Thread: Help with scales

Ok so I have been trying to make some scales recently and have actually completed two sets but I have one small issue, the scales are too thick. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to trim down the scales? I do not have a planer and I have been unable to find any wood in a standard size of 1/8 inch. Everything I have found to buy in a standard size is 1/4 inch and it is becoming very difficult to sand the scales down to half their original size. Any suggestinos?

Old W & B barber's wedges make great draw knives! Seriously, tho, for no bigger than what you're working on, little "finger" planes are less than $10.00 if ya look around. Should work for some shaping, too.
Just a thought............Mike

Do you have a thin kerf bandsaw or scroll saw? You could shape the scales in the 1/4" form then saw down the middle for two pieces (or saw down the middle but not completely through for a one piece scale).

What are the scales made of?

This is where I get my wood: Exotic & Domestic Woods - Woodcraft.com
Comes in 1/8" X 3" X 24" I still use a 'hand' belt sander to do the shaping and "planing" of the wood.

I use a 4" belt sander bench model. I'll use my 1" belt sander for touch ups before I finish with hand sanding.

Thanks everyone they are all great ideas that I had not really thought of. Hopefully this weekend I can get a chance to work on them some more and hopefully get some thinner better looking scales.

Don't wanta hijack the thread, but I, too prefer thinner scales, but like the exotic woods. Thinking about maybe laminating a thin piece of spring steel in the wood to give it some strength. anyone ever try it?..........Mike

With one of the thin kerf Japanese draw saws, you should be able to split those 1/4 pieces into two that are about 1/10 each.

Mike, spring steel would rust and is heavy. I think something that might be better to try would be to create your own wood micarta with a few layers of linen and resin backing the wood scales, so you get the real wood on the outside and a thin layer of linen micarta on the inside for reinforcement.