Mine came rounded. And Roy pointed it out to me when I got into this hobby. Just like he just did. Thanks Roy.
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Mine came rounded. And Roy pointed it out to me when I got into this hobby. Just like he just did. Thanks Roy.
Found this Tom:Quote:
Originally Posted by sharptonn
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerrosafe
Thanks Roy. I was about to ask what it is. What are you going to use for a mould Tom? Silicone usually is the stuff of choice. I bet you have high heat silicone laying around. You could lightly oil a wedge, push it into some silicone and let it cure.
I have not done it in this way but the neatest looking way to cast pewter is to make a mold that looks like a LP record and cast it in the middle while it is spinning.
If it melts at such a low temp, my idea is a length of aluminum angle with some adjustable feet of 2 holes tapped on one edge with 2 screws and the ends closed-off.
Get my angle right and be certain it is leveled with the screws and lay it in with a propane torch.. Will then be a bar of wedge to be cut off and shaped.
By changing the angle and gauging the depth, different thicknesses/angles can be made.
If you cast them they could be 90% or more finished.
But finished for what?
Yes i can see your point.
Sort of like a multiple size sinker or jig mold. You cast ten at a time but are only interested in a couple of them..........
At that point cut to size and clean up the edge. Nice idea Tom. :beer1:
You would have to cast them slightly larger than you want due to shrinkage and then preheat the mold to prevent cold shuts.Quote:
Originally Posted by sharptonn
Sounds like more work than hammering them for low production/custom.
I don't think preheating or cold shuts would come into play, Tim.
With 158-190 degree melt, it should be easy to just flow it in until a ascribed line is met.
Roy's link says it shrinks as-first cooling so removing should be a snap. It also says original size will eventually come back.
Hardest part about making wedges for me is getting the taper. I figure about 4 bars with popular thicknesses/angles would give some wide choices. Taper would be done or close.
Drilling the hole where you want and trimming around the edges to fit has to be done anyway. Any big waste would go back in next time..
How does the wedgomatic handle these questions?:shrug:
Rather than casting a mold maybe press to fit in a mold would seem a better answer.
Ah well....The WedgeOMat is pretty high-tech. It anticipates what you need and spits it out with several others which are close. Almost impossible to keep running anymore, TBH.
Anyhoo, they all get used sooner or later! :D
Looking for my punches so I can finish a strop I'm working on. Apparently, the hammer I wanted to use and the set of HF hollow punches are the only two tools I DON'T know the location of. :banghead:
Jelly, that blade holder looks good. I really need to finish mine when I visit my folks. Where did you get the magnets?
Haven't had hot water more than two days straight for a couple weeks. Getting frustrated maintenance can't get it fixed. They turn it on and it resets/turns itself off by the next day. Guy tried something else and that hasn't worked either.
Tom, I look forward to your results and report!
You know it really does make one wonder how those lead wedges were mass produced all those years ago. We know that there was a ton of hand work from start to finish. I'm wondering if there were molds to get them close then finished per razor by hand--:shrug:
I bet it will be the last place you look...Quote:
Originally Posted by JP5
Where did you leave/put them last?
Where did your other half put them?
The best way to find them is to buy another set and you will find them within 2 days!:rofl2:
Quote:
Originally Posted by 32t
I will give it a go and report back. Meanwhile.....Sanding on the Stenton.Quote:
Originally Posted by cudarunner
Michael's craft supply. It was a pack of 6 for $5. Pro Mag is the brand. They're pretty strong, mine will hold a full size Scottish dirk vertical. That's why I put them as close to the vertical wood as I could to interact more with the spine. I used it with my swirly Geneva with a 6/8 full hollow and had no problems.Quote:
Originally Posted by JP5
Sorry for the small pic, I was guessing on the size since it's a pretty long blade. But gets the point across.
An excerpt from the wiki link on that strange alloy Tom has. I'm not a metallurgist, so much of the subject is Greek to me.
Perhaps someone can explain the last part:
""The alloy contracts during the first 30 minutes, allowing easy removal from a mold, then expands during the next 30 minutes to return to the exact original size. It then continues expanding at a known rate for 200 hours, allowing conversion of measurements of the casting back to those of the mold.""
... So it continues expanding for 200 hrs?
*At a "known rate"... So at a specific time another mold can be made which will be larger than original?
What size increase does it stop at?
Will you need to wait 200hrs before using the wedge as to not bust your pins or scales?
Cool stuff there Tom! Very interesting.
I did not exactly follow all that either Mike, but what I took from it is that it won’t be a stable size for up to 200 hours. So if Tom is going to make some long strips it will be fine. I also imagine that amount of expansion is pretty tiny on something the size of a wedge.
That is exactly what is going to happen, just watch.Quote:
Originally Posted by 32t
I like the idea of a small mold you can put some lead in and, to quote Barney Fife, "pow pow pow." I believe that is what someone mentioned earlier.
Just a rough idea for making bars that can be cut up into desired sizes. You would only need two flat pieces of metal held at the desired angle to create the mold.
