Thread: Scales

Originally Posted by STF

Thank you Mike, you must either be a mind reader or I must be really obvious. That is exactly what I was about to ask

That drum sander looks like a fantastic idea, I can feel an Amazon search coming on.

Drawing the scales free hand is going to be a challenge, art is not my strong point but at least its just on paper so I can keep trying until it looks good eh.

I'm assuming that you will thin those scales and maybe thin the end even more (taper them)?

Making templates from paint sticks is a great idea too, after I make a few I guess I just choose from my collection and don't need to draw freehand any more.

Can I use the same method for bone, horn or even plastic scales?

Can I thin bone, horn or plastic scales on sandpaper or will that hurt them?

Thanks again for the tutorial Mike, any more tips or tutorials you have to offer me will be gratefully received. I think I'm going to need them

Yep, it'll work with all materials.

For thinning scales, it all depends on what style I'm making. If their the flat sided with beveled edges, I'll use my sanding block, and stick. ( piece of 2x10 board, with a sheet of 60 grt. sandpaper held in place with thumbtacks, and a paint stick, or equivalent)

I use it for cleaning up the saw marks, from cutting blanks, and thinning scales.

I use double sided tape to hold the blank or scale, to the sanding stick.



Just peel the scales off on occasion, and check your thickness with a set of calipers.



Also....never thin the scales, from the inside where the blade goes. Only just to remove the saw marks from cutting the blanks. You want them to stay as flat as possible, for a clean and proper fit for the wedge and blade.

If the scales are to be rounded, I keep them glued together. I'll sand them in a triangular fashion, till I get the sides of the scales tapered to where I want them.

These are still in that process.







Once I reach the desired shape/contour, then I'll start thinning and shaping the pivot and wedge ends.

So...flat scales.



Rounded scales.