Thread: Scale Making without major tools

You have all the same tools I did to do my first scales. I did the wedge with a sanding block, I roughed out the scales with a coping saw and used a sanding block to shape em in.

The only thing I had that you don't was the dremel work station. since I only use it for drilling pin holes I got that over a drill press that takes up more room.

Originally Posted by TheBaron

You have all the same tools I did to do my first scales. I did the wedge with a sanding block, I roughed out the scales with a coping saw and used a sanding block to shape em in.

The only thing I had that you don't was the dremel work station. since I only use it for drilling pin holes I got that over a drill press that takes up more room.

I'll have to take a look at the Dremel work station as all I really plan on using it for is scales, plus I'm in a tiny condo.

As for the wedge, should it be a little thinner than the scales or the same width?

I used precut 1/8" thick wood for all the parts. if that is too thick for the wedge you can sand it down.

Originally Posted by TheBaron

I used precut 1/8" thick wood for all the parts. if that is too thick for the wedge you can sand it down.

Okay. I plan on using the same size wood and thought that sanding it was the correct option.

I also just tried my 1/16'' bit in my dremel and it was too small. I'll have to check out the drill bits they sell intended for the dremels I guess.

you can get a chuck for the dremel so you can hold smaller drill bits. If you dull your bit then you can just buy a regular bit rather than spending on the pricey dremel bit set...

Dremel at Lowe's: 1/32" Multi-Pro Tool Chuck

I like using the egg-beater! With coping saw, and half-round file- Those are major tools

I guess you could cut the wedge with coping saw, but I use a small rip saw before dragging the small tapered piece over a file to true it up.

Personally, I'd be wary of balsa wood. If you want a nice balance on your razor (i.e. equal weights either side of the pivot pin) you'll want a heavier wood. Also, if I'm not mistaken balsa isn't the strongest of woods and you may want to go for a more aesthetically pleasing cedar or perhaps red pine. If you're going to do something, you may as well do it well. A scrap piece of nice wood won't blow your budget, heck you may even find one for free. Some houses have nice floorboards, here in New Zealand I know some people who have reused totora and rimu both are hard podocarps and make for nice finishes. Another suggestion may be swamp wood, as some places will sell you a small piece for a small amount. I made a clock for my grandparents from an ancient kauri trunk which had been preserved in a swamp, it was an estimated 1100 years old. Wood like that is quite hard (I don't think it was completely petrified) and with the right sandpaper can come up with a nice shine (try 80, 120, 240, 320, 400, 800, 1200, 2000 grit sandpapers on it, which should only set you back $5-10).

If you don't understand the names in there, they're Maori names for the trees, I think you'd probably understand the Latin names about as much, but Rimu is similar to red pine, totora is similar to a hard pine and kauri is a light wood, similar to cedar, I suppose.

Anyway, that's my two cents,

Joundill.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...wers-here.html

Read through here....

Every single question you have asked and some you haven't even thought of yet, are there...

The easiest way to start is with 1/8 in stock from www.bellforestproducts or Woodcrafters... If you are shipping it in get it from Bell Forest...

Although it is in the sticky also, the wedge is a general rule of thumb, you start with stock that is half the size of the Tang thickness...

Glen,

I have had my nose buried in that reading for quite a while now.

Thanks for the link to Bellforest, hopefully I'll be ordering a couple blanks from them soon. Just curious how many sets of scales can you get from one blank?

Also, anyone have any extra Size 0 washers? Looks like I won't be ordering mine for a little while...