The Broken Tradition

Hi all;

So if you read my post on “how to make a” It occurred to me just after writing it that there may be someone at some time who thinks “yeah, OK, but what’s it good for?” or “How do I use it?”

well, “What’s it good for” is making moldings without using a screaming router and without spending an arm and a leg on a hundred different molding planes. Also: with a scratch stock you can make a molding that starts and stops.. something you cannot do with a molding plane and has limited molding styles for a router.

Cautionary note.. it does not work as fast as a router or a molding plane. but it does work!

here’s a sketch to name the parts of one so that If I say “body” you will not be wondering what that means… etc

And here are a couple of mine to show a few profiles that I use…

So the guide face runs on the edge of your work. You hold the body and the bar in your hands/fingers. The bar never needs to touch the work. The blade should be sticking out a little more than the depth you want to go to. You stop when you think you are deep enough.

scratch stock

the tool is worked forwards and back with two hands, I can’t take a picture without using one hand 😉

So: a nice bead anywhere you want it, start and stop anywhere you want it. Use as is or carve into peas, or any of the bead based carvings. And the shape of the scratch blade can be anything!

be well, have fun.

K