Thread: Just a Dremel?

Has anyone ever created a set of scales just using a Dremel?

I have a Dremel 400 series rotary tool and not a lot of room (and NO TALENT whatsoever).

I would think that this versatile device would be ideal in fabricating scales.

Some people have even made scales with no power tools at all!

Yeah, you can do that, it'll just take a little longer. I have never cut the shape of scales with a dremel though. I'm sure it can be done. Be careful!

if you have a router bit for the dremel and can set up a guide, it may not be too bad. on the other hand, a coping saw with a pack of blades is less than 20$ and pretty small.

Yeah you can. I keep wanting to see if I can do a set with just my Surge.

Originally Posted by Windcalmer

Yeah you can. I keep wanting to see if I can do a set with just my Surge.

How about an old folding P-38???

I live on a boat and asked a similar question as to making scales with just hand tools. A friend at the dock and a member here reminded me that I had a dremel. I could see using it for some things, but I just don't have that much control over it to do great work with it. Maybe it's the lack of attention or shhhhaky hannnds.

You should go get a decent whittling knife and spend some time with some good wood. You would be amazed at how fast your hands will remember the wood and how to work it*. Once you get comfy with shaping and carving the wood, then try shaping a set of scales from scratch. Once you have the rough shape move to the Dremel. A sanding drum, and few hours should get you close to something that looks and feels like a set of scales.

Just my 2 cents. But then I have been working with wood from birth. LOL

*((Side note: I am of the opinion that there are certain skill sets the all human have on an instinctual level anyway.))

I just used a Dremel to do a lot of the work in making my first set of scales out of white oak. Since they were for a Wapi, I took one of the Wapi steel scales and used it to trace on the wood (twice) and also mark the holes. After cutting a rough rectangle around the patterns, I drilled the 1/16" holes and bolted the wood parts together with the metal scale in the middle, with the pencil trace lines on the outside. Mount the coarse sanding drum (large drum) on the flexible shaft and it will remove wood like a carving tool. Use about 15K rpm and a light touch, so you don't burn the wood. When you get close to the metal edge, switch to the finer grit and the small drum. Just take it down right to the metal edge, and it's almost done.

If you want scales with a pronounced radius on the edges, rough that in with the sanding drum as a 45 degree chamfer.

If you use the same wood for the wedge, unbolt one side, slip in a roughly-cut wedge, re-bolt, and sand the wedge down to the metal. Remove the wedge and the metal scale, bolt the wood scales back together. The rest, of course, is hand sanding. Remove the bolt from one end and put a small clamp in the middle to sand around the holes.

I haven't used it yet but I just received the Dremel "router table" attachment. It just clamps onto a table top or piece of wood. From the looks of it, it should be quite handy in shaping scales. One of the illustrations shows a small drum sander attachment being used instead of a router bit. Here is a link to Amazon where I bought mine.

The reviews list some limitations but for something the size of scales I suspect it will work out fairly well. We'll see. Perhaps I'll loan it to Dsailing to try.

http://www.amazon.com/Dremel-231-Sha...4827032&sr=8-1