Scraping for pleasure

[CHJ]

The satisfying pleasure of a day’s scraping session, although the old hands and arms have a hankering for the ease of achieving similar on the lathe.


Repurposing some 7/8” Oak from a sideboard my father made in the 1930’s
Removing old surface stain, french polish and 80+ years of grime impregnated wax and silicone polishes.

 

[Mike G]

What are you going to make, Chas?

 

[AJB Temple]

Nice thread. I enjoy using a scraper too. Not sure why but it is quite a gentle way of cleaning up wood without machines and chemicals and is not very destructive.

 

[CHJ]

What are you going to make, Chas?

Sacrilege really Mike, but it's going into odd units to disguise my computer and the like so that they blend in with the other oak furniture we have in the living room.

For instance the panels cleaned up today made their way in by tea time.

Tomorrow the monitor and keyboard stand is due to materialize in place of the current chipboard mock-up, just trying to see if I can accommodate a small draw for TV and assorted controllers whilst still leaving enough room for mouse manipulation.

 

[Trevanion]

Nice thread. I enjoy using a scraper too. Not sure why but it is quite a gentle way of cleaning up wood without machines and chemicals and is not very destructive.

It's definitely one of the quicker ways too, you try and belt sand through old finish and you'll go through a crazy amount of belts due to clogging, a scraper is lightning quick by comparison.

 

[Pete Maddex]

I have just scraped and refinishing the tops on my occasional tables it's far more soothing than a sander.
I did use my scraper plane as well as card scrapers.

Pete

 

[Mike G]

.....Sacrilege really Mike, but it's going into odd units to disguise my computer and the like so that they blend in with the other oak furniture we have in the living room.....

That's not sacrilege, Chas. That's a great use of oak boards.

 

[Mike G]

....It's definitely one of the quicker ways too, you try and belt sand through old finish and you'll go through a crazy amount of belts due to clogging, a scraper is lightning quick by comparison.

Yep, completely agree. Scrapers were a revelation to me when I first came across them. Even on the odd occasion when I have to use a belt sander, I then finish with a scraper. It adds a clean, polished surface to the slightly dull finish you get from sanding.

 

[AndyT]

Nice one. And a good way out of the problem of how to keep something of your father's work while not wanting the whole sideboard he made.

 

[Stuart]

Two of my favourite tools are scrapers and spokeshaves. I don't get the opportunity to use a spokeshave very ofter but scrapers are a finishing tool of choice for me echoing Mike's comments about the standard of finish you can achieve.

 

[Pete Maddex]

Two of my favourite tools are scrapers and spokeshaves.

Then a scraper shave would be the tool for you.

Scraper shaves by Pete Maddex, on Flickr


Pete

 

[CHJ]

A bit more of the reclaimed Oak made into something useful.


Not exactly fine furniture but it will serve the purpose for as long as we need it.