Request: shopping list to begin learning scraping

1. Patience
2. More patience
3. Stamina (unless using a Biax, which is cheating. Your friends will never know, but you will...) Kidding aside, using a Biax is harder for the amateur...
4. Did I mention patience?

In all seriousness - get a hand scraper and then use what you probably already have. Worry about the other precision tools, etc later. You're not going to become excellent at scraping in a few hours (though you are going to become fatigued...). Let your other tools follow your progress. When you can scrape to the limits of an import straight edge or granite block *then* consider getting something better. Yes, I know that a bad gauge means a bad scraping job, but at this point you're practicing technique. You're going to scrape a 1-2-3 block. Don't worry about its absolute squareness - worry about whether you can scrape it to a standard - even if your standard is, well, sub-standard. You don't need a NIST certified cylindrical square to learn scraping. Once you're great at it you might want better standards (and a Biax), but don't get carried away starting out. That's like buying a jig bore to drill clearance holes for 3/8" bolts...

GsT
 
My first purchase was

Machine Tool Reconditioning​


Edward F. Connelly

it was kinda repetitive but very instructive. It was very helpful in that it repeated over and over the downfalls associated with jumping in when not having the background and experience to know the common pitfalls. It also showed at lot of shop made tools. I need to reread it.​

 
C-Bag said:
My first purchase was

Machine Tool Reconditioning​


Edward F. Connelly​

​

it was kinda repetitive but very instructive. It was very helpful in that it repeated over and over the downfalls associated with jumping in when not having the background and experience to know the common pitfalls. It also showed at lot of shop made tools. I need to reread it.​

Click to expand...
I didn't realize anyone actually read Connelly - I thought it was just required to be on your bookshelf... ;-)

GsT
 
GeneT45 said:
1. Patience
2. More patience
3. Stamina (unless using a Biax, which is cheating. Your friends will never know, but you will...) Kidding aside, using a Biax is harder for the amateur...
4. Did I mention patience?

In all seriousness - get a hand scraper and then use what you probably already have. Worry about the other precision tools, etc later. You're not going to become excellent at scraping in a few hours (though you are going to become fatigued...). Let your other tools follow your progress. When you can scrape to the limits of an import straight edge or granite block *then* consider getting something better. Yes, I know that a bad gauge means a bad scraping job, but at this point you're practicing technique. You're going to scrape a 1-2-3 block. Don't worry about its absolute squareness - worry about whether you can scrape it to a standard - even if your standard is, well, sub-standard. You don't need a NIST certified cylindrical square to learn scraping. Once you're great at it you might want better standards (and a Biax), but don't get carried away starting out. That's like buying a jig bore to drill clearance holes for 3/8" bolts...

GsT
Click to expand...
This is great advice. I want to learn to do this for fun, at least for the moment. While trying to figure out how to get much better tolerances than I’d been able to manage with the tools I have on hand (or can reasonably get given other constraints), I learned that scraping is a thing. Scraping is overkill for my current project, but it fascinates me. I love the precision and that it’s by hand. It reminds me of hand polishing telescope mirrors.
 
The lure of precision by hand was what got me too. After reading the first few chapters of MTR and getting some cheap scrapers that were made from files I tried some small pieces of cast iron I had. The patience part is absolutely true. For me it was also learning not to be so tense I was wearing myself out. MTR helped me read what I was seeing but was tough to move forward. Stefan helped greatly as were a couple of other YouTubes. My greatest hurdles(outside the inexperience )were being able to hone the scrapers properly and keeping my work area clean enough. I have to close all the doors on my garage as I never realized how much dust and debris blows in.
 
With reference to scraper rigidity (the too, not its user), it would be a mistake to try to buy the heaviest, most rigid tool for learning, in fact for most work, especially finish work. I have it said from the pinnacle of experts that the top names in hand scrapers , that their tool shanks are too stiff, and have seen several that have been partially in thickness between the grip and working end, note that lauded power scraper company provides two different sets of tools, a very stocky set for roughing, and a much lighter, set for finishing. Neither type will give good work for the use intended for the other.
I would have replied to this subject sooner, but have been laid up with an epic cold for the last week, feeling a bit better now.
 
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