What is the differance between a Spokeshave and a Scraper Plane?

They both look the same to me on the internet.

Arlin

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=49142&cat=1,50230

spokeshaves

 

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=48431&cat=1,310

scraper plane

 

This might help you Arlin. Big difference between them. bob

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Bob Kloes
www.bobkloes.com

Arlin, it's how they cut. The spokeshave is a blade, much like a plane iron. The scraper plane is holding a scraper at the correct angle for scraping. I prefer to use scrapers without holders because you can vary the angle by hand to make up for inconsistencies in sharpening. If you use a holder, your sharpening must be very exact. Spokeshaves generally are set up to take bigger cuts than the fine shavings of a scraper. The spokeshave's blade is sharpened at a chisel angle, usually about 25 degrees, if I recall correctly, whereas the scraper is sharpened to cut only with a fine burr that is raised with a burnishing tool. That's another reason I prefer using cabinet scrapers without holders. You can raise four cutting edges on a standard cabinet scraper and instantly shift from one to the next as they get dull. Takes a bit more time to remove from the holder and reposition to use the next edge. I use both scrapers and spokeshaves regularly for making archery bows, but I use the scrapers lots more.

A spoke shave is considered as a dimensioning tool for shaping the wood. A scraper plane or hand scraper is more considered a surface finishing tool to the wood surface.Scrapers shear the wood fibers and leave the wood surface a step beyond a sanded surface and those who work figured lumber will find the scraper plane or hand scraper easier to finish the varied grain.

Lots of it comes down to blade type and geometry. I would imagine that you saw a #80 or 81 scraper which could be mistaken for a type of spokeshave. A scraping plane uses a thin blade that sits in the plane at a forward angle. It is sharpened, or burnished, in a manner specific to scrapers. This process is often called turning a "hook" or a "burr". They are used to smooth finished surfaces when other handplanes just make a mess. They have a cutting action different from bench planes as they scrape shavings from a surface where bench planes lift thin shavings with the grain. I know it sound complicated. Basically, a scraper, whether a card scraper or scraping plane, is used on woods with difficult to work or reversing grain and are usually a last resort.

Spokeshaves are great little tools with lots of uses. They have a small sole and a blade that is bedded similar to a plane. They are useful in chairmaking among many other things. They excel at fairing curved pieces, working round pieces such as dowels, and fairing concave surfaces like chair seats. There are many different types of shaves and each serves a specific purpose. Start with a flat-bottom one and go from there. I hope this helps and feel free to ask anything. We are here to help.

 

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Adam Welker
Red Car Construction and Fine Woodworking

That is one way to look at them. Spokeshaves can be used for straight, convex or concave work. Chair spindles are one place they get used. bob

 

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Bob Kloes
www.bobkloes.com

I would be careful on the lathe. If it catches, it will sling it away. I never like cast iron hitting me in the head. It does not turn out well. I have used a hand plane on the lathe, but again, be very careful. bob

 

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Bob Kloes
www.bobkloes.com

I don't think I would use it on a lathe. A scraper that is designed for the lathe yes.

 

It just brings up bad images.

 

Arlin Eastman said:

OK

Thank You Bob.  I wonder how it would work on a wood lathe

Bob Kloes said:

That is one way to look at them. Spokeshaves can be used for straight, convex or concave work. Chair spindles are one place they get used. bob

 

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Bob Kloes

www.bobkloes.com

Yes they can be used for many things Arlin. You could use a scraper plane like that or just use a hand scraper. You can use a spokeshave on a top, but just pay attention where the grain changes to reverse the shave and go the other direction. bob

 

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Bob Kloes
www.bobkloes.com