Thread: 10Pups restores a Reaper.

In this video I show more of what and why. Some of the finer points to my method. Hope this answers most of your questions up to this point.

This is rough shaping the scales with the belt sander. I say rough but I can get them very close as I have been practicing :<0). This is not to say you can't but be advised that you can take off too much rather quickly in 1 spot while you are concentrating on another. I show how I did this in the video. How bad will be determined later when I can actually start fitting the hinge pin bolster to the scales. I do believe this will be okay but if it doesn't we will have a good example of what I am saying. I guess the point of all this is >>You can always remove more material but if you get greedy or careless there is no way to put it back. Instant do over.

Originally Posted by 10Pups

Instant do over.

Hey guy's

10Pups is taking his Mulligan mmmkay...

I mentioned going different directions when sanding in the video. Here is the reason I do this, especially after a rough shaping .
I started sanding with the length of the scales using 220 grit. As the previous grit lines started to vanish I had a few left I wanted to show you.
You see the few lines left on the inside radius, those grit marks are also depressions. If you use your finger or something soft to back up the sand paper you will get the lines out but the depression will stay. Some of these are from starting the belt in the middle of the scale instead of making a long pass from end to end like I said you should do. When the edge of the belt first hits the surface it cuts more like a saw until it bends to match the shape of the scale.



I get these depressions out by using the side of the sanding block. One side is curved and the other straight. Basically I am smoothing out the rough shape and all the divots will be gone after this part of the sanding progression. If I do it right you will see no dimples in the final finish.



Once I know all the flaws are gone the direction of sanding is less important. Then it is just a matter of getting to the final finish.

Ha ha Pfries. I'll get out of this sand trap with a wedge. :<0)

I have all the low spots out and everything is looking AND feeling pretty smooth. Still some ridges from the belt sander passes but I think I am done with the 220 and will move on to 400.



The 220 does a very quick job on acrylic when hand sanding. So much so I started wondering if I cut off too much.
It's time to really slow down and start looking at the details. I am going to start fitting the back bolsters and 400 should go fast enough. I threw all the brass on for encouragement and to see how much sanding needs to be done and where. On the inside radius the back bolsters are very close already. The opposite is true on the other end. The brass names will need some shaping once I get close to working on the finish. You can see the bolsters are still sitting high.



Here is what I am up against.



The ends tell most of the story here. The inside radius is close and it looks like if I sand the end down the edge of the brass should come down and meet the edge of the scales.



The outside radius still looks fat all over and the edges of the scales need to be brought in a lot yet.(maybe back to the 220) I will do this first and then work my way around the end to the other side. Then check the fit again and see what happened. This may go on 3 times or 30 maybe 60 :<0)



This part is a real pain, but it has to be done slow to get it perfect.

The first two pictures are not showing up for me.

It looks like it is coming along nicely 10Pups!

I look forward to each update!

Originally Posted by Chevhead

The first two pictures are not showing up for me.

It looks like it is coming along nicely 10Pups!

I look forward to each update!

I don't know what happened to those pics ???? Somebody grabbed them ? Anyway hope it's fixed now. :<0)

Thanks for letting me know !

Originally Posted by 10Pups

I don't know what happened to those pics ???? Somebody grabbed them ? Anyway hope it's fixed now. :<0)

Thanks for letting me know !

Yep the pics are there now.
Looking GREAT with the brass on it.
You can SEE what it is going to look like!

Originally Posted by Chevhead

Yep the pics are there now.
Looking GREAT with the brass on it.
You can SEE what it is going to look like!

Those scales hold a secret yet to be revealed. No biggy but you know me. :<0)

Oh, and I am still not sure I will use them. I have another color I may make to compare the 2.