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Thread: LN #212 Small Scraper Plane Questions

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
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    LN #212 Small Scraper Plane Questions

    I've been working a lot with small boxes lately, and resawing/bookmatching figured wood for the top panels. I've had issues with tearout on a number of these, despite experiments with closely set cap irons, high grind angles, and close set mouths (individually and in combination). A card scraper has been very effective, but my arthritic thumbs just can't take the punishment. I've tried my #80 and #81, but the tops are on the smaller side (5 x 7 is common) and the soles are big enough that I lose localized control. I've owned a #12, a #112 too but never had great success with those. I can't rationalize a drum sander.

    I ran across a video featuring the LN #212 and wonder if a scraper on this small scale might work. In the past I've thought of these as bench candy without many practical uses. Maybe this is the one practical use?

    Any Creekers out there have any experience with these?
    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Perth, Australia
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    Hi Rob

    I understand arthritis in thumbs (my left, fortunately intermittent). I see two cheaper alternatives. The first is a thick bladed scraper, such as those from Stewmac. No bending needed. The second is a scraper blade holder, which does the bending for you.

    I much prefer cabinet (card) scrapers to scraper planes as one can direct the focus.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Last edited by Derek Cohen; 03-07-2023 at 7:35 AM.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Rob Luter View Post
    I've been working a lot with small boxes lately, and resawing/bookmatching figured wood for the top panels. I've had issues with tearout on a number of these, despite experiments with closely set cap irons, high grind angles, and close set mouths (individually and in combination). A card scraper has been very effective, but my arthritic thumbs just can't take the punishment. I've tried my #80 and #81, but the tops are on the smaller side (5 x 7 is common) and the soles are big enough that I lose localized control. I've owned a #12, a #112 too but never had great success with those. I can't rationalize a drum sander.

    I ran across a video featuring the LN #212 and wonder if a scraper on this small scale might work. In the past I've thought of these as bench candy without many practical uses. Maybe this is the one practical use?

    Any Creekers out there have any experience with these?
    I have experimented with the Lie-Nielsen medium scraper plane. I found the recommended sharpening angle (45 degrees I think) with no burnished hook worked well. The bed angle is fixed at -15 degrees. I bought the small LN scraping plane recently but have only sharpened it and tried a few strokes. Unlike the medium plane, it has variable angle adjustment which almost guarantees you will find a workable setup for a particular wood/board. I would experiment until I got the desired results on a test board. I knock the corners off the blade with 2 or 3 strokes to prevent tracks. The small plane is nice looking as you say.
    Last edited by Thomas Wilson; 03-07-2023 at 8:42 AM.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Derek Cohen View Post
    Hi Rob

    I understand arthritis in thumbs (my left, fortunately intermittent). I see two cheaper alternatives. The first is a thick bladed scraper, such as those from Stewmac. No bending needed. The second is a scraper blade holder, which does the bending for you.

    I much prefer cabinet (card) scrapers to scraper planes as one can direct the focus.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Thanks for the tip Derek. I've thought about the holder from Lee Valley, but I like the idea of a flat sole to help register the cut. I've also thought about a small block plane with a very high cutting angle. Just thinking out loud at this point.
    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
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    Cockeysville, Md
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    My thumbs are also unhappy with a pushing card scraper but it's not as bad when pulling it
    The significant problems we encounter cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.

    The penalty for inaccuracy is more work

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    N. Idaho
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    1,621
    Hi Rob,

    I have a LV large scraper that I have never used as a scraper. That said, I put a toothing blade in it which is fantastic for leveling squirrely panels that can then be finished with a card scrapper. Good luck with your thumbs!
    "You can observe a lot just by watching."
    --Yogi Berra

  7. #7
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    One of my beliefs is it always helps to size the tool to the job.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

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