A Satisfying Afternoon at the Bench

Great tool

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>I have used mine just a little, but enough to know that Stanley got it right with this tool.

Hi Mike!

Dominic Greco in Richboro PA

>Mike,

I remember you messing with that #80 back at Bill's. It sure looks like you've got that tweaked. My wife bought me a new one several years ago and I have yet to tune it up enough for it to sing like your's does. I guess I can add that task to the list. :>)

I sure wish I had been able to make it to that tool dealer! While the sawmill was cool, I would have enjoyed the tool dealer (and spent some money!) more. But I was told he's opened on weekdays, and on Saturdays by appointment only.

See ya around,

Dominic

Re: Great tool

Bart Leetch

>I have one too & purchased a new blade for it from Lee Valley. Does the blade need to have a regular sharp edge or a bur rolled on it? I also have an #81 & would like to have either a #112 or a Lee Valley & I think the Lee Valley is going to win out.

Hi Dominic

Mike Fitterling

>At least you are up in that neck of the woods. You really ought to make the trip; Bill's place is amazing. Me; I'lll have to wait until next year and this time make sure I have much more $ in my pockets.

Cheers,

Mike

Re: Great tool

Mike Fitterling

>I like to do the 45 degree bevel very sharp, like a plane iron (some don't think that is necessary, though), then I roll a burr. I have heard that some don't do the burr, but the burr has worked for me. Excessive pressure isn't necessary to turn the burr and doing too much will frustrate you. Of course, for less aggressive work a very light burr is all that's needed. For this work, I set a more aggressive burr as you can see from the shavings (due to my "wiggly" glue lines).

I also have the Veritas scraper plane and highly recommend it. I also use card scrapers a lot (as you can see in the background in the wooden holder). The #80 fills the gap between the cards and the Veritas scraper plane and I had been looking for a reasonably priced one for a while. I normally use the Veritas scraper plane on bigger surfaces, like tabletops, and get the same nice fluffy shavings. It does take some messing around until you find its sweet spot but once found, it is a joy to use.

Cheers,

Mike

Re: Great tool

Ernie Miller

>My vote is for the LV a very good tool

Seeing how we're takling about burrs...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>I have a Hock iron in my 80 and my Stanley 112. I just sharpen them at a 45deg angle and go to town, no burr. On thinner blades and hand scrapers (the Hock irons are thick) I roll a burr on. YMMV

I've Heard of People Doing That...

Mike Fitterling

>Always wondered how that works, as there is not a cutting edge oriented toward the work (if that makes any sense). What kind of shavings does an edge like that produce? I assume you get the iron quite sharp.

Inquiring minds . . .

Mike

I wouldn't call them shavings...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA

>It's more like fluf. It definatly makes a scraping sound not a swoosh sound like a plane making shavings. I'll have to try the Hock iron with a burr to see if the edge holds up better...

That Makes Sense . . .

Mike Fitterling

>. . . with a burr set, my scraps make ribbons, similar to a plane. The "ribbons," however, are very fine.

Re: Seeing how we're takling about burrs...

Angus Barclay, in New Zealand

>I have a Stanley #80 scraper with a Lee Valley blade honed at 45 degrees and no burr. I've never found the need to use the burnisher on the #80 set up this way - it works just fine without rolling a hook on the edge. Card scrapers are a whole different story. They work a lot better with a burr.

regards

Angus Barclay