1/2″ M2 Cryogenic Dovetail Scraper with markings for common openings, By RGWOOD

Introducing the 1/2″ M2 Cryogenic Dovetail Scraper from RGWOOD.

This specialty turning tool is designed to make cutting a mortise on the bottom of your bowls an easy task. No more fussing about getting the perfect angles and depth with your bowl gouge! to make it even easier we’ve etched the tool in line with the most common jaw sizes so you can quickly and precisely mark out exactly where to cut for perfect fitment.

To use this tool, start by lining up the CTR marking on the tool with the centre of your work piece, and then use the tool marking that matches your jaw size to mark where your cut will be. Next, rough out the opening with the turning tool of your choice, staying within the lines you made. Finally, come in with your scraper. Using gentle pressure to scrape all the way to your line, finish the mortise.

Product Features and Specifications:

• Handle Length: 8-1/2 inches
• Full Length: 13-1/4 inches
• Tool Markings – 25mm (1″), 50mm (2″) 75mm (3″) 100mm (4″) and 130mm (5″)

Designed with both comfort and control in mind, the ergonomic handle reduces hand fatigue during extended sessions at the lathe. Woodturning with this tool is a rewarding journey into creativity and craftsmanship.

A bit about mortises, tenons, and the dovetail scraper:

to put it simply, a mortise is a hole and a tenon is a post. most woodlathe jaws can hold a work-piece in 2 ways: by tightening down on the outside of a tenon, or expanding into the inside of a mortise. Both methods are tried and true, and have slightly different advantages over the other.

A tenon is best when turning end grain, as the wood fibres are more likely to split along the grain. outward pressure from expanding jaws into a mortise can easily split your workpiece in half, whereas inward pressure on a tenon will help hold everything together. with typical side grain turning however this is not an issue. It also allows you to turn off the tenon and use a bit more creativity with how you finish the foot of your bowl ( assuming you have cole jaws, a vacuum chuck, or similar tools to hold your nearly finished work-piece at the end). the disadvantage is that you lose a bit more material, as you have to turn off the tenon at the end of your project.

The mortise on the other hand allows you use more of your bowl blank by using the mortise as the foot of your bow. This also eliminates the need to re-mount your bowl a third time to finish the bottom, as you can finish the bottom entirely before turning the inside and still hold it with the jaws. No cole jaws required!

While the choice between Mortise and Tenon is mostly subjective, many turn to the tenon by default as it is easier to cut with a bowl gouge. That’s why we created this tool: to give you more choice in your turning projects at an affordable price. Now when you’re working with a small bowl blank and don’t want to waste material, or are tired of remounting finished bowls and putting marks on the rim, avoiding those problems and cutting a mortise is no obstacle.

Can you use this tool to cut a tenon?

Yes, you definitely can! You’ll need to run your lathe in reverse, and cut from the opposite side of your bowl to do so. Many find tenons easier to cut with a gouge and/or skew, and this would avoid the need to run your lathe in reverse, but if you want to use our tools for mortises and tenons alike you certainly can!