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  1. #1
    Senior Member doleeo's Avatar
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    I believe I'll be able to get my hands on a hand drill.

    My question is will I need a special adapter in order for it to accommodate a 1/16'' bit which I picked up today.

    I'm really looking forward to getting this project started, even though the scales will be plain ole' balsa.

  2. #2
    Senior Member superbleu's Avatar
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    Ethan, the 1/16th drill bit should work fine with the standard chuck on most drills. It should fit fine in the dremel tool also.

    Also, you may want to consider getting the wood cutting blade for the dremel tool I haven't used these yet, but after the difficulty I had trying to cut even 1/8th inch beechwood (which is only slightly harder than Balsa), I would not want to cut a lot of wood with a coping saw.

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    Senior Member sffone's Avatar
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    Just curious, why balsa? They probably have basswood or some other semi-hard wood at the place where you'll get your balsa, and it will be a whole lot more durable.

  4. #4
    Senior Member doleeo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by superbleu View Post
    Ethan, the 1/16th drill bit should work fine with the standard chuck on most drills. It should fit fine in the dremel tool also.

    Also, you may want to consider getting the wood cutting blade for the dremel tool I haven't used these yet, but after the difficulty I had trying to cut even 1/8th inch beechwood (which is only slightly harder than Balsa), I would not want to cut a lot of wood with a coping saw.
    Bong, thanks for the heads up on the drill bit. Also, I'll have to look into that wood cutting tool for the dremel, sounds interesting.


    Quote Originally Posted by sffone View Post
    Just curious, why balsa? They probably have basswood or some other semi-hard wood at the place where you'll get your balsa, and it will be a whole lot more durable.
    Thanks for the heads up. I'll check and see what else they've got.

    I found some 1/4'' thick woods today at Lowes, but it seemed to be too thick for scales I'm anxious to see what I find at Hobby Lobby.

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    Senior Member leadduck's Avatar
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    With either a hand drill or a Dremel, I'd be concerned about the alignment. A drill press would be ideal but a less expensive (much less expensive) alternative might be a drill press accessory for a Dremel. I'll admit I haven't used the accessory. Maybe someone with experience using one could comment on the accuracy.

  6. #6
    Senior Member sffone's Avatar
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    You might want to consider going online and looking at Woodcraft.com. They have a wide variety of woods that they make available in pieces as thin as 1/8 inch. That's where I buy my wood for scales. And I think right now they have a special going where all shipping is free, so you could order just a single piece of thin stock.

  7. #7
    Brad Maggard Undream's Avatar
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    I had a dremel drill press station, which was $39.99. i got rid of it when I found an actual drill press for $42.00 from harbor freight.

    There is no reason for the dremel drill press, really, unless you can get one extremely cheap/free. It is not very accurate and I had trouble drilling good straight holes on tougher material like micarta and hardwoods.

  8. #8
    Information Regurgitator TheBaron's Avatar
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    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.

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