Flattening scale wood

[Aquanin]

I am making my 2nd set of scales and I am using some 1/8" X 1.5" X 6" peices of wood that I got cut for me. They has some band saw marks on them so I sanded the heck out of them to get them smooth. Is there any easier way to do this. It took forever and the peices aren't perfectly level. Can I use a hand plane for something like this. Never used one before. Is the wood to small already to plane?

Thanks!!

[PonderingTurtle]

Where they flat when you started?

There are certainly planes that could be used, but they might be small custom planes like those used to make violins.

[spazola]

I would make the wood flat on sand paper. I would put a whole sheet of sandpaper on a flat surface and move the wood on top of it. I would start with a coarse grit such as 60 or 80 and then go up through the grits to 220.

You can use a hand plane, but I think sandpaper would work better if you are not familiar with using a plane. If you do use a plane make sure it is sharp and pay attention to the way the grain runs. I would put a larger plane in the vise upside down and move the wood over the blade.

I have a numerous planes but would most likely do this with sandpaper in my own shop.

Charlie

[English]

I have had exactly the same problem with my wood.

I tried the first time using a dremmel with a sandpaper drum. The wood looked like a roller coaster.
I've tried by hand and decided it was taking too long and things keep moving around.

Finally, I used a palm sander with a low grade grit to remove some bulk and then finished by hand.

Next time, I will buy wood that is planed a little thinner. I think the trick might be to plane or sand the big piece of wood before you cut the scales.

[Aquanin]

OK, maybe sandpaper is the best way to go. Maybe I just need a sanding block and something to hold the wood because all that sanding by hand sanded some of my thumb off too I just put the sandpaper on a flat surface and ran the wood accross it a million times. Any easier set up to do this? Put wood in vise and use sanding block?

[denmason]

Belt sander.

[vgod]

sandpaper sheet on flat surface. use double sided tape on your fingertips to grab the scale. rub with vigor. this is my belt sander untill i get one.

vgod

[Aquanin]

ohhh good idea on the tape.

[PonderingTurtle]

OK, maybe sandpaper is the best way to go. Maybe I just need a sanding block and something to hold the wood because all that sanding by hand sanded some of my thumb off too I just put the sandpaper on a flat surface and ran the wood accross it a million times. Any easier set up to do this? Put wood in vise and use sanding block?

A file or rasp might be a better choice, they would be flat and remove material pretty fast.

[kevint]

Sandpaper is ok but it's not a plane. Often you'll get uneven abrasion of the late and early growth. As long as you don't expect invisible glue joints sandpaper on flat substrate will do.

When I have to lap and dimension a thin small piece of metal, a spacer for example I'll glue a handle to it, just a stub to hold onto. Or I don't but it's easier on the fingers to do it. Starting with a file (a large one) resting on bench, propped up on my chest while sitting is usual, or whatever, drag it across- progression of finer cut files to progression of sandpaper. For scales or to avoid purchases you could use paper only.

Since the scales are not very long it is probably best to turn the plane over and carefully drag it over the blade, you can still snip the ends with wrong pressure point, using the plane in the normal fashion it is very easy to snip, and never get the thing flat.

It's also rather easy to get your finger or fingernail involved in the cut, I usually don't but it's not a bad idea to affix a small grip with white glue, rice glue, double sided tape maybe... something easily reversed cleaned off. you can push or pull it over the blade with that, while the other hand applies some directed down force. easy as pie.