Precision Level

Steve, as you say, you need to pick the appropriate bits from Connelly. However, the basics apply pretty much universally. If you haven't heard this already, I'd strongly advise you to get a carbide, replaceable-blade scraper (or two), eg by Sandvik. The inserts are easy to sharpen, but seem to form micro-chips on their edges, quite readily, so a fine grit diamond plate is necessary. The ones with 'holes' in the diamond surface seem to cause chipping (at least for me...).

Good luck with your scraping. It's slow and physically fairly hard work. If you want to finish the job with pretty crescents, look on YouTube - Connelly's description doesn't make any sense. There are several ways to produce crescents. (Incidentally, the Americans call this pattern 'Moore pattern ', because Moore jig-borers sport it. Another case of the Americans stealing others' thunder, methinks. Crescents were around long before Moore started making machines.)

One point that Connelly doesn't make (IIRC) is that, if you're going to try to gouge out oil-retention 'pockets' (ie a deeply-scraped pattern), it's considered best to restrict these to the slideway faces that face downwards, otherwise abrasive crud collects in them.

As my hands become more arthritic and reluctant to do this sort of work, I can see myself buying a power scraper, should I recondition any more machines. Hang the expense! It'll get the job done, painlessly.

Hopper. You're right, trans-global distances make location approximations on the opposite side of the globe OK. However, The Surface Flatness Co. was in Dukinfield, which is near Manchester, if anyone's interested, and was a really useful outfit, with helpful guys. I think it was swallowed up by successive, multi-national businesses and is no more. No doubt the accountants are happy...