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I have been making scales and restoring blades on a regular basis now and I have only been using a dremel and hand sanding. I am thinking about stepping up my game and was asking for suggestions on belt sanders and band/scroll saws. I think I am going to get a Delta SA180 for the sander, but is there anything in that price range that I can use on blades too?
Anyone recomment a band saw in that price range as well. Or should I go with a scroll saw?
Thanks!!
For scales, I would prefer the scroll saw.
If i got say a block of 1.5" X 1.5" X 6" wood could I cut out 1/8" strips with it?
I would use my table saw for that. The scroll saw I use has a very narrow blade with an adjustable speed motor it allows for some very manueverable cutting. If you use aband saw, to both rip and cut scales are you going to have to change blade sizes/tooth sizes?Will the saw allow for that?Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquanin
If you want to know a really sweet setup for turning any sized lumber into scales, I'd go with two tools.
1. A bandsaw. Any bandsaw. Grizzly makes some reasonably priced bandsaws that do excellent work.
2. A delta 10-20 drum sander.
If you're on a budget, there is a micro-mark thickness sander that works slow and will only do 3" wide pieces but it'll do the job for you and it's only $200.00.
Nothing like quality equipment, though. A scroll saw, in my opinion, is only ideal for very slow, tight work on small pieces and inside cuts and if you don't have the right thickness of wood, you're screwed.
For wood scales, there are all sorts of ways to work the wood down with belt sanders being one, but not necessarily the best. There are things you can do with a belt sander that you can't do with other tools, but if it's sanding to proper thickness, nothing but nothing will outperform a drum sander, which is made to do exactly that.
Not with a scroll saw. Not straight and not without a LOT of patience. That's where bandsaws really shine, although bandsaws will also cut the profiles you'd want for scales, as well. I had a scrollsaw and only used it a few times. The bandsaw did everything I was doing better and faster (much faster).Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquanin
If pressed, A chop saw could cut slabs for you, but on 1.5x1.5 pieces, you won't have much room to slice pieces. With larger lumber, you can lop off a 1/8" slice pretty easily but as the piece gets too small to easily square and secure, it gets tougher and tougher until it's damned dangerous.... which is why a chop saw isn't a great solution, either. Table saws.... better than nothing, but they're not the right solution for cutting very thin pieces of wood, either.
Thanks, I am trying to get away with minimal equipment at first, but you know how that goes. Thanks for the suggestions.
When you are into stationary power tools you are well past "minimal equipment".
I would look not only at scale making but also at other projects you might do.
I like the drum sander idea they appear to have more general utility than the belt sander would.
If you are going to be doing things that require resawing lumber, like furniture making or turning then a band saw is a very very good thing to have.
If like me you do fretwork or cut jigsaw puzzles a well.... jigsaw or scrollsaw is a must. I can also cut scales, in bulk, on it if I want to. but for me that not even its main use.
You would need to fit a fence, but YES a scrollsaw is perfectly capable of cutting 1.5 inch thick wood and pretty quickly too. Just buy a good one. The cheap ones are all but useless, expect to pay upwards of $400 for a good one.
I've got a video of a pro cutting 1" deer out of 1" stock in less than 20 seconds but I can't link to it (the page is in frames).
Personally I prefer a simple bastard file. It removes wood very fast, it is dirt cheap (got 3 for 2.5 euros in the bargain bin), doesn't make much noise (can do it when the kids are asleep) and doesn't cause wood dust to fly around.Quote:
Originally Posted by PapaBull
Apart from the fact that I prefer working with manual tools, the above are the objective reasons why I haven't invested in a belt sander yet.
I also would like to point out that 1/8" flat wood planks are not always as useful as it seems. A lot of razors (especially the bigger ones) have tapered tangs. If you want to make scales that fit snuggly around the razor, you have to shape the scales around the razor. simple flat wood will not work, or you need to use a thick butt spacer to allow the razor to close without having the tang bump into the scales.
