Bay Area Dave wrote in message om...

thanks for the info, Chuck. By "smoother" I guess you mean something
like a Veritas #4 Smooth Plane? How does a smoother differ from other
planes of the same size? Is it the angle of the blade, or ??

A smoother is usually about 9" long, and is set up to take a very
light cut and leave a surface ready for finishing. Veritas' #4 is a
smoother based on the old Stanley design, but with some improvements.

A standard smoother used for well-behaved woods usually has the
blade set at a 45 degree bedding angle. There are specialty planes
made that offer higher bedding angles (can be more effective on
figured hardwoods) and lower bedding angles (can also be effective on
figured hardwoods, strangely enough).

Do I NEED to get a burnishing tool or can I use something that I might
already have in my tool cabinet? I have a vague memory of reading
somewhere that a common tool will serve as a burnisher...

I'd go ahead and "splurge" for a burnishing tool. Some folks use
screwdriver shafts, carbide router bit shafts, valve stems, etc., but
the bottom line is you want something harder than the scraper and it
needs to be polished smooth.

FWIW, as a newbie to scrapers, you might want to consider the Lee
Valley variable burnisher gizmo. It'll cost you about $25, but it
will help you get a feel for what the edge/burr should feel like when
it's turned properly.


Chuck Vance