[the4thseal]

I am thinking of making a power scraper. The biax is just too expensive !!!!!!!!!!!
I have seen them and it does not seem to be the impossible task. Considering the utility of these things, I think it is worth a try. I am going to start with a high quality grinder motor and go from there. So I am asking the great collective mind, that is this forum, for advise, experience, or laughter.
I will post pictures of progress as I stumble along. I am starting with ten fingers and I hope to finish with ten fingers.
Todd

[Mcgyver]

so long as you finish with 10 fingers, sounds like a neat project. like any i'm sure it will have its challenges. I've not seen a diy power scraper and the biax are expensive (do have a recent price just for interest?), so if successfull it will be addressing a need in the diy world. good luck and take lots of photo's.

[RotarySMP]

Have you thought about starting with a hedge trimmer or something like that which is already set up to deliver reciprecating motion?

[keebler303]

i don't think a hedge trimmer would be robust enough. it should be a pretty simple thing with a rod in a cylinder. put in an intake and exhaust port and you are done.

good luck

[the4thseal]

the real ones are not that large. They seem to use the same motor that you would find on an angle grinder. That way i could also controll the speed of the motor and it would be of convient size. I think that a simple drive train should allow me to convert the rotary power to linear strokes.

[N4NV]

I thought about converting a sawzall to a powered scraper. It has a motion very simular to the biax scraper. Then, just last week, I got a Biax on eBay for $250, which was too good a deal to pass up.

Vince

[the4thseal]

Were you the guy who got 3 of them! Some guy got 3 of them that needed repairing. I got out bid on all of them! If it is you who got three of them my hats off to you!

[the4thseal]

I did not mean for the unsmiley face, i do not mean it the way it looks. I mean good job!
TC

[N4NV]

Nope, it wasn't me. I got just the one and it's in good shape. It was posted with a $100 starting bid and a $250 buy it now price. I just happend to see it about 5 minutes after it was posted and grabed it at the buy it now price.

Vince

[Mcgyver]

4th, these things are very solid and smooth and are used for fine work, I would not want to use one made from a sawzall - yeah, its the same motion, but so is a dremel and a precision spindle. when you use one, you'll see what i mean. on sober second thought if they are 250 on ebay (and i lived in the states as you do) I'd wait for the next one and pounce on it and forget making one

[the4thseal]

i know i know but they useually do not go for that much. I will make some cad drawing and post what i am thinking.though the wait approach is not bad advice. it would be nice to make one, it is that :i made this fine tool" thing. though i am aware it could turn into "i made this frankenstien tool" that i have to hide from the local kids for their own saftey.

[Mcgyver]

hey go for it, i don't want to discourage, just discourage the sawzall. At some level of rationality, everything i make is for maslows 5th , so making it for the sake of making it is a plenty good enough reason for me.

[the4thseal]

The design in its basic form will use an angle grinder motor for power. keeping the right angle gearing from that and adding what looks like the wheel and arm of a steam engine. the wheel will be connected to the right angle gear of the grinder and the arm to a linear bearing. i will mount a biax blade mounting plate to the linear bearing. the wheel will allow for an infinite adjustment of the stroke of the scraper by moving the mounting point of the arm to the wheel means of a dovetailed nut in the groove in the wheel. I am still working on the drawings.
TC