Shop Made Scraper holder

[Herb Stoops]

I use card scrapers occasionally, the one complaint i had with them is that they get hot and tend to burn the operators thumbs if used very long. I saw the Lee Valley scraper holder and bought one. It was the real deal, although a might spendy. So that inspired me to make one of the holders from scrap wood. The proto type is shown below and how I well it works.

Herb

[Herb Stoops]

Every year in Decenber I make a little something for the members of our WoodWorking Club. Since we didn't have a meeting because of the shutdown this year they will have to wait until we do meet again.
I made up a bunch of boards from the scrap bin, inspired by Alex (@papasombre) post showing how to be frugal and satisfying by making boards up by gluing up scrap. The prices of hardwood these days make it even more justifiable.
Herb

[Biagio]

Herb, good show, as usual.
If you think the price of hardwoods is high where you grow them, spare a thought for those of us a million miles away, where only softwoods are grown commercially, the rest is all imported.
I once stupidly bought a made-in-China wooden scraper holder, which was surprisingly unusable. Took it back, subsequently bought the LV model. As you say, the price is too rich to have more than one at hand, although I feel it is good value for money.

Might I ask how you form the side pieces which hold the short edges of the blade? I take it that part is a one-piece construction, not glued on like the contrasting central boss?

[Biagio]

Another question, Herb. I know it is a matter of personal preference, but do you push or pull, to get those nice curly shavings? I do not use the scraper often enough to get good at it. Sometimes I get great shavings, other times dust

[DaninVan]

I'd love to have seen the look on the sales person's face when you said "50 of them there scraper blades, please."
I keep looking at my scrap wood bin, waiting for inspiration to strike. maybe I should just glue 'em up into a plank and see where that takes me(?)...
Those are fantastic, Herb; I thought you had mentioned that you hadn't been in your shop for months?

[Cherryville Chuck]

Beautiful work Herb. I have to pull on mine Biagio. I suppose I could be pushing it but pulling it to me seems more natural. Plus pushing on it would have my thumbs doing all the work whereas pulling has my fingers doing it.

I usually use spoke shaves the same way but they are meant to be pushed. I just bought an old Stanley 151 spoke shave and the casting has spots on either side where your thumbs are supposed to go and that puts the blade facing away from me. Maybe I'm using my scrapers wrong too.

[Herb Stoops]

@Biagio
The main body is 3/4" thick material. I cut it 6 3/4"-7" overall length.
Then on the bandsaw I stood it on edge, cut in to the back 3/8"X 5 5/8" then against the fence ,ripped the center out leaving 3/8" pocket, and extending the cut 3/16" on each end for the scraper blade to slide in.
The back piece is 4 3/4"X3/8" long centered on the back. The thumb screw is 1"X 1/4-20 tpi
Here is an alternate method of making one by making separate ends and attaching them to a shorter body.
I broke the ears that hold the scraper blade off of one so cut off the other end . Then cut a strip and put a shallow rabbet in the side on the TS and chopped them to width and glued them on each end. The body has to be cut the right length to make the glued on pieces fit for total length.

Herb

[Herb Stoops]

you can either push or pull. I think Veritas recommends pushing. Those shavings were made pushing. Just turn it around and pull works too
I learned years ago to pull, but that was before someone came up with idea of bending the blade to make it cut more at an angle to the grain. It is hard to bend by pulling without a holder.
All the scraper planes work by pushing too.
Dan, I bought the scraper blades from Highland Hardware, I must have bought them out of the 0.80 thick, now they only have the 0.32,and 0.24 , The thinner the finer the shaving.


Dan, I made these before the lock down an had them all done by March 1st. All I had to do was fit the blades before I could finish them up.
It is a good idea to just make up the boards and when the time comes to make something with them ,they are setting there ready to go.
HErb

[Herb Stoops]

Here were other designs I considered.
Herb

[Herb Stoops]

I don't know why this picture didn't post, But here is another style I considered.
Herb

And now this picture is back, 5 minutes ago it was gone, I must be loosing my mind!!!!!!! Maybe I have COScraper-19...................................