Re: Help? Can you indentify this tool?

From: Steve Brown <rtxc_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 23:14:16 -0000

It appears to be a Ray Harlan balsa stripper. The two upper
components are the actual stripper. The bottom two are not "original
equipment" but appear to be shims to block up the 1/4" thick
straightedge (item 2 from the top). Also part of the original
equipment is a wood block that holds a broken razor blade and slides
against the straightedge.

The stripper originally comes with a redwood base, the two micrometer
heads and a thin aluminum "fence" glued to the redwood base. A lot of
people remove the aluminum fence. It appears to me that someone has
removed the fense and put a layer of self-healing mat on the redwood
base. That solves one of the minor problems with these units which is
the tip of the blade following the grain in the redwood base.

Not shown in the photo, and apparently missing, is the wood block
blade holder.

This tool is intended to cut thin sheet wood and works well on indoor
balsa for spars and ribs. You can use it without the bladeholder. The
wood sheet is taped to the base. The straightedge is laid over the
wood and the micrometers rolled up to about 1/8" from the edge of the
wood (if you have the bladeholder) or almost flush with the edge if
you are using just a razor blade. The micrometers are rolled to a
zero position and a truing cut is made. Then the micrometers are
backed off (.025 per 360 degree revolution) to the desired width. You
can also cut tapers this way.
Received on Mon Nov 13 2006 - 15:26:55 CET