This article was written by VitalBodies, a Wood Whisperer community member. If you like music, you’ll enjoy his story. Here’s a short bio:
From countless wood shop classes to contractor to fixer to starting to create a home shop. For the fixer I have been doing everything from fences to architectural planter boxes to refinishing furniture and more.
It all started by attempting to write a comment on TWW site to thank Marc for his scraper articles I found so handy while working on an antique writing desk. Meanwhile, I had also been asking folks of all ages for at least a week “what songs really lift you up and get you moving?” I told the folks I asked, “it does not matter what decade, era, genre or whatever, but WHAT GETS YOU DANCING?” I was testing dancing to some of the songs in between writing the comment. Does not matter if you are in the kitchen, shop, club or on the dance floor, what is the song(s) that sets you to flight?
Today I started working on an antique writing table. Not knowing antiques all that well I thought “U can’t touch this” but since it was only the top that needed work, I thought, “well maybe I should”? I mean, this is not the Antique road show is it?
I needed to refinish the top. It could have been hickory or oak, I was not really sure. I used a Dewalt Random Orbital Sander (ROS) with a VERY aggressive Bosch 40 grit disk, connected to a full blown HEPA vac. Even then, the wood was so hard I realized it would take hours and hours of sanding, in Uggs in a cold shop.
I then remembered I bought a card (cabinet) scraper and a burnisher! I heard about them from The Wood Whisperer and used his Amazon Store (you can too!) to buy them to support the show. Thanks Marc and all, even Mateo!
But, was the scraper sharp? And how to sharpen it? Although I did not have the sharpening, grinding or polishing stones, I did have the burnisher mentioned, ya! And it was not hard to get that baby lookin sharp, Like can you handle this? I feel like dancing on the table like a superstar!
Wow, when that scraper is sharp, it is nice and it moves! Like drop everything and check it out! Even then, it took quite a while as the scratches in that top were, what, Rolling In The Deep? Oddly enough they looked like someone put “Black or White” ink (mostly deep black) in the deepest parts – Old English or perhaps they were painting the town, or burning the place down?
There were small stains, large stains, other major artifacts plus the wood was so so hard. The stains were like Blood On The Dance Floor. Like, how do you get those deep scratches out, a 7″ knife?
There were artifacts that looked like they could have been from a “Fire Burning” or perhaps Dynamite, like they were trying to rock this club? I can tell you, with knee deep shavings, I was the last one standing.
It took hours of scraping, but at least that might help me be a bit more bootylicious and in better shape. I noticed it also took rhythm to get into the groove, like as in “Rhythm Is A Dancer”, I mean, you had to work it. As you know, Rhythm is a dancer, it’s a soul companion, people feel it everywhere, lift your hands and voices, free your mind and join us, you can feel it in the air, it’s a passion…
Every now and then the the whole writing table would jump forward with a Boom Boom Pow kind of sound, when the scraper would grab, and ya, it would grab like you never felt before.
But I Gotta Feeling that I will get this top right, although not sure what century that will happen!
The other way of doing this, you know, with the ROS, dust collection, ear protection, and dust mask could Make Me Want To Scream.
The wood, even still, was so hard that sharping the card scraper needed to happen about every 5 minutes! But that was easy with the burnisher. As you know, if you get dull, you have to sharpen up, like Bust A Move when the time calls for it!
28 Responses to “Rhythm is a Card Scraper”
That is something I have noticed about woodworking, is that there is so much we can do that we can put to a bit of a rhythm. I think many times this can give more accurate and precise control over the tool that is being used, and possibly make it seems to go faster as well.
I agree fully. I find it is interesting the extra depth and dimension that adding that rhythm creates. Anytime we pull in another part of the brain/soul/mind/spirit/you name it, things just get better.
I like coming to TWW site because Marc is like our DJ. He gets those brains, hand tools and machines humming. Between the site and the forum it is like a having a “Request Line” :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....38;ob=av2e
The moon is rising as I write this.
Whoa! Flashbacks!
Thank you for your comment! Maybe you need a bigger hammer:
http://www.vitalbodies.net/sit.....x360_1.jpg
Ok, not that kind of hammer, how about this:
Play That Funky Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe1ScoePqVA
A little back ground information on this table/desk might be fun to include.
Being very new at this, I am having fun learning. I bet some of you can relate.
Here is the story about the table and my process:
http://www.vitalbodies.net/sit.....-bust.html
The table/desk appears to be quarter sawn white oak, and for $49, I think it rocks!
Hey great article. Could you tell me what kinda of wood flooring that is? It looks like a 3 inch wide mullican. Thanks
Thank you.
The flooring? Not sure. I live in a small town and tried to look into what kind of flooring we have. The lumber store was selling 5″ hand scraped hickory (engineered) flooring at the time this floor was put in. I think that is what it is. The online sample I saw was a perfect match as best I could tell for an online sample.
Great article! What could be better, working with wood while listening to your favourite music. Brings to mind a video I saw a while back:
http://www.instructables.com/c.....-music-an/
Thank you for your comment. Wow, that is some instrument. What it must have taken to get that setup reminds me of trying to get dust collection set up ; ).
