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LOML gave me some Veritas card scrapers and a Veritas burnisher as a gift a few months back, but other than trying them out on some scraps I haven't used them large scale until today. A couple of weeks ago she found an old solid wood 7 drawer dresser at a used furniture store for 30 bucks and brought it home. Project for the 15 year old boy because his Chinamart dresser had somehow turned into to a heap of broken particle board (did I mention he has a brown belt, could have something to do with that). Dresser looked tired but was sound. It had a thick sloppy coat of puke colored lumpy latex paint. I decided to teach the boy firsthand about how furniture restoration is a royal PITA. So after his introduction to dichloromethane/MEK/snot we found that under the puke colored latex was a layer of dark green lacquer, under that was a layer of stubborn white paint, and under that was stain/shellac. So we finally got all the layers stripped and I handed him the ROS and after a few minutes of instruction and warnings about fine dust, respirators, and keeping the vacuum on he went to work on the drawers. I decided to take the card scraper to the dresser. I have to say, I'm converted. Fast. Efficient. Beats the hell out of sanding. And smooth as can be. I did hit it with the sander afterwards, but I swear the sander roughed it up.
Oh, and once it was nude we decided this dresser was home shop built. Definitely not factory. Found a few goofs that the maker patched or left because it was on the inside. Completely table saw made. Corners rounded by hand. Some runner damage and a cracked side panel which I've already fixed. Somebody's handiwork from long ago is all set for a new life.
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It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring - Carl Sagan
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Alaric said:
... I decided to take the card scraper to the dresser. I have to say, I'm converted. Fast. Efficient. Beats the hell out of sanding. And smooth as can be. I did hit it with the sander afterwards, but I swear the sander roughed it up.
... Somebody's handiwork from long ago is all set for a new life.
A treasure, waiting to be found by YOU! KUDOS!!!
In case you need a little help sharpening the scrapers, here are some
articles on scrapers (my blog). .
Three of the articles are of Christopher Schwarz at Woodworking in America 2008 (Berea, KY). I was allowed to film the events during the conference. I split the original video into 3 sessions, for easier watching.
Enjoy!
Al
If your would rather NOT go to my blog, I post the videos here - you will likely have to turn up the volume on your speakers or headset:
Scrapers, Part 1. Scrapers, Part 2. Scrapers, Part 3.
Blog:
Sandal Woods - Fine Woodworking
Frank Klausz, to The Schwarz (WIA 2010): "...If YOU guys keep doing what you’re doing, this thing is not gonna die..."
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Sharpening those scrapers is the hardest part, and it really isn't difficult.
Every once in a while, we learn a new/old trick. It's rather cool.
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patriarch said:
Sharpening those scrapers is the hardest part, and it really isn't difficult...
True!
How I found out: I had a poor-quality burnisher, but it went in the trash when I received the one from Czeck Edge. It was easy from there on!
Al
Edit to add these two images:
the Czeck Edge burnisher is in the background:
And the scraper in use:
Blog:
Sandal Woods - Fine Woodworking
Frank Klausz, to The Schwarz (WIA 2010): "...If YOU guys keep doing what you’re doing, this thing is not gonna die..."
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I don't use a burnisher -- and like the scraper much better without it
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RocketRod said:
I don't use a burnisher -- and like the scraper much better without it
I burnish them with my teeth.
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Uhuh....
Steve
Mo.
I miss the days of using my dinghy with a girlfriend too. Zack Butler-4/18/24
The Revos apparently are designed to clamp railroad ties and pull together horrifically prepared joints
WaterlooMark 02/9/2020
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I have a round and an oval burnisher. Usually use the round one. I used to use a 1/2" drill bit that was only used for burnishing,never been in a chuck.
All three seem to work equally well. My grandfather used the tang on a file to burnish.
Whatever works is fine .
mike
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RocketRod said:
I don't use a burnisher -- and like the scraper much better without it
I'm gonna guess you have never used a properly burnished scraper.
RD
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"Boy could I have used those pocket screws!" ---Duncan Phyfe
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It is still hit and miss for me with scrapers. I can't seem to consistently get a good burr. Maybe I just need more practice.
