A scraper for edge rounding

[Jeremy Osner]

What tool do you use for rounding the edges of your plates? I made a scraper that is working very nicely, it's the first time I have done this so I'm not sure what other techniques exist. I cut the scraper curve with a hole punch for paper; it handled the spring steel just fine. In the photo the scraper corner looks very close to the rib -- I did not have any trouble keeping it from making contact with the rib, but I think I will file that corner away before I use it again. The edge that came off of the hole punch is nice and sharp and did not need any burnishing. The tool only cuts in one direction -- it seems likely that was probably the side that was facing down when I punched out the hole, will confirm this if I make another one.

[James M. Jones]

43 minutes ago, Jeremy Osner said:

What tool do you use for rounding the edges of your plates? I made a scraper that is working very nicely, it's the first time I have done this so I'm not sure what other techniques exist. I cut the scraper curve with a hole punch for paper; it handled the spring steel just fine. In the photo the scraper corner looks very close to the rib -- I did not have any trouble keeping it from making contact with the rib, but I think I will file that corner away before I use it again. The edge that came off of the hole punch is nice and sharp and did not need any burnishing. The tool only cuts in one direction -- it seems likely that was probably the side that was facing down when I punhed out the hole, will confirm this if I make another one.

for my work I used a fine cut file , after running a finger plane over the ridges. The underside can be trimmed with a knife before glueing on the rib . Scrappers like this are great , I like the paper punch idea! on those end grain area of the spruce it would be real easy to develop chatter along the edge . 

[nathan slobodkin]

44 minutes ago, James M. Jones said:

for my work I used a fine cut file , after running a finger plane over the ridges. The underside can be trimmed with a knife before glueing on the rib . Scrappers like this are great , I like the paper punch idea! on those end grain area of the spruce it would be real easy to develop chatter along the edge . 

Agree

[Bill Yacey]

I too use small planes and files to rough-radius the edge. For finishing, I use a small block of wood about 2 inches long and about 1/2" square, with a U shaped channel  about 6mm wide cut along the length I glued a piece of cloth backed sandpaper into the channel, held to shape with an appropriate diameter dowel so the sandpaper conforms to the channel shape.

I find scrapers tend to chatter too much on the end grain, especially on the top plate.

[JacksonMaberry]

I haven't thought to usena scraper for this operation, but if it works for you, great! I round the edges with a knife to start and clean up with a flat file and crossing file depending on where in the outline I'm working. I finish by going through several grades of 3M polishing cloths.

[Jeremy Osner]

Thanks all! I have only done the maple so far -- when I work on the front I will watch for chatter on the end grain and switch to a knife + file if I see any. I cut a bevel on the rib side of the plates before gluing, with fingerplane.

[Michael_Molnar]

I like your idea, Jeremy. Maybe someday I’ll give that a try. But Joe Thrift showed me how to use crossing files much like what Mike Jones does. So far they work nicely.

[Davide Sora]

3 hours ago, Jeremy Osner said:

Thanks all! I have only done the maple so far -- when I work on the front I will watch for chatter on the end grain and switch to a knife + file if I see any. I cut a bevel on the rib side of the plates before gluing, with fingerplane.

A scraper works well for maple edges, but much less for spruce, even if used with very little pressure it can still be used if you want. In any case, I think that a flat scraper is better suited for this purpose, because it allows you to better understand where you are cutting, while with a semicircular curve it is more difficult to understand and therefore to control it. It is also much more difficult to sharpen it satisfactorily and keep it that way (very sharp). But maybe it's a matter of getting used to and solving the above problems if you think it's worth it.