Attachment 307332
EDIT: Dang it. Took the photo portrait style and it STILL got flipped.
FWW
using two form strips . . . (Now as above...)
Could be a good way to make a wider stick and cut off the needed lengths at the proper length...
BUT:
Make the width of the wedge from thin end to wide, wider than usually needed. Like making a wedge for thick blade. It has as to be wider than the usual, Then add extra beyond that.
OK, how often have you cut/ sanded a taper of material and after measuring cut the thick end to the blade width needed. and then cut the thin end off???
JMO
~Richard
this is from a few years back but it is how i cast wedges with pewter. FWIW
I haven't read all the posts, but if I the illustration I posted was something that had already been discussed it was unintentional. I just saw where someone mentioned making lead bars.
I found my punches! No one needs to lose sleep over it. :beer1:
So have any of you ordered from these guys at Gilmer Wood Company? https://www.gilmerwood.com/search/re...peghead+veneerTheir 1/8" guitar peghead veneers seem well-suited for razor scales. I'm thinking that I'm going to focus mostly on wood this summer, and am just scrounging for sources. I have already ordered from Bell Forest and Wood Turningz with great products and service.Quote:
Originally Posted by JP5
I would try it out only if they could book-match a couple pieces for me. Being 4" wide on many of those, that would put you at not a bad price.Quote:
Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad
Of course, you will always get more bang for your buck if you buy a big piece of wood and cut it down, which is what I prefer.. But that's more money. Better deal, more money.
If you don't mind it not book-matched, and want to try out more varieties, then they look like a good one.
Though I haven't shopped around for a while, so I can't compare to other companies.
Have you been shopping around?
Good luck in your search, there are so many beautiful woods, each scale a unique work of art..
Looks like so nice pieces. Let us know if you order. Love those Rosewoods.
Thanks Mike and Jerry-I'll report back if I get any of their stuff. Jerry, I'm fixed for life on rosewood. I literally have planks of it from a trade years ago. I just have to cut it down. I'm more interested in Blackwood at the moment (which is also in the Dalbergia/rosewood family).Quote:
Originally Posted by Gasman
I haven't gotten to make any new scales in a long time so I haven't been ordering online. I'm not familiar with that site.Quote:
Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad
Speaking of guitars, I remember seeing some fretboard blanks online that looked like they would work well. I believe they were also 1/8". It was some time ago so I don't remember the dimensions. Fretboards are usually made of rosewood, ebony, or maple. So, there are some good options.i bet Birdseye maple would look nice.
Joshua-IIRC, theirs and most other fretboard blanks are 3/16"-1/4" or so thick. Workable, but that's still a lot of expensive wood to plane or grind off to the correct thickness. Any time I can find blanks that are 1/8" or so, I'm a happy camper. Not so much work and waste.Quote:
Originally Posted by JP5
I can’t speak to the pricing of the wood blanks, but they sure have a nice selection, and at 1/8” they are somewhat close in size to what you want. When I first started making scales I thought is was going to be all about the wood blanks until I found bone and now it’s almost all I do, but I have sure seen some others make some stellar wood scales. I hope you go for it. It’s not easy to find wood that looks amazing in such small pieces.
I agree! After receiving blanks at 3/16 from friends and companies, I'll no longer buy or trade for wood unless it is 1/8" OR at least over 1/4".Quote:
Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad
If it's just under 1/4" then it's too hard to split and I end up having to waste wood, burn through my Japanese pullsaw, and spend hours sanding it to the right thickness. If I had a belt sander of some kind it would still be a waste.
So those blanks look great. Otherwise go to Cook Woods or another company for big chunks.
The people at Cook Woods were really helpful, sent me emails with specific pics, helped pic what I asked for, and I know they will be honest about the "cure condition" of the wood.
Last time I purchased wood on e bay, it still had a year to cure!
EDIT: I prefer wood over horn. Can't beat the variety of beauty.
+1 to this. I ordered a couple of ebony blanks for these folks here: https://www.allenguitar.com/ftbd_blnk_eb.htm and they were absolutely beautiful. Two issues with regard to scales though. Apart from the thickness (their fretboard blanks are 5/16"), if you want to use a fretboard blank for scales, make sure it isn't pre-slotted! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad
Mine are actually going onto guitars, so that wasn't an issue for me. Just thought I'd flag it for anyone planning on using this as a source for scales.
What, you've got something against slotted razor scales?!:hmmm:You could lay in some frets, maybe a high-E string and bridge pin at the pivot, tuner on your wedge end, and use your metal brushes for a slide haha!Quote:
Originally Posted by Cangooner
My mistake on dimensions. Haven't dealt with guitar stuff in a LONG time.Quote:
Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad
Hey hey!!! There's an idea for some scales..Quote:
Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad
Could be a fun project.
:idea:
Or you could make a ukulele that was also a traveling shaving kit. Use the back as a paddle strop!!Quote:
Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad
Quote:
Originally Posted by JP5
Who says we never have any fun around here?!?!!?
Attachment 307425
