I was turning a bowl this afternoon from a piece of fruit wood (in the
basement for 20 years and species unknown). I shear scraped the outside
and got an generally good finish but there were some areas of fine
tear-out that even light shear cuts would not remove. So I thoroughly
wetted the surface to make the fibres swell in those areas and then gave
a light shear-scrape while it was still wet. The waste was mostly in the
form of a slurry rather than shavings and the finish was superb over the
tricky areas.
Graham

Interesting results. I would have thought that there would be more tear.

I have some very old oak - fine grain white oak and I want to see
how it works. Oak is normally open grain and tears... If it does, I'll
try this trick.

Martin

On 10/30/2016 5:53 PM, graham wrote:
I was turning a bowl this afternoon from a piece of fruit wood (in the
basement for 20 years and species unknown). I shear scraped the outside
and got an generally good finish but there were some areas of fine
tear-out that even light shear cuts would not remove. So I thoroughly
wetted the surface to make the fibres swell in those areas and then gave
a light shear-scrape while it was still wet. The waste was mostly in the
form of a slurry rather than shavings and the finish was superb over the
tricky areas.
Graham

On Sunday, October 30, 2016 at 5:53:27 PM UTC-5, graham wrote:
I was turning a bowl this afternoon from a piece of fruit wood (in the
basement for 20 years and species unknown). I shear scraped the outside
and got an generally good finish but there were some areas of fine
tear-out that even light shear cuts would not remove. So I thoroughly
wetted the surface to make the fibres swell in those areas and then gave
a light shear-scrape while it was still wet. The waste was mostly in the
form of a slurry rather than shavings and the finish was superb over the
tricky areas.
Graham

I will have to try this. Tear out has been a constant problem for me, even with shear scraping.

On 10/30/2016 4:53 PM, graham wrote:
I was turning a bowl this afternoon from a piece of fruit wood (in the
basement for 20 years and species unknown). I shear scraped the outside
and got an generally good finish but there were some areas of fine
tear-out that even light shear cuts would not remove. So I thoroughly
wetted the surface to make the fibres swell in those areas and then gave
a light shear-scrape while it was still wet. The waste was mostly in the
form of a slurry rather than shavings and the finish was superb over the
tricky areas.
Graham

I use a home-made shear scraper that I made about 20 years ago, shown below:

https://postimg.org/image/n9wr3xgu3/

The handle is not shown.

I bought a piece of 1/2" x 1/2" hot-rolled bar stock and cut a 45° facet
on the end. I drilled and tapped it for 10-32 machine screws, the type
used in Sorby/Stewart deep hollowing system that I've owned for 20
years. Note that the newer models might be metric.
I use the Sorby tear-drop scraper (RS200C or RS222) that, in this
instance, measures 1.25" along the straight edge.
I used the straight edge for the outside of the bowl and obviously the
curved part on the inside.
Sorby sells a shear scraper using round stock so that you can vary the
angle of shear. I prefer the support that the square section resting on
the tool rest gives me - it's one less thing to think about while taking
delicate cuts.
Graham

graham wrote:
On 10/30/2016 4:53 PM, graham wrote:
I was turning a bowl this afternoon from a piece of fruit wood (in the
basement for 20 years and species unknown). I shear scraped the outside
and got an generally good finish but there were some areas of fine
tear-out that even light shear cuts would not remove. So I thoroughly
wetted the surface to make the fibres swell in those areas and then gave
a light shear-scrape while it was still wet. The waste was mostly in the
form of a slurry rather than shavings and the finish was superb over the
tricky areas.
Graham

I use a home-made shear scraper that I made about 20 years ago, shown below:

https://postimg.org/image/n9wr3xgu3/

The handle is not shown.

I bought a piece of 1/2" x 1/2" hot-rolled bar stock and cut a 45° facet
on the end. I drilled and tapped it for 10-32 machine screws, the type
used in Sorby/Stewart deep hollowing system that I've owned for 20
years. Note that the newer models might be metric.
I use the Sorby tear-drop scraper (RS200C or RS222) that, in this
instance, measures 1.25" along the straight edge.
I used the straight edge for the outside of the bowl and obviously the
curved part on the inside.
Sorby sells a shear scraper using round stock so that you can vary the
angle of shear. I prefer the support that the square section resting on
the tool rest gives me - it's one less thing to think about while taking
delicate cuts.
Graham

I can't bring the image up.

