Thread: Scraping metrology tools QLD pref

As a mate of mine says, you get 100% of what you don't ask for. It is taking me a while to get used to this concept.

I am SE QLD based and am wanting to get into the bottomless pit of hand scraping. I have a granite surface plate and things to scrape. I am happy for postage deal with right person. I will most likely be getting a sandvik scraper or one that a bloke called Anderson are selling after Easter.

If anyone here is getting out of scraping or knows someone who is giving it up, I would love to buy some/all of their gear.

The top of my list is as follows but I am sure there are things I just don't know I want to buy yet.

Scraping tool, happy with your home brew creation.
Hone for sharpening carbide home made , commercial or variable speed grinder would all be suitable.
Machinist level.
Starrett surface gauge or similar to set up with dial indicator for measuring 90 degrees.
Short straight edge. I don't think I am ready for the 3 foot plus camel backs yet. I would love one but to be fair to the seller my budget probably won't extend to what they are selling for these days.
Square or cylindrical square. I know I can make a cylindrical square but if there is one out there I am keen.
Blue/red lead

I know I can make some of this stuff. But in short if I increase my project list to much more I will need a second white board and need to live until a 127. I have done a one day scraping course with Marcus so have an idea what I am in for.

Please let me know what you have and we can go from there.

Thanks Steve

Hi Steve,

Many good scraping tools can be made from old files and a little time on a DE grinder.

I've also used pieces of HSS lathe tool blanks to scrape things !

Originally Posted by BaronJ

Hi Steve,

Many good scraping tools can be made from old files and a little time on a DE grinder.

I've also used pieces of HSS lathe tool blanks to scrape things !

Thanks for the reply, without boring you to much with my past, I grew up on a farm and inherited a trait from my father. That is, do it cheap and make do.
Whilst this has probably served me very well and got me to where I am today, I am still "learning" off dad.

He has taken up wood working in retirement, and for the first 10 years or so turned out some nice stuff with the cheapest second hand tools he could find.
He was finally convinced he should spend some of our inheritance and buy decent equipment. He busted his guts his whole life and both of us kids have got our lives sorted. He got a nice Vicmarc wood lathe and has told me many times he wishes he got it ten years earlier. Once he got the thicknesser he was over the moon.

From my limited exposure to scraping the $100 AUD odd dollars spent on a Sandvik carbide scraper will save hours of time resharpening and make for a pleasant experience. The way I look at it is I will need to work maybe an extra week or two before retirement to pay for a nice scraper and some gear that will make the hobby an enjoyable experience.

Now before some of you old hands have me committed by saying scraping and enjoyment in the same sentence, the couple of days I have done so far I found to be unusually
relaxing mentally yet tiring physically.

I am not going overboard and updating the twenty year old ute or anything like that but a few subtle changes.

Steve

Some research I have done on this topic and compromises I have made and willing to make.

Scraper:
Rennsteig 20mm Scraper with a carbide insert included from Amazon is $98 delivered: https://amzn.asia/d/1SnaDWw




I bought one and feels reasonably made.

The Sandvik carbide is well polished but their scraper handles are ok-ish.

Carbide sharpening/grinder:
- Green silicon carbide wheel on a regular bench grinder was what they used back in the day when diamond wheels were considered expensive.
- Gasweld sells a right angle slow grinder for $99 that can be adapted with a diamond wheel: https://www.gasweld.com.au/531499-toolex




- We are exploring an Ozito 140w 5” $55 disc sander from the green shed store for this and slowing it down is a work in progress to be able to use cheap diamond polishing discs. You can find a thread on this forum.




Surface gauge:
Starrett is not the end all be all. I picked up an Eclipse 101 surface gauge for $30 at the farmers market here. These are fairly common here and an example for sale at $85 here: https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/athe...box/1302816339




Machinist levels:
Typically overpriced 2nd hand. GT is Adelaide is where I bought my 6” on sale for $225. Prior to that I tapped out on over a dozen ebay 2nd hand auctions and they all sold for the same price as what I paid for new.




Camelback Straight edge:
I have not had much luck buying one for a reasonable price. Recent sales in Adelaide: 1.2m for $900, 900mm for $750, 600mm for $525+auction fees+GST.

Cylindrical square:
Rare and expensive on the 2nd hand market. A reasonable DIY option maybe truck gudgeon/wrist pins and is something I am considering.

Thanks for the post. You are helpful as usual. Half the reason for my reply is to clear it up in my own mind.

I have the advantage that a good handle for the Sandvik is a phone call away, Dad.

I have been watching the Ozito discussion, if it turns out a simple pot change and power supply does the trick it looks good. The gasweld one looks a good bit of kit but the speed may be to slow. I don't have the experience to know but I have a bit of aluminum ready as the lapping disc, I thought I had an old cast pulley but appear to have not put it where I thought I had.

I will look for Eclipse as well. I really don't care what brand or even if it is a home made job. Starrett was just the best known.

I may end up buying a level new, but sometimes you get lucky.

I was aware of the gudgeon pin idea. It may be what I end up with.

As for a camelback, I can't see one any time soon ending up in my garage. I have a heap of stuff to learn on before I need a camelback. A shorter straight edge will get my lathe top slide done and the shaper.

Looking though your list I would get a fair way through with about $500. I am sort of hoping for similar money I get all of this in one hit of a retiring scraper with the bonus of a few other little hand made bits and pieces that they have found by experience to work well. If I get real lucky I will get an hour or so of "free" experience. If I get extra lucky it will be like every machine in my shed. I have been fortunate to buy of nice people and enjoyed the whole process.

Steve

Steve

Hi Guys,

With all due respect for brand name tools, I have a brand new Sandvik scraper and a new box of spare tips for it. It's never been out of it box ! To be honest I'm not even sure where it is. I also have a set of Moor & Wright scrapers, also new and never used.

I do have several files converted into scraper's that I always seem to pick up first ! Now I freely admit that all these items were gifted to me !

It might seem silly, but I wouldn't part with them...

I understand the attachment to the files, from what I can work out, the only correct technique for scraping is the one that gets the desired result for the user. You have no doubt refined your technique with the files and are likley to achieve a much better result then trying the Sandvik. I have only ever scraped with carbide. I guess the closest comparison is I started lathe work with inserts as that is what the cool kids use but have found HSS in an eccentric engineering holder happens to suit my personality better. I may have to dig out an old file and give it a go.

Steve