Thread: Making Scales From A Tree I Cut Down?

I know I haven't been here in a while, been busy with a motorcycle restore and restoring four blades...

So I cut down a tree a few weeks ago, forget what type, but its a relatively hard wood with beautiful lines and decided I should use it for my first attempt at scales. Cut a block out of a branch, planed the sides, and getting ready to start carving and cutting. Any special things I should do to the wood to get it ready? It seems relatively dry, but should I pop it in the oven for a few hours? Any suggestions on what I should do? Thanks a lot!

I'm not sure of the process of kiln drying, or accelerating drying in the oven, but it's generally recommended to allow one year of air drying per inch of thickness. Your timber is probably not too stable yet & you may find your hard work is in vain. I'd do some internet browsing & see what info you can dig up.

Hi,

If you do not have a special oven for drying wood, i wouldn't recommend doing it in the kitchen oven either. The smell might be surprising and longlasting.
Cut the wood into blocks of say 10 x 10 cm (lenght depends on what you are going to make of it) and let the wood dry for at least a year to prevent in bending later.

That piece of wood is "green" and needs to be properly dried before you attempt to use it. If I were you I would saw off any bark and make it somewhat rectangular, paint the end grain with any old paint so that it dries uniformly and store it in my garage for 6 to 8 months with some weight on it to prevent warping, cupping and bowing. After that move it to a location with even lower relative humidity, like inside your house, and let it dry another 6 to 8 months. Once the moisture content of the wood is close to that in your house, you should be safe to work it.
Do anything with it while it has too much moisture content in it and it will split, warp and go all over the place.

Or if you are in a hurry, read up on the web and see what you can do to similate the kiln drying process.

Marc

if you are really impatient you can weigh the sample(accurately)
put in "hot box" light buld kiln. when it weighs the same day after day it is dry

Go to the a local wood store and pick up some scraps of exotic wood. This is something I will love doing in the winter as I have some excellent razors that deserve better scales. The final version of the scale should be have a quality oil rubbed into it a few times.

Pabster

What's the process (equipment needed?) for ripping 1/8" strips?

That's been the major issue that put a hold on all my restorations.

Ahhh, great idea of hitting the lumber yard and picking up some scrapes of exotic woods.

I think I may try that!

Thanks for the help guys! Looks like I'll be cutting 1" thick about 2' long strips and leaving them in the garage under weight for a while...

I was gonna do the lumber yard thing, but wanted a razor that I could say I did everything but forge it. Sanded countless pits and tons of rust off, polished to mirror shine, even cut the wood for the scales!

Anyway, I'll work on some others in the box before I finish these scales. I think I've got some time on my hands haha. Thanks!

Originally Posted by c_kyle

What's the process (equipment needed?) for ripping 1/8" strips?

That's been the major issue that put a hold on all my restorations.

My plan is to use a small planer/joiner I have to get it as thing as possible after running it on my jig saw, and then move to a bench mount belt sander if I need it even thinner. Will it work? IDK, but don't see why not.