I've shaped scales like that on a belt sander, but it is a very dusty work, and ironically, nothing beats a bastard file for speed when it comes to wood removal. give it a try. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
just my 2 ct.
My vote would be for a band saw and drill press. You can get out wood with a band saw and you can also split a pencil line in half with a band saw. A drill press is a versatile tool, you can improvise a thickness sander for razor size pieces of wood from a drum and a fence on the drill press.
I would do the contour shaping with a double cut half round wood file and sandpaper.
Shaping 1/8 wood with power tools is kind of like shaving with an electric razor in my book. There is nothing wrong with it, but it is just not for me. I enjoy the hand tool process. But by the same token I would rather use a band saw or power tool to get small chunks out of big chunks then do the refining by hand.
Charlie
Yeah, I currently do everything by hand. I get my wood in 1/8" peices. I cut the shape out with a coping saw and use a dremel for shaping and then hand sand. It works great but its slow, especially trying to sand down brass liner with a dremel, ughh...
I was going to mention the Nicholson Cabinetmaker rasps but forgot. They're awesome hand tools and flat out eat wood. Combined with a bastard file for finer work, you can really shape some wood quickly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
I was working on some scales last night and for whatever reason the toxic wood thread popped into my head. Looking at my pile of shavings with very little dust (none airbourne) I thought "breathe this !":rock:
You could buy a small bandsaw for what I invested in my handmade rip saw, just like you can pick up a beltsander for the cost of a cab. makers rasp. Just don't do it:mace:
You can get a decent 9 inch skill brand band saw at lowes for 100.00 it has two motor speeds a work light and laser guide. it also comes with a fence and the table will angle to 45 degrees. You can change blades on it I have a 1/4 inch blade for fine work and a 1/2 blade that came with the saw it is fairly light so its easy to lift and put on a bench and then back on the floor if you are limited on work space like I am. It also has a dust port that will hook to a standard shop vac that you can run while the saw is running and you get almost no dust. Lowes does not carry the right size 59 1/2 metal blades for this band saw but they can be ordered I am sure. Hope this helps
If you get a band saw, don’t waste your time with anything less than a one horse motor. I have a 14 inch Jet which is at the lower end of the price scale but is very capable. I can run 1/8 blades and do near scroll saw level work. The big plus to a scroll saw, inside cuts, you cannot do that on a band saw. I can run 1/8 to ¾ inch blades but a half inch is more reasonable. Add a fence and you can re-saw 1/8 inch (or smaller) slabs off blocks all day long. You could cut scales with the same half inch blade but you are not going to roll the ends, just slow sloping curves. The blades you use will make a big difference. Skip the cheap stamped blades, they are junk, get a good hardened blade. They will cut much cleaner and last a lot longer. I have cut six sets of scales at a time with no issues on a 3/8 blade. Changing blades only takes a few moments.
I use a 6 inch floor belt sander to sand the resawn slabs, a spindle sander to sand the shape (outer shape) and a router to mill the edges of the scales. A drill press is handy as well.
It adds up fast, a set up bandsaw (blades, fence, saw) will end up getting you at least $750, probably more, a nice 18 inch Rikon will tip the scale at near 1,400. Add another couple hundred for an inexpensive belt sander, another 4 or 500 for a spindle sander, 500 or more for a decent drill press. If you think that is expensive, you should see what a good table saw goes for. You can run up a couple of grand real fast on just that. Don’t forget dust collection, something around 3 micron is good, that is another 300.
So the end question becomes what do you want to do with all of it. That is a hefty investment for just making scales but if you want to get into making furniture or other serious wood working projects you will need the proper gear and adequate space to set everything up and have working room. What do you need to make scales, coping saw, sandpaper and a drill, but the other stuff makes the job much faster and enjoyable. I have made a dozen sets of scales in a day starting with blocks of wood, but I enjoy wood working.