Making a power scraper?

[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.