Help!

[John K Jordan]

Thanks, Thom. Never considered trying that, but will keep an eye out for a reverse grind tool to give that a go.

Roy, Thom explained it well. You use these laid flat and tight against the tool rest with a short overhang if possible. Unless I'm working deep within a bowl and need a longer overhang I don't use these in handles, I just hold the steel. For smoothing the touch must be VERY light otherwise they will take off a lot of wood.

I would add that there is a burr on the negative rake scrapers to make them work. Most people grind the scraper and use the burr from the grinding wheel to smooth the work. What I do instead of raise a burr with a burnishing carbide rod in a handle:

burnisher_IMG_6767.jpg

I believe the burnished burr lasts longer than the rougher grinding wheel burr. The grinding burr may cut better at first, partially since it is toothed and ragged, but it is soon knocked off the the tool must be ground again. I might use the grinding burr for a short while then hone it off with an extra fine diamond hone, then burnish a burr. The burnished burr is smoother and leaves a smoother surface with fewer scratches.

If using the grinder burr I would have to go back to the grinder after a short use. If using a burnished burr when it wears and quits cutting I can restore it numerous times before I have to grind again. For me, that alone makes it a no-brainer.

I keep several scrapers shaped like this and although they are almost identical, they are definitely "one sided" tools, depending on which side the burr is on - they can be used with the cutting edge to the right or the left. I generally keep a couple prepared for each direction so I can use them inside or outside as needed. I write a "T" on the top side so I can pick one up and use it without having to feel which side has the burr.

You don't have to look for one of these to buy but you can get one that Glenn Lucas sells http://glennlucaswoodturning.com/pro...-rake-scraper/, or from Craft Supplies. I ground all of mine, one from a spare Thompson skew and some from Thompson scraper blanks. I use the general profile Glenn Lucas uses but modified it a bit to make a slightly curved but mostly flat tip that works better for some uses, for example I use the tip to help smooth the wings of squarish pieces where part of the time the tool is "cutting" air, something I wouldn't try shear scraping with a gouge. I use these a lot, for example on a piece I finished last night and with a student this morning. Pictures later.

JKJ