--
GW Ross

These are the days of Miracle Whip and
Wonder Bread.

G. Ross wrote:
graham wrote:
On 10/30/2016 4:53 PM, graham wrote:
I was turning a bowl this afternoon from a piece of fruit wood (in the
basement for 20 years and species unknown). I shear scraped the outside
and got an generally good finish but there were some areas of fine
tear-out that even light shear cuts would not remove. So I thoroughly
wetted the surface to make the fibres swell in those areas and then gave
a light shear-scrape while it was still wet. The waste was mostly in the
form of a slurry rather than shavings and the finish was superb over the
tricky areas.
Graham

I use a home-made shear scraper that I made about 20 years ago, shown below:

https://postimg.org/image/n9wr3xgu3/

The handle is not shown.

I bought a piece of 1/2" x 1/2" hot-rolled bar stock and cut a 45° facet
on the end. I drilled and tapped it for 10-32 machine screws, the type
used in Sorby/Stewart deep hollowing system that I've owned for 20
years. Note that the newer models might be metric.
I use the Sorby tear-drop scraper (RS200C or RS222) that, in this
instance, measures 1.25" along the straight edge.
I used the straight edge for the outside of the bowl and obviously the
curved part on the inside.
Sorby sells a shear scraper using round stock so that you can vary the
angle of shear. I prefer the support that the square section resting on
the tool rest gives me - it's one less thing to think about while taking
delicate cuts.
Graham

I can't bring the image up.

Never mind. I re-opened my browser and it brought it up first try.
Looks like a good tool to have.

--
GW Ross

These are the days of Miracle Whip and
Wonder Bread.

On 10/31/2016 9:46 AM, G. Ross wrote:
G. Ross wrote:
graham wrote:
On 10/30/2016 4:53 PM, graham wrote:
I was turning a bowl this afternoon from a piece of fruit wood (in the
basement for 20 years and species unknown). I shear scraped the
outside
and got an generally good finish but there were some areas of fine
tear-out that even light shear cuts would not remove. So I thoroughly
wetted the surface to make the fibres swell in those areas and then
gave
a light shear-scrape while it was still wet. The waste was mostly in
the
form of a slurry rather than shavings and the finish was superb over
the
tricky areas.
Graham

I use a home-made shear scraper that I made about 20 years ago, shown
below:

https://postimg.org/image/n9wr3xgu3/

The handle is not shown.

I bought a piece of 1/2" x 1/2" hot-rolled bar stock and cut a 45°
facet
on the end. I drilled and tapped it for 10-32 machine screws, the type
used in Sorby/Stewart deep hollowing system that I've owned for 20
years. Note that the newer models might be metric.
I use the Sorby tear-drop scraper (RS200C or RS222) that, in this
instance, measures 1.25" along the straight edge.
I used the straight edge for the outside of the bowl and obviously the
curved part on the inside.
Sorby sells a shear scraper using round stock so that you can vary the
angle of shear. I prefer the support that the square section resting on
the tool rest gives me - it's one less thing to think about while taking
delicate cuts.
Graham

I can't bring the image up.

Never mind. I re-opened my browser and it brought it up first try.
Looks like a good tool to have.

I chose 45° and it works well for me but you could try steeper angles.
Graham

On Sun, 30 Oct 2016 16:53:27 -0600
graham wrote:

fine tear-out that even light shear cuts would not remove. So I
thoroughly wetted the surface to make the fibres swell in those areas
and then gave a light shear-scrape while it was still wet. The waste

most of what i know i have learned on my own
one of the first pieces i turned was a piece of driftwood

i call these kinds the survivors
they are typically very dense and old and resisted worms and all
the other usual maladies from floating in salt water

but i recall this same kind of tear out occurs with some of it so
i will try this technique out on one of these pieces next time

seems like a simple solution and that is why i like it