Fuzzy scraping

[Adam Cruea]

Just a quick question for the more experienced in the area of finishing. . .

I'm starting to finish the frame for my wife's craft table and gave scraping a shot instead of sanding. It's made out of soft maple, and thus far, most of what I've scraped has ended up glass-smooth. There are little areas, though, where the wood ends up fuzzy when I run my fingers over it, sometimes only in one direction, sometimes in both directions.

I've tried de-burring the scrapers and re-rolling the burr, standing the scraper up more to a 90*, leaning the scraper over farther; nothing will get rid of these small areas of fuzziness. I don't know if it's going to bother the finish at all, but it's annoying the compulsive perfectionist in me.

So. . .any advice for getting the random small fuzzy areas glass smooth like the surrounding areas when scraping?

[David Weaver]

What are you doing for finishing it? If you're going to apply a finish that needs sanding, it won't make much of a difference. Presume it's not going to be stained - those fuzzy areas will look like a blotch. Sanding it evens out the stain by making everything a fuzzy area.

Even oils will show more character on those spots.

Soft maple is something that I would plane rather than scraping, but you can limit that fuzziness by using a thin scraper and/or very light pressure (by light I mean very light). you can skew the scraper a little bit, too.

[Adam Cruea]

What are you doing for finishing it? If you're going to apply a finish that needs sanding, it won't make much of a difference. Presume it's not going to be stained - those fuzzy areas will look like a blotch. Sanding it evens out the stain by making everything a fuzzy area.

Even oils will show more character on those spots.

Soft maple is something that I would plane rather than scraping, but you can limit that fuzziness by using a thin scraper and/or very light pressure (by light I mean very light). you can skew the scraper a little bit, too.

It will end up getting a healthy coating of satin poly to hopefully get it to last a few years (my wife is rather. . .rough on things). I may or may not put paste wax on the shelves for it. . .who knows. And no, I don't stain things. For some reason, people staining wood just makes me want to cry. I prefer the natural look of the wood as well as the changes it ends up showing as it ages.

I'll try going even lighter on the pressure. Right now, I'm barely even pushing down with my thumbs. I shall try pulling and maybe just drag it across. Also try skewing it while doing so.

Thanks!

[David Weaver]

10-4 on the stain. I've never stained something that wasn't a repair.

If all else fails, you can still sand it and/or burnish it with something.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Is this happening where the grain changes directions? Have you tried scraping in a different direction in those areas?

[Prashun Patel]

What kind of wood is it?

[Jim Matthews]

I'm at war with card scrapers.

I've had good results with stopping at the filing step.
That can leave a VERY sharp edge.

I recommend filing, honing all three faces of the edge on a fine stone and trying again.

I suspect that the "attack angle" of the rolled edge is effectively acting as a gouge
on some of the soft maple, instead of shearing the fibers.

I was taught to lightly sand, even after scraping to fill in the "low spots" and reveal remaining tearout.

When card scraper work, they're elegant.
When they don't, they're the most balky and recalcitrant tools in my shop.

How I hate them.

[Adam Cruea]

Hrm. . .sorry for the late reply. I've been busy at work. *sigh*

Yes, I'd tried changing direction, and it was either fuzzy or super fuzzy. That was no good.

It's soft maple, Prashun. I decided to try a very, very light pressure while slightly skewing the scraper. It worked a charm and basically made very fine dust.

Just remember; I'm the same guy that can drive a 1/2" mortise chisel 1/2" into hickory with 2 or 3 good cracks. I'm learning that "light" to me is probably what most people would consider ham-handed.