Thread: Scale stock too thick

I recently picked up two slabs of buffalo horn off eBay, 6 1/4 x 1 1/2 x 3/8. I'm looking forward to making a couple sets of scales from them, but I hate the idea of wasting so much material sanding it down from 3/8 to 1/8 thick. My "shop" consists of a belt sander, a scroll saw and a Dremel drill press thingy. How can I split the 3/8" pieces into halves? I could do it with the scroll saw, I guess, but there's no way it would be a straight cut. What's the right tool for this job?

Band saw with an accurate fence,scroll saw would be a mistake IMO

if there is a cabinet or custom wood shop near by you might be able to get it slip for little or nothing. It's amazing what you can get for asking.

I have split wood with a scroll saw and it wasn't all that fun. I used a straight block of wood and some C-clamps to make a fence and even then the cuts weren't all that straight since how the blade moves doesn't give you alot of control when trying to split something so thin and tall. More hassle than anything. That is when I decided to get a bandsaw. Never tried to split horn so not sure how it would cut on a scroll saw with how it is layered. Wanting to see what others say.

Even when you cut blanks down yourself it is usual to leave a little material to sand away any striations, etc from the cut and to gradually refine the grits to make it shiny.

I would treat it like that - double-sided tape holding the blanks side-by-side on a flat bit of wood passed over your belt sander. Coarse grit to start with of course, and a face mask - it's going to get dusty and smelly!

Ideally, a decent rasp to even out the sanding and making sure the blanks were square from end to end would be nice.

Regards,
Neil

I managed it by making a jig and cutting the blank down using a fine Japanese pullsaw - it was fiddly but it worked in the end.

What Christel said.

Thanks guys, that helps. I think that, for me, using the belt sander will be the best option. There'll be horn dust everywhere.

I'm afraid I fried my scroll saw trying to cut the horn (not split it). The blade broke and now the saw is clacking away like made. I tried adjusting the tighten/loosen knob, but it doesn't help. Anyone else dealt with this?

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by Christel

I managed it by making a jig and cutting the blank down using a fine Japanese pullsaw - it was fiddly but it worked in the end.

A power tool is not always the answer. I'm as guilty as the next guy on this one.

Sometimes a hand tool is the right tool for the job. You are not making a thousand of these...

i have a bandsaw to use but i still prefer to rip scales by hand. i scribe or draw a line down the center all the way around, cut down about an inch at an angle and then flip the piece (still cutting from the same end) and keep doing this 'till done. this helps keep it accurate as well as making it a little easier since my saw isn't cutting the whole width of the piece all the way down.