scraper plane building question?

[Ron Petley]

I am wanting to build a scraper plane. I am wondering what type of blade/iron to use. Which would be better to use a older plane iron, I have a thick older tapered one, and some regular stanley ones. Or should I buy the thinner bendy type that Lee Valley sells. I have a block of maple which is big enough I could make either style, but I do not know whick one would be better.
I mostly want the thing for furniture building. I use mostly red oak. And for finishing bamboo strips for cane fly fishing rod building,( also a good neander build) Cheers Ron.

[Jim Koepke]

This sounds like you may want to build two scraper planes. I am trying to recall where I read about fly fishing rod makers planes with a channel in the bottom specifically to guide the bamboo piece through. As I recall, it was a small plane so the work could be done in hand instead of on a bench.

You may want to try an old saw blade for a scraper. I have used old plane blades for scraping, but the thinner blades seems to be easier to use and control for scraping.

Good luck and show us the results,

jim

[Robert Rozaieski]

Lie-Nielsen will mill the groove in the bottom of their block planes and small scraper plane (#112) for building fly rods. You may want to check out what kind of blade they use in the #112.

[Ron Petley]

The Lie Nielsen scraper plane uses the thicker plane blade and not the thin bendie one. I am not %100 sold on the groove idea cut for rod making, as you said could make 2 and see what it is all about. Thanks for the help.
Cheers Ron.

[Robert Rozaieski]

The Lie Nielsen scraper plane uses the thicker plane blade and not the thin bendie one. I am not %100 sold on the groove idea cut for rod making, as you said could make 2 and see what it is all about. Thanks for the help.
Cheers Ron.

The groove is cut so that the plane does not cut into the planing forms when you get close to the final ize and taper of the individual spline. It has nothing to do with the bamboo spline at all as the boo doesn't know the difference ;). It's not of much value until you get to the very last couple of passes. Of course you could just cheat and move the spline up in the forms for the last pass and this would also ensure you don't plane your forms. Some rod makers like the feature, others don't care. Personal preference. It's certainly not necessary.