Replies

1. 
   GeeSeaWhy | Apr 25, 2003 08:40pm | #1

   They do like kind of similar, don't they? But they are very different in use. The difference is in the blade angle: in the scraper, the blade is close to vertical while the spokeshave blade is at a much lower angle - at or below the angle of a plane blade. The scraper can take very fine shavings and can be used to clean up glue without the risk of cutting into the work. The spokeshave takes much heavier shavings: spoke-shave, as in shaving the corners off a square stick to make a round spoke.

   HTH

   Graeme

1. 
   badoyn | Apr 26, 2003 05:25pm | #3

   Thanks for the clarification. I had a feeling there was a basic difference even if I couldn't see one. :)

   Can you recommend a good cabinet scraper?

   Thanks to all who responded.

   Michael

1. 
   Michael6255 | Apr 26, 2003 08:49pm | #4

   The best value is the new Lee Valley Cabinet Scraper.  Good footprint....easily adjustable and made better thanthe stanley 80, after which it was modelled.

   Check out  Lee Valley.com ...........the go to Scraper planes

   Mike..... who had one before they were in the catalogue, and loves it.

2. 
   pauld | Apr 28, 2003 06:26am | #5

   Badoyn,

   I'd buy a hand/card scraper and learn to sharpen and use it before investing in a cabinet scraper - walk before you run.

   Ignore the mystique surrounding hand scrapers - they're simple tools: it just takes a little practice, like everything else in life that's worthwhile.

   IMHO, you'll learn a lot about how to get the best results from a cabinet scraper through the tactile feedback you get using a hand scraper.

   If I had purchased a cabinet scraper before I learned how to sharpen and use a hand scraper, it would probably have gathered dust in my shop for years.

   Good luck,Paul

3. 
   GeeSeaWhy | Apr 28, 2003 09:28am | #6

   Actually, I don't own one. I do have and use card scrapers and I would agree with Paul's suggestion, although I did find it impossible to get the scraper to work until I saw it demonstrated. I do have Lee Valley's scraper plane *insert* (turns a regular plane into a scraper plane). I would not recommend that - it's too fiddly to set up and only worth the effort if you can leave it set up and never use that plane as a regular plane.

   HTH

   Graeme

1. 
   Thom1 | Apr 29, 2003 04:05am | #7

   Buy both a card scraper, and a Kuntz two handledmechanical.  You will use the card almost all the time, the Kunz for really large surfaces.  Some of the finer ones that are like planes, like the small LN are for pretty specific projects like building flyrods.  Can they be used for tons of other stuff, sure, but im not sure they speed up or improve results in these other aplications. 

   If you always worked wood that handplaned beautifuly over every inch of it's surface, you would have little reason to use a scraper.  But life throws all kinds of grain at you, and scrapers are faster and cleaner than sandpaper, until their not.

   Spokeshaves are for making the spokes in old cart wheels.  And paddles, chair parts, you name it.

2. 
   HowardAcheson | Apr 25, 2003 11:28pm | #2

   The cabinet scraper is a smoothing device, the spokeshave is a mini plane used to shape wood.