I was looking through the newest issue of the Woodturners catalog the other day. In the tool selection guide I saw a Shear Scrapper. The description read:
"A shear scrapper is simular to a standard scrapper with the burr on top side of the tool used to cut the wood. Shear scrappers have a semi-rounded underside that allows you to roll the scrapper on it's side, which changes the angle of the cut from scrapping to a shearing cut resulting in a smoother surface in some cases"
This tweaked my interest, as I had just had a very difficult time with some end grain tear out issues in the las few pieces I had turned. I looked through the various tools offered, including those that were endorsed or somehow designed by well known turners. To my surprise there were hardly any shear scrappers offered. Why weren't all of them offering shear scrappers ? Maybe they aren't the answer to my tear out problem after all.
Shear scraping has to be better than scrapping. How are other turners getting the shearing cut from their scrappers. I have seen our demonstrators making shearing cuts with gouges, but scrappers don't normally have rounded bottoms. Are others modifying their scrappers to allow them to be rolled into a shearing position ?
I welcome others to comment, all of this sanding of end grain tear-out is not fun.
Tom Cadwalader
Shear scraping is a great help but I don't know that you need special scrapers. I use a V point scraper tilted on its side for the outside of a bowl and if necessary an ordinary round nose on its side for the inside.
ReplyDeleteThere is lots of information for turners on my web site.
Terry
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. I visited your website and bog. Very nice.
After reading your comment and discussing this with some other turners I decided against ordering a special scrapper for shear scrapping.
Thanks Tom, glad you like my site! Do try the shear scraping, whatever tool you use. Just remember it is essential to let the handle lead, you must pull the tool, not push it, to avoid a dig in. If in doubt, try it with the lathe switched off to feel the action. You will soon get the knack.
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