Thread: Shop tools

I am going to start making some scales and restoring some razors. I have been doing by hand but would like to make things a little easier. What tools would you start with? Grinder? Band Saw? Do you think a scroll saw would be better than a band saw for scales?

Thanks guys

Before you go to the darkside what if you re-evaluate your hand tool choices.

Just so you know. I really enjoy hand tools. While at times, like when there is a mountain of work, business concerns, I will plug in quicker than anyone. With a small project- most all my projects are small hobby stuff) the fun is in the work. Much like straight shaving, the fun is the challenge, all the sensory delights, and after some practice, in superior results.

Now let's see what suggestions you get for tedious bandsaws and screaming belt sanders etc.

I try to get tools that will serve for a multitude of other purposes - that's how I justify it to myself, at least! I'd go for a combination belt and disc sander first - great for quickly getting scales into rough shape before you finish them off by hand. You have to hand-sand too, IMO - that part is indispensible (and enjoyable!). I can't see any point in tedious hand sanding for roughing-out jobs - life is too short.

Regards,
Neil

Both of the above posts are dead on. Scale making is such a small job that to justify power tools you would need other project plans before you could decide what you want.

For instance I have a scroll saw, but I like to make puzzles, and want to do some fretwork, possibly cut a clock in the future. So I will get full use out of my scroll saw. To use it to just make scales means I would have to turn them out in bulk to make it worthwhile. By the way a good one will run you hundreds, as much as any other stationary power tool.

A band saw can rough in the scales, not as tightly as the scrollsaw, but close enough to go to a sander. Where it really glows though is in re-sawing lumber for your projects.

Personally I also prefer the hand tool route, though I do like my scrollsaw for cutting them out (its fun), a coping saw works perfectly well. After that I start with planing the edges (hand planes) and from there sanding by hand.

Well what would be a good set of hand tools? The basics and then some. I got a job.

A couple things that I find handy: A 16 inch double cut file for hogging away. A pattern makers, or cabinet makers rasp. - I forget which is finer. A scraper plane, dandy for flattening scale size pieces. A block plane. A good whittling knife. Gimlet or egg beater hand drill. A rip, cross-cut, coping saws. For western saws I might choose fairly large back saws- I use 270 and 240 mm Japanese saws. Much smaller files are handy too....

I'm hybrid in that I'll use either a hand tool or a power tool, whichever provides me the most enjoyment and/or the least amount of stress (the two are mutually exclusive don't cha know).

I'm working with buffalo horn for the first time as a scale material. I used a handsaw to rip the slab in half lengthwise (not an easy task) then switched to my scroll saw to cut out the traced pattern (much easier than a bandsaw since I can stop, back up just a hair and pivot or make changes in direction on a dime) and flipped back to a double cut hand file for roughing the horn to shape. The horn does not cut as easily as wood, but it files just as easy if not easier.

Chris L