Scratch stock...Pete style!

[woodbloke]

Pete's just been round tonite and asked me to have a look at a scratch stock he's just 'knocked up' :wink: from 6mm brass plate, a vast improvement on the one seen at West Dean a few weeks ago:

The first couple of shots show the front and back and this side shows the underside with the all important fence:

I used this on the dining table tonite with Pete just holding the wood...it's absolutely rock solid with no wobble at all, which is what normally happens with this sort of tool and so you don't all shout about evidence and shavings :roll: the final shot shows the bit of hard maple we were playing around with;

What is really impressive is that all the grooves you can see were made from one side. The tool even works on end grain...the groove is about 30mm from the end of the timber and no score marks were made prior to making the groove...again Pete was just holding the wood. I'm gobsmacked :shock: this is simply the best scratch stock I've ever seen or used...and I've used a few.
Pete will be along shortly to give you all the gory details - Rob

 

[Jake]

That's by far the swishest scratch-stock I've ever seen.

 

[newt]

Thanks for posting the pics Rob,and giving your opinion. I made the Gareth Hack version seen at West Dean and it worked fine, but had limitations. It was ok with the cutter out say 10mm, any more than that and the blade started to flex and then the dreaded chatter. I have a requirement to do some inlay work and required a reach 30mm, so something a bit more substantial was needed. Also need a good long fence is required to maintain registration with a 30mm reach. So what you see in the pics is the result. It really is very smooth to use I guess the weight helps. I was surprised how clean it cuts in hard rock maple. Anyway thought you may be interested.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Fabulous work as always, Pete =D> Can I have a go next time I see you?

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[newt]

Paul, be my guest

 

[Chris Knight]

It looks lovely!

Pete,
One observation:- At present it doesn't appear to be capable of following a curve. However, if you were to tap a couple of holes in the fence to which you could then attach "buttons" that stand proud of the fence, it would then follow a curve.

 

[newt]

Chris, Yes that would work, but I could also make the other end of the fence rounded and use that but it would me more difficult to control. I will give it a try.

 

[bugbear]

The first couple of shots show the front and back and this side shows the underside with the all important fence:

How is the fence kept square - I can't see any registration pins or rebates?

BugBear

 

[newt]

Bugbear, the fence and its mating surface have some registration groves, although I did use the tool without them and there was no movement.

 

[bugbear]

I made the Gareth Hack version seen at West Dean and it worked fine, but had limitations.

I don't think Garrett has ever claimed his stock is the ultimate stock. I think he claims that it is good enough for a really common requirment (strings close to the edge) and is SUPER easy to make. It also give good visibility of the cut in progress, precisely because it doesn't have a body.

Here's some more variations in matters scratchly

http://www.geocities.com/plybench/scratch.html

BugBear

 

[jonbikebod]

At very much the other end of the scale from ‘the ultimate scratch stock’, I was on DC’s veneering and inlay course last week and I was attempting to cut stopped (0.8mm) inlay grooves. We came up with this crude tool that will cut to a stop in either direction and has the stable rolling action of a marking gauge - regulating the depth of cut progressively. It only needed a small round file to make and was fixed to the shot end of a Marples making gauge.

Jon.[/img]

 

[wizer]

Very nice Jon, did you enjoy the course? We haven't seen DC around here of late.

 

[jonbikebod]

Hi WiZeR,
The course was brilliant (as were the courses I have been on with DC the last three years). A font of knowledge, while remaining modest and an excellent communicator.
David will be appearing at the festival of the tree on bank holiday Saturday.
Jon.