. (which is great since these HFs are so difficult to sand) All that said, it was pure luck because really, you're right, I didn't have a clue what I was doing. ;)

I do use the scraper to do the entire hollowing and I'm very aggressive about removing material. It takes a very very firm approach....But then when getting close to the desired wall thickness, I back way off and go very lightly...barely removing dust.

I'm going to approach this with caution...cuz y'all are right....it could really send me sailing I bet. wah hoo!:D

[Bill Esposito]

John, it really is ugly, I thought they were just funnin ya :)

I think a 30° angle on the scraper should work fine. That plus some foam pipe insulation on the handle will soften the blow a bit :)

I hardly touch my scrapers anymore. I find a sharp gouge and Bill's Nuclear cut work better.

[Andy Hoyt]

Carole - I agree the square one's the meanest. Got a couple of round ones that are less mean, but when they choose to get mean they really get downright ornery.

John - Taking Bill's cue Bertha appears to be about 30 degrees. I'll put that on one and see what happens. Thanks.

Bill - Just noticed you're from Rindge. Did some time at FPC. Many fond memories, none of which have anything to do with getting an education!

[Chris Barton]

Hey John,

Nice "Frankenscraper" there buddy. After your story about making old files into tools I haven't been able to look at a piece of scrap metal the same since.

[John Miliunas]

So John, when are we going to see these "Ugly Sticks" at our local Woodcraft?:D By the way, when you do start marketing them, you may want to find a different name for them. Not that it isn't appropriate but, as I recall back from my CB days, there's already an antenna named that!:D (Now that was ugly!):) :cool:

[tod evans]

i like seeing folks make their tools! good job man. just a few years back when i was in highschool i made a set of hollowing tools from old leafsprings that lasted for years and untold chunks of walnut. i hope your "bertha" serves you well, tod

[Carole Valentine]

So John, when are we going to see these "Ugly Sticks" at our local Woodcraft?:D By the way, when you do start marketing them, you may want to find a different name for them. Not that it isn't appropriate but, as I recall back from my CB days, there's already an antenna named that!:D (Now that was ugly!):) :cool:
John, I thought the original "Ugly Stick" was a fishing rod! LOL I know Big Bertha is a golf club.

[Michael Stafford]

John, just be careful so that you don't get that thing trapped in there with a load of chips and have it ripped out of your hands. My only suggestion would be to put a ferrule on there to reinforce the wood around the insertion point. You could just use a piece of copper pipe and it would help. Looks like a hunker of a tool.;)

[Keith Burns]

OK, John, first you turn wood then you make your own tools? Whats next ?? By the way ugly tools always work better:) :)

[John Hart]

OK, John, first you turn wood then you make your own tools? Whats next ?? ...

A spacecraft!! I think I'll need more wood though. :rolleyes:

Well...I tried out the new scraper. All I can say is WOW!!!!!!!! What a difference! This thing just plows through hollowing. I turned a Walnut Vase tonight and all I had to do is guide with light pressure at the toolrest and steer like a rudder. There was virtually no chatter and I achieved my smoothest wall yet.
My only trouble spot was becoming accustomed to the weight. On the Ugly Stick, I could feel every vibration....Not so with this tool.

I hollowed the whole vase in less than 30 minutes...stopping often to clear the chips per Mike's advice. (It got crowded in there fast!)

Heaven...pure heaven. I'll post the vase in a little bit.

[Carole Valentine]

Well??? When you gonna make me one?:D That's great John! Maybe you should market it! Of course, I wanna be a beta tester.:rolleyes:

PS: Talked to Larry today and ordered 3 pieces of that Blackwood. He seemed incensed when I asked him if it had any sapwood in it! LOL

[John Hart]

...Maybe you should market it! Of course, I wanna be a beta tester.:rolleyes:

Something tells me in the back of my little mind that someone may have come up with the idea already.;) That's ok....I like mine better! :p

[John Miliunas]

"Beta tester"??? I'll do you one better and volunteer as an Alpha Tester!!!:D Certainly can't do worse than what I produce now and, one of these years, might even turn out a vahhhhhse!:) Keep us posted on that beast, John!:) :cool:

[John Hart]

"Beta tester"??? I'll do you one better and volunteer as an Alpha Tester!!!:D Certainly can't do worse than what I produce now and, one of these years, might even turn out a vahhhhhse!:) Keep us posted on that beast, John!:) :cool:

Gimme a break Mr. Miliunas....cripes, you are one of the people that got me turning!!!!! Tell ya what...The guys in the maintenance shop have promised me a bunch of steel. I'll whittle a few of these and send them out to y'all and you can tell me whatcha think.

This hobby just keeps getting funner!!!:D :D

Oh...by the way...I posted the Walnut Vase....er vahhhhse ;)

[John Miliunas]

Gimme a break Mr. Miliunas....cripes, you are one of the people that got me turning!!!!! Tell ya what...The guys in the maintenance shop have promised me a bunch of steel. I'll whittle a few of these and send them out to y'all and you can tell me whatcha think.

This hobby just keeps getting funner!!!:D :D

Oh...by the way...I posted the Walnut Vase....er vahhhhse ;)

Maybe so, John, but you've surpassed my efforts by leaps and bounds! And, I mean that very sincerely! For some folks, it comes pretty natural and, I have to believe that you are one of those "some folks"!:D

In the meantime, I'd be honored to try out one o' dem "Ugly Sticks"!!! Like I said, it can only improve on what meager attempts I've made thus far, and who knows... In a couple years, I might be able to walk into Woodcraft and say, "Yeah! I was able to test one of them puppies out before John got rich and famous!":D

Already checked out your Walnut vahhhhhse! Looking good, John! Looking real good!:D :cool:

[Bill Esposito]

Carole - Bill - Just noticed you're from Rindge. Did some time at FPC. Many fond memories, none of which have anything to do with getting an education!

So you probably helped keep our taxes low by paying all those traffic fines our law enforcers hand out :)

[Andy Hoyt]

So you probably helped keep our taxes low by paying all those traffic fines our law enforcers hand out :)

I actually did "conduct business" with the local constabulary, but it was not limited to traffic court:(

[Ernie Nyvall]

John, nice work on the new tool. You really inspire me to get out there and try making a few things, but every chance I get to be in the shop, I get steered towards the lathe. Acyually most of my time has been spent cutting up trees so lathe time is down too. Long hours at work lately. Oh woe is me bla bla bla.

Anyway, great work on the tool.

Ernie