Have a new project and cant decide wether to leave them or scrape them
out. Thoughts?

wrote in message
...
Have a new project and cant decide wether to leave them or scrape them
out. Thoughts?

I say scrape them if you scribe them, or instead use a sharp 6H pencil and a
light stroke and just erase them. Nothin' says lovin' like a
beautifully-fitted joint just sitting there proudly all by itself, without
construction aids cluttering up the joint (so to speak).

It used to be, when draftsmen created drawings with pen and ink, they'd
lightly draw in construction lines in pencil during the drawing, but after
the ink was dry they'd erase the construction lines. Same thing applies, in
my opinion.

On the other hand, if you're reproducing a period piece where the original
craftsman left his marks, you'd better do what he did.

Tom Dacon

"?
It used to be, when draftsmen created drawings with pen and ink, they'd
lightly draw in construction lines in pencil during the drawing, but after
the ink was dry they'd erase the construction lines. Same thing applies,
in my opinion.

Sometimes we did and sometimes we didn't. :-)

Sometimes we drew on linen with ink and sometimes we drew on vellum with
pencils.

"Lowell Holmes" wrote in message
...

"?
It used to be, when draftsmen created drawings with pen and ink, they'd
lightly draw in construction lines in pencil during the drawing, but
after the ink was dry they'd erase the construction lines. Same thing
applies, in my opinion.

Sometimes we did and sometimes we didn't. :-)

Sometimes we drew on linen with ink and sometimes we drew on vellum with
pencils.

And then they invented non-reproducible blue pencils. Leave them in; take
them out. It didn't matter much, so long as it didn't print, unless you
intended them to print. In which case the reader is left to wonder as to
intent. It's a very vain personality that rubs the rules in his anus and
then shoves it in your face.

wrote in message
...
Have a new project and cant decide wether to leave them or scrape them
out. Thoughts?

I like to leave them... makes it clear to the observer that the joint was
hand cut and to my eye enhances the look. I also like the way oil based
finishes highlight the scribe lines... to the point that I use a pin marking
gauge rather than a knife gauge for much of my work. But then what do I
know, I worked at Colonial Williamsburg in the past where I came to realize
the world was built without electricity, handmade doesn't have to mean
crude, where parts of everything were made relative to the other parts-often
times to patterns, and where pride in workmanship ruled.

The scribe lines look good to me through my 18th century aesthetics eyes and
I can see how 21st century eyes may see them as a flaw... 18th century eyes
understand the concept of hand made whereas 21st century eyes typically have
no concept of the processes used to make things (it just pops out of a
machine doesn't it?) they just want it and want it flawless.

One caveat though is that the scribe lines look consistent after dressing
the pins and tails. Sometimes when fitting "piston fit drawers" the scribe
lines need to be evened up by running the marking gauge over the scribe
lines after the joint is dressed.

John

On Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:05:11 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

Have a new project and cant decide wether to leave them or scrape them
out. Thoughts?

Personal preference. I don't go out of my way to leave nor remove
them. The lines are barely visible, but I might remove them as the
stain would make the scribe lines pop.

"John Grossbohlin" wrote in message
m...

wrote in message
...
Have a new project and cant decide wether to leave them or scrape them
out. Thoughts?

I like to leave them... makes it clear to the observer that the joint was
hand cut and to my eye enhances the look. I also like the way oil based
finishes highlight the scribe lines... to the point that I use a pin
marking gauge rather than a knife gauge for much of my work. But then what
do I know, I worked at Colonial Williamsburg in the past where I came to
realize the world was built without electricity, handmade doesn't have to
mean crude, where parts of everything were made relative to the other
parts-often times to patterns, and where pride in workmanship ruled.

The scribe lines look good to me through my 18th century aesthetics eyes
and I can see how 21st century eyes may see them as a flaw... 18th century
eyes understand the concept of hand made whereas 21st century eyes
typically have no concept of the processes used to make things (it just
pops out of a machine doesn't it?) they just want it and want it flawless.

One caveat though is that the scribe lines look consistent after dressing
the pins and tails. Sometimes when fitting "piston fit drawers" the scribe
lines need to be evened up by running the marking gauge over the scribe
lines after the joint is dressed.

John

We have an eighteenth century fall front desk made of maple. The scribe
lines are left on it. I think in this case, it enhances the appearance.

MDF may be flawless, but it certainly is without beauty. I sometimes think
this group should be called rec.mdfworking. :-)

On Jan 24, 8:05*pm, wrote:
Have a new project and cant decide wether to leave them or scrape them
out. *Thoughts?

I like to see the lines. It means hand-crafted, and I'm a fan
of that. When I see the layout lines on a piece of used furniture,
it makes me pause and admire in a way that machine joints
never do.

Even turnings on chairs, if I see layout lines at the
stretcher locations, I know the furniture maker knew about
the old bodgers that used to build chair parts. If I see lines
that don't line up with any features, I know the builder
was a poseur.

On Jan 25, 8:58 am, "John Grossbohlin"
wrote:

I like to leave them... makes it clear to the observer that the joint was
hand cut and to my eye enhances the look.

I use my marking gage when I cut em on the band saw. I also mark one
when I set up the dovetail jig, it wouldn't be real difficult to mark
them all. So no, it doesn't necessarily mean anything other than that
a marking gage was used in the process.

-Kevin

wrote in message
...
On Jan 25, 8:58 am, "John Grossbohlin"
wrote:

I like to leave them... makes it clear to the observer that the joint was
hand cut and to my eye enhances the look.

I use my marking gage when I cut em on the band saw. I also mark one
when I set up the dovetail jig, it wouldn't be real difficult to mark
them all. So no, it doesn't necessarily mean anything other than that
a marking gage was used in the process.

Ah... one of those guys who makes fakes! LOL

John