Trad Gang
Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Blaino on February 22, 2014, 06:58:00 PM
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I need a corse rasp and was hoping you gentlemen could point me in the right direction.
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http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/diamondreg%3B-farrier-rasp-14-in-head
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Exactly....
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Love my nicholson 49... But when i got some serious wood to hog off that thing is awesome. Has a course side and a courser side
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Tractor Supply..... The only place around town I haven't checked. Thanks.
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I wouldn't be without my farrier's rasp, #49 or #50. They all have their uses. Some bows require the use of the smaller rasps due to curves and such, likey snakey bows, and I always use the #49 for shaping the handles and radiusing the bellies. I don't use the farriers rasp as much as the others, but when I need it, others won't do.
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I use a Farriers rasp and a shinto. I recently picked up 5 new Nicholson USA made farriers rasps for $20 on craigslist. Already got the extras traded.
(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/bow%20stuff%202013/IMG_1188.jpg)
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Jeff sell me on the 50. I got 49... And i go from that to a course half round bastard to 80 grit.
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Here's what I like. Two sides - one more coarse than the other. These things will take wood off in a hurry and last a long long time. One that I have has been in use for >30 years when my Dad use to build muzzleloaders. I bought a new one a couple years ago and really can't tell the difference between the old one and new one. The big advantage of this design is that it never clogs up. I don't use the handle that is shown in the link.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=65692&cat=1,42524
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I like the saw rasp, too. I've used mine on osage, elm, and hickory so far and even the coarse side gives you an even cut without gouging the wood. The narrowed tip is nice for working the curves on the bow's handle.
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For shaping the tip and overlay I love the shinto fine side - and the coarse side will take a lot of wood off in a hurry on a relatively flat surface.
For removing wood in a curved area like the fade area I like a half round rasp cut file - pretty cheap at Menards or Lowes.
I also like the stanley surform for working the limbs down to floor tiller.
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i have a stanley surform too, but its been pretty much replaced by the farriers rasp.
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I have a Stanley surform. I hate that thing. I wouldn't give it to a prospective bowyer I cared at all about :)
Eric, I use the #49 at least three times as much as the #50, but love the 50 for what it does. It doesn't happen often, but I broke out a new #50 last weekend. My old one was wayyyy past its prime. In 15 seconds, that new one reminded me why it holds steadfast in my lineup of top shelf tools. I was one happy bowyer, let me tell ya.
I 'progress' through tools as I work on a bow. Experience tells us which and when to graduate to as work is accomplished. I do it almost subconsciously... see or feel a need, reach, employ the tool that brings the desired result. The #49, #50, Farrier's, and Cabinet scrapers are ALWAYS within arm's reach of the bench vice or bow horse.
Honestly, if I had to, I could probably get by without the #50, but as I'm using it, I always think... "Yeah... THAT'S what I'm talkin' about". "That's the $#!^ right there!"
I'll be using both the #49 and #50, as well as my freshly sharpened cabinet scraper, throughout the week as I reduce draw weight and tiller the osage selfbow I'm now working on. Just saying so makes me happier than it probably should :)
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Hey bowjunkie - tell us how you really feel about the surform? :biglaugh: :biglaugh:
Just shows you how things work for different people. For me the surform cuts the wood in narrow little curls like a scraper (only much smaller). The replaceable blades are fairly inexpensive and will last for 2-3 staves pretty easy. When I use my rasps it tears and rips at the wood.
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Eric, like I said, I use the #49 a lot more than the #50, BUT the 49 cannot replace it. When I'm using the 50, it's because I NEED it. It neatly fills the void between #49 and scraper. Between #49 and paper. Between the smooth side of a Farrier's and paper. It's use is limited, but more than justified. I could, but would NOT want to make bows without it.
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Mitch, what kind of rasps are you using? Mine don't seem to tear and rip. They cut nicely, and very, very little use of a scraper makes the surface glass smooth again.
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Jeff - I have not used the Nicholson rasps like you are using. I suspect that can make quite a difference. Mine are some cheaper ones from the local stores. Perhaps I will eventually get me a set of Nicholsons. I know they must work - I have seen your bows. ;)
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Oh they work alright, though the quality of my bows is based more on luck and utter perseverence than tool selection :)
I was spoiled to an extent. I used a cheap dept store rasp, the extra coarse one, and also a 4 in 1, on my first bow... for a PORTION of my first bow, when I got a #50... picked them up once more just to check... uhhh, no, not what I'm lookin' for. I gave em away... and felt guilty when I did :)
Call me a rasp snob :)
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haha Jeff i did the same thing. i got a 4 in 1 rasp and i used it once, and never again after i got my 49. same with the surform, never again after i got my farriers rasp. ill get a 50 eventually. understand the progression thing, and there is a gap between the 49 and scraper/paper. i kinda use a course file for that but its not great.
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Totally agree with bowjunnkie on the surform.. the thing is horrible for bow making
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I use a #49 but also have a Farriers Rasp for removing a lot of wood fast....
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I picked up the one from Tractor Supply today. What a difference the right tool makes! Thanks a bunch.
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Can't beat a farriers rasp for hogging wood off.