I often find myself dancing in the sawdust.
You are all welcome to submit your favorite dance tune too. What gets you moving on that dance floor or shop floor.
I listen to Pandora when I’m in the shop. The music keeps me moving so much better than a quite shop. When a reggae song comes on, there ain’t no stopin now!!! You have to try planing to reggae. It’s the best.
Say Hey (I Love You)! Thank you for your comment!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehu3wy4WkHs
Let’s light this blog article up! I personally would love to hear what gets people moving.
One can spend forever searching for music so it is nice to know what song/artist. It is fun to have a starting point on Pandora!
Uh, am I the only one here to make sawdust at the sound of Heavy Metal?
Where is Ryan Martin! ^^
Heavy metal, ya, we need some.
I have been having fun commenting “musically” using music suggestions I received from others. To FIND the best music that gets one moving is fun.
And having the right music is like sugar….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ4xwmZ6zi4
And as far a saw dust goes:
And I know I’m coming off just a little bit conceited…
I’m the V to the I, T, A, the L, the BODIES,
And can’t no other guy put it down like me.
I’m VITALicious (so delicious)
; )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T0utQ-XWGY
It has been really fun experiencing the vast array of suggestions. I Like it.
hahahahahahaha… great article… I groove to everything, from Earth Wind & Fire to Brian Culbertson (Live from the Inside) and everything in between… depends on the mood and what I’m having to deal with in the shop…
Thank you for comment and music suggestion. I had hoped people would find this article entertaining in it’s own way. One of the things I have enjoyed about Marc’s videos is the occasional entertainment value he adds in. I love all the different characters/rolls.
That is some jazz music. Quite a performance. I watched a youtube version (Get It On) and one persons comment mentioned how there was “so much talent greatness all in one room!!!?”. I had not heard/seen this music/musician/band before that I know of. Indeed, this would be interesting and different to work to.
There is nothing quite like listening to a nice variety of music while working. I do enjoy listening to the sounds of my tools making progress too!
I was not ignoring you. I thought about this a lot.
The same song came to mind every single time!
But I thought you might not be able to relate?
If you think about the “innocent random sounds” that things make, like your tools – then maybe, just maybe, you can relate.
What I like about this song is how if you WAIT for that certain pause in the universal flow, that slight hole in the fabric of the universe, a portal opens. And you have to know to just jump through it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-7ABIM2qjU
I think that hole is always there when you need it.
Rhythm is a dancer, thumbs up for the Snap reference!
I find repetitive and/or long tasks (whether behind the computer or in the garage) are served well by Trance styles. BBC Radio One – Essential Mix weekly podcasts or the Above&Beyond – Trance Around The World podcasts do the trick. 2 hours of continuous music at a time with content that helps you focus and not distract you from the task at hand.
I save the heavy metal for speeding through traffic in SoCal!
Rhythm is a dancer really got the girls dancing during testing!
Thank you for your comment! I would love to have a song/artist combination for trance to get us/me started. It is nice to really hit it right when starting off. I personally will check out the programs you mention if they are on the Internet.
As far as Heavy Metal is concerned, I am fairly certain that Heavy Metal does not even exist, I mean, no one has made a suggestion of any artist song combination. I can only conclude that it must be an urban tale? It must not really get anyone moving, correct? Can anyone tell us different? ;)
My favorite heavy metal is Delta. The name of the song is 5 Horse Unisaw.
You might humm a few bars of that into SoundHound or Shazam on your iPhone and see what songs it suggests.
I have noticed that when Delta is playing people seem to be moving. They do some sort of run around dance movement. Then they strike these odd slow moving poses periodically.
I have to say I have been looking into getting a card scrapper but the thing that really scares me away is the sharpening process…in fact I have a set of chisels right now that need some attention. I saw you said you used the burnisher. Since I don’t have one of those – Does anyone have any suggestions on how to learn to sharpen your tools?
One place to start is by using the search on this site and typing in “sharpening”. I have a live demo video that shows the process I use. We also have two videos on scraper sharpening.
thanks for the info. I watched the video and read the info I could find and my only question I have now is:
As a beginner, should I purchase a honing guide for my chisels and plane blades? As far as I can tell there is the $6.99 very basic one or something like the Veritas MK II Honing Guide for about $70. The second one has much better ratings but if all I need it for is to develop my initial “touch” then I would prefer not to drop $70 on something that will gather dust.
Marc is “the man” on this. But since you asked. Big smile.
I would go for the burnisher for the card. But really you might want to invest in the stones rather than the GUIDE.
Use the force Luke. Let go Luke. Luke, Trust me. (The Force is strong) “His computer is off. Luke you have switched off your targeting computer, what is wrong?”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LTsvOHq3xc
But, to each their own sharping do dads. I am working on getting sharp in my own ways:
Imma Be: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUFsQ5lTo6g
Imma Be in that really nice shop.
Imma Be dancing like I can not stop.
Imma Be watching The Wood Whisperer in Full HD.
Imma Be building that super cool stuff.
Imma Be what my little shorty wants.
Imma Be rocking that body…