TENNESSEE VALLEY WOODWORKERS

 

SPLINTERS                                                                                                      JUNE 1993

 

Yes, the TRUE Summer is almost here! Just be patient arid keep mowing that lawn, weeding that garden. ..then one day (June 21 to be exact) Summer will truly be here. Then we can continue to mow the lawn and weed the garden with the new joys of 125 degree temperatures combined with a fresh crop of mosquitoes. With any amount of luck we can abandon the vegetables, succumb to our basic carnivorous instincts and begin harvesting mosquitoes for dinner.

 

JOYOUS JUNE ASSEMBLAGE

 

The third Tuesday comes “early” this month... June 16 to be exact... .Duck River Electric building at 7:00. BE THERE!! or we’ll talk about you or worse yet ...we’ll “volunteer” you to serve on a committee or do all the cooking at the July picnic. If that isn’t enough incentive ....the program alone will just make you not want to miss this meeting...we’ll be having a panel discussion on heavy timber construction. John Lovett and Bob Reece will be discussing various aspects of log construction mid Tom Church will address pole frame construction. Don’t forget our standard favorite.. SHOW & TELL The July Picnic is top on our list hot topics.

 

BOB REESE ON THE CUTTING EDGE

 

Thank you to Bob Reese for the excellent overview of quick techniques for sharpening tools at our May meeting or any other place for that matter. Most of our best programs seem to come from the depths of our diversely talented membership. If you’re interested in participating in a program or have a topic you’d like to see as a program, just let Ross Roepke know. If we can’t fit it in this year Ross will pass it on to the next lucky program chair.

 

“FOLK-ART”. COLLECTIBLES. & CREATIVE CRAFTS IN WINCHESTER

 

It’s always good to keep your eyes open for a new business that might be of interest. good, or financial benefit to the Tennessee Valley Woodworkers, Such is the case of Anderton and Co. Art mid Antiques, This is a new store opened in Winchester at the end of May by Wade and Stephanie Anderton.  First of all, it’s worth a visit just to see some of their folk at collection. You will see several things we have talked about at woodworkers, tobacco at, folk carvings, mid walking sticks. You will also see some prices that will make you say “Hey, I can do that”, famous last words, fellow woodworkers.

 

If you are interested in big time woodworking projects, it’s worth it to go see the building they refurbished just off the square. It’s located just across from Dr. Eichenbergcr’s office, or if you’re coming from out of town, turn right on the square when you see C & D Furniture.

 

The Anderton’s have over 11,000 square feet of structure to work with and plan on opening more shops or leasing out spaces. Perhaps, even booths in a mini mall type atmosphere.

 

If you would like more info about the gallery or renting space the number to call is 967-8844, or visit their store on Jefferson Street. It’s worth it.

 

THE INFAMOUS ATLANTA WOODWORKING SHOW

 

I know what you’re thinking this show was just in March, right? Well it was supposed to be but the Blizzard of “93 canceled it. It has been rescheduled for June 18-19-20 in the Gwinnett Civic Center, and for further information call

1-800-826-8257.

 

MORE ON SCRAPERS

 

Ross Rocpke thought the following article on super hard scrapers might be of interest to those of us with an interest this sometimes a overlooked tool.  Thanks for the thought, Ross. We’re always open to any contributions....especially in these warm summer months when time seems to be at a real premium.

 

 

Scraper system: Variable Burniser,

Jointer/Edger and Super-Hard Milled

Scrapers, Veritas Tools Inc., 12 E. River St.,

P0 Box 1720, Ogdensburg, N.Y 13669-

1720; (800) 6137.2986

 

A good part of woodworking’s allure for me has always been the skill and handwork of the craft. In an age dominated by automated precision and repetition, it’s all the more sat­isfying to cut dovetails by hand or to finish a surface with a cabinet scraper. And with dovetails and scraping at least, not only do I create less dust and noise, but I can get the job done almost as quickly as I could with power tools.

The lowly scraper has long been one of the most heavily used tools in my shop. After a little initial experimentation, keeping it cutting properly was no problem. I made a quick pass with a file, a couple more passes on a stone, and a quick burnishing with the back of a chisel or an old hydraulic piston rod, and I was off and running. I tried to get the hardest scrapers on the market, but I was still frustrated at  how often they needed to be resharpened.

Then I ordered the Valley Tools’ Super-Hard Milled Scrapers. The four scrapers in the set, varying from 0.4mm thick (very flexi­ble) to 1mm (very stiff), are much harder than any others I have used (Rc 48-52 vs. Rc 38-42). Because they’re so hard, they stay sharp much longer than my old scrapers. Unfortunately, their hardness also makes them more difficult to sharpen.

I must not have been the only one with that problem. Veritas, which is Lee Valley Tools’ manufacturing arm, recently intro­duced the Variable Burnisher, a rather com­plex-looking device that actually performs a simple function and does it welL In a mo­ment of weakness, flush with the proceeds of a recent sale and frustrated with trying to sharpen the extra-hard scrapers, I ordered not only the burnisher but also Lee Valley’s jointer/Edger, a metal jig that holds a file at exactly 90 deg. to the face of the scraper. The in­vestment very quickly paid for itself.

A dull scraper has two features: the edge is highly polished and slightly crowned (from passing over, the wood), and the hook is gone. Sharpening starts with re-squaring the edge; using the jointer/Edger, this takes about 30 seconds per edge. Because the file leaves a slightly striated surface, it’s easy to tell when the edge is square again by watching the light reflecting off of it. I haven’t found it necessary to stone the scrap­er after filing. I use a very fine file and light pressure, which give me an edge ready for burnishing. I’ve not found it necessary to flatten the face of the scraper either. Any bell or mushroom shape at the edge will only beef up the new hook

Once I’ve squared the edge, three or four passes with the burnisher complete the. job. Since the actual burnishing rod within the tool is made of carbide, which is much hard­er than any scraper, a few passes are all that’s needed. What makes Lee Valley’s burnisher unique is its adjustability. The burnisher can be set to any angle between 0 deg. to 15deg. , quickly and accurately. I take a couple of passes at 0 deg. (to “mushroom” the edge slightly); then fin­ish the burnishing at my desired angle. I set the burnisher at 2 or 3 deg. For very fine work and

Up to the full 15 deg. for rough glue removal.

A complete overhaul of a scraper’s edge takes less time than reading this review, and the results are wonderfully predictable. This scraper system belongs in every shop in which hardwoods are worked. 

You can order Ventas’ Variable Burnisher ($34.95), jointer/Edger ($12.95) and the Lee Valley scrapers (set of four, $12.95) from

Veritas Tool Inc., or from Lee Valley Tools, Ltd., 1080 Morrison Drive, Ottawa, Ont., Canada K2H 8K7; (613) 596-0350.

—Mac Campbell, Harvey Station, NB., Canada.