Alexander DIY reamer - need help on how to sharpen

daltxguy · Nov 23, 2010

Alexander DIY reamer - need help on how to sharpen

I built the 'Alexander saw steel tapered reamer' based on the information found on Jennie Alexander's green woodworking website. SawSteelTaperedReamerPlans

I'm having some trouble understanding the instruction on how to sharpen the back edge of the saw blade, which works as a scraper to form the tapered hole.

Here's what mine looks like now - As you may be able to make it out, it's just a square edge right now.

Alexander says this about sharpening and this is the picture provided ( very small and can't be enlarged ).

"View the blade from the heel, and chamfer so that the blade will ream when rotated clockwise. Drawfile the burr edge (or edges) to a 45° chamfer. It is helpful to chamfer the outside board clamping the blade in the vise. While the 45° arris can be cleaned up with a stone, that is not really necessary. Remember that your blade will be scraping end grain-not a pretty task. Thus the presence of saw teeth and a less than exquisite scraping burr do not adversely affect the reamed mortise. Put a drop of oil on the arris and lay it over by progressively burnishing until the burnisher is 10° below horizontal (1). Test the burr."

It's not clear to me which way the 45 chamfer should be. Can anyone help clarify?

Dennisgrosen · Nov 23, 2010

maybee I´m totely of
but think on a scraber plane like the big Veritas
as I remember to have read you make a 45 degree bevel on the blade
and bunish the hook over from the dull side to the charp side of the scraper blade
and that way gives you a big burr
I think its something like that that is ment to be done
so the burr comes first when turning clockwice

hope my confusing point get thrugh (think Veritas show whats to do)

Dennis

Dennisgrosen · Nov 23, 2010

I was just on the link and there is a little picture beside the lathe picture
that shows what I just try to say

take care
Dennis

daltxguy · Nov 23, 2010

Dennis,

Thanks - the Veritas reference is very helpful.

The small picture on the link didn't help because I couldn't see it clearly.

The veritas picture is here and I think this tells me what I need to know.

Dennisgrosen · Nov 23, 2010

yes thats something like that I thought of the little left drawing
I just remember something some people do when they bunish a card scraper
is that they bunish the flat side first ( let me see if I can explain it in English)
with a few degree angle sort of draging the steal edge out so it makes
a point on the small side (the picture with the hook but straight instead)
before you bunish from the dull side and roll the hook
they say its make a better hook on the cardscraber and I believe you can make
advances on that
all in all it shuold be like bunish a cardscraper ( if you don´t know how there is V-clips
on you-tube of it and I think FWW has one too on there site)

good luck with it a ceep us updated with the result
as I have put a reamer on my toooo long todo list

have a great day
Dennis

StevenAntonucci · Nov 23, 2010

I have a friend who is a chairmaker. He used to use these, but he found out that Toyota makes a reamer for something that is perfect for this, and it's dirt cheap. You might want to check your local auto parts supplier.

If not, you want the flat of the blade facing the direction of rotation as viewed from the top. You cut your bevel on the steel on the opposite side. A long, 45 degree block to hold it and some fine grit sand paper will raise a beautiful hook that will ream a hole a lot easier than you might expect.

daltxguy · Nov 23, 2010

Thanks Dennis - I have card scrapers so I understand the idea of putting the burr on them but I don't have a card scraper plane so never sharpened with a 45 degree chamfer.

Thanks Steven! Your understanding is now the same as mine so I know how to proceed. Good tip on the toyota reamer though I am located in the boondocks and nothing is cheap in NZ! The nearest auto parts supplier is a 3 hour round trip and $50 in diesel, never mind the 'dirt cheap' reamer. The used key hole saw blade cost me $1 and the wood is free from my forest.

Alexander claims that this tool cuts as cleanly as any commercial product - looking forward to trying it and completing some slab benches which are awaiting legs.

misslolly · Nov 23, 2010

Very nice. Yes do let us know how you get on with it. This tool is on my to do list as well.

Dennisgrosen · Nov 23, 2010

It shuold do , after all its only the edge we need on the tool the rest is only
there to ceep the/hold the edge in the right place…..LOL

woodspark · Nov 23, 2010

Interesting stuff! Never seen a tool like this but I like what I see. I need to get a lathe….

Alexander DIY reamer - need help on how to sharpen

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