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as far as coarse rasp, the #49 Nicholson or UBR-10 are the best as far as I'm concerned. I would add that I use my #50 more than the #49, but both are indispensable when you need them. along with my #50 I've come to appreciate the UBR-10 more and more. the coarse side will hog off wood with more control than I could ever manage with a Farriers rasp, but the fine side is the real gem. cuts a little finer than the #50 Nicholson and serves me as the perfect step between rasp and cabinet scraper or Bowyer's Edge. don't think I have employed my Farriers rasp in building a bow in several years. is good for other stuff, though. like shoeing horses. only use I ever found for a Sureform is for touching up sloppy cuts on sheetrock. does a nice job making those joints that are a little too tight fit just perfect. I've always been curious about the Shinto rasp, but feared it too clumsy for what I might use it for.
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I started with a 4 in 1 and a sureform, bought a #50 and retired the 4 in 1 and sureform, bought a #49 and seldom use the #50, bought a horse shoe rasp but seldom use it.
Anyone who can makes a bow with a sureform is is not working with the same type of wood I am. For me they cut OK until they clog, which is just a few strokes, at which point they are pretty much useless.
When I need to really hog off wood I pull the bow limb back wards on my running band saw blade. A word of caution, this is not an activity to undertake if you are not completely focused or you will absentmindedly push your limb into the blade with a mis stroke, been there done that.
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I have the 49 and 50 Nicholson rasps, but since I got 2 Farriers rasp's, I haven't touched the Nicholson's. Personal preference I suppose.
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Roy, make a snakey osage bow with a radiused belly and you'll kick that Farrier's rasp to the curb in a hurry. The snakier the bow, the more useless a big wide rasp is... but the narrow, hungry little #49 with a halfround side?
You're right, personal preference has some to do with it, but so does application.
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Zactly...
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Did some belly thinning on BBO I was working on today so I got my farriers rasp out to give it one more try. I have to say I liked it for hogging off wood. The #49 was a wimp in comparison.
I would rasp with the farrier's rasp rough side, clean up the gouges with the smooth side and clean up the smooth side tool marks with my Nicholson half round wood file, pretty slick.
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I love getting lost in that kind of work. Scraping too, chasing rings, etc... Everything outside of what you're doing falls away and for that time, nothing else matters or even exists.
I still use the smooth side to clean things up, but don't bring the rough side of the farriers rasp to my BBO bows much since I've been grinding stuff on the drum sander... they're usually pretty close to what I need.
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I like the Farriers rasp because of it's width and sharpness. I hold it at a longer angle and it makes the facets so flat and smooth in a hurry. I also never use the rough side on my BBO's, no need to.
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I just bought that farriers rasp from TSC and boy is that thing impressive. I used the finer side and it does a great job removing material.
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if you are impressed by the TSC rasp,wait till you try a Save edge.
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Just got into making self bows and bought a file set at lowes that came with a rasp. After making a bow with it I realised I need a better rasp lol. Problem is I want to buy them all. Just ebayed a #49 and a Shinto can’t wait for them to come in. Next on my list is a 17” save edge and the Dean Torges ubr10, what do you guys think about my selection?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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It sounds like you're off to a great start.
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Well...I'll be the odd man out here...once again.
I don't have a rasp.
I'd like to get some...any kind really just to try em...new tools are cool.
What I do have is a micro plane with a coarse rounded insert and a coarse flat insert.
You kinda have to use the right amount of pressure with it...fairly light touch.
But they sure do shave the wood down in a hurry.
Can't speak much for longevity...just haven't used it much.
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Yup... Farrier's rasp is the way to go. Get a file card and some chalk. In my experience if you leave Osage in the file it will rust quick. Keep it brushed out and chalked and it will last. When it finally wears out... make a knife out of it.
OkKeith
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I use all three, a farriers rasp, a #50, and a #49, whenever needed. All three, along with my Torges file, Bowyers Edge, Veritas Scraper, and Boogs Spokeshave, are always within reach whenever working a selbow. I should restate that, the #50 was always alongside the others until it disappeared at the MT Selfbow Jamboree last spring. Been looking to replace it but haven’t found a good used one yet. The reviews on the new Nicholson rasps are not very good, thinking I might end up going with one of the Aurious from Lie-Nielsen. I love their catalog, my wife once said I need to give her all my credit cards and wear a bib to catch the drool whenever I look at it.
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For hogging off wood, I love the shinto saw rasp I have. but like many others here I like having a variety.
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Walt, the Brazil made 49's and 50's aren't quite what their USA made forefathers were, but close, and they're still dang good tools and fill the niche between junk department store stuff and the $100 plus crowd.
I love that Lie Nielsen catalog too. There's some quality stuff in there. I was drooling over it a couple of weeks ago when it came in the mail. Especially that Boggs brass spokeshave. I said to no one in particular when my eyes crossed its path, "whew, that thing is sexy". My wife was sitting across the room and said, "What is?", and I showed her the picture. To my surprise and delight she said, "Hmm, yeah, that IS kinda sexy".
I gotta get me one of them.
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I have two #49's now.
LOL
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Roy,
I use to have two #49’s but sent the second one to Hunter a couple years ago so he could build a bow for our Alaska moose hunt in 2016.
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Cool, Walt.
Reason I have two is because the other day I ordered a 49 after reading this thread.
It got it and I thought this looks familiar.
I go out to the shop and low and behold I already had a 49 laying on the shelf.
LOL DUH..
Somehow I got into using a farriers rasp and forgot about having a 49.