Thread: First Failed Restoration

Over the weekend I got to go home to wear my tools live and finish up the work on razor. I had made very pretty honduran rosewood scales. Then, one disaster after another.

I made a real nice wedge out of bone (recycled from some Swiss Army scales I had made incorrectly), but it cracked right in half when I went to drill the hole.

I tried to make some out of some Ash I had lying around, but my bandsaw had gone all wonky and cuts in extreme curves.

Finnally, I picked up a scrap of the wood I had used to make the scales, glued it to the inside of one of the scales and sanded it to fit. It was too thick for the wedge and got a bit lopsided during the sanding part. I got it to where I thought it might work.

Then at last, came the final assembly! Tap tap tap. Tap tap ker-tap crack! The wood split. I attempted to round off the edge, but I just didn't have enough material left for it to work. They are now very pretty kindling or perhaps they can be reincarnated into more wedge attempts for the next pair.



What I learned:

1) I can make scales that I am proud of.
2) Making a wedge is alot harder than I thought.
3) I need to peen slower. I think I over did it, which caused the crack.

The New Plan:

1) Make a new set of scales. I have more rosewood.
2) Find something to make wedges out of.
2.1) And as an addendum to the last point, find a way to make the stupid bandsaw cut in a straight line.
3) Find a smaller ball peen hammer. I think mine is a 6oz.

good luck. post pics when your done.

A suggestion for this problem: Your may have inadvertently taken the set out of the bandsaw blade and the only correction for that is a new blade. Do not throw out the old one till you are sure that the new on tracks correctly.
Another possibility is that the saw guides have been bumped and or the the rear bearing on one of the guides has slipped back and that would bung up a blade.
~Richard

Originally Posted by Precise

2.1) And as an addendum to the last point, find a way to make the stupid bandsaw cut in a straight line.
3) Find a smaller ball peen hammer. I think mine is a 6oz.

I would like to see pics of the mistake as well. Successes don't interest me; there is little you can learn from a success. we see successful pics all day everyday on this forum, but this interests me a lot.
Tuning a bandsaw can be a science in and of itself. I never fully completed the task, but I had a friend who could do it with his eyes closed.
I would also suggest that you drill the wedge before cutting it out it has more meat to support the pressure from drilling. also try to go very slow when drilling this thin of material. Even a duller drill bit will work with a slow feed rate. I also must say that I still have a little trouble with the bit walking with a 1/16" drill bit so if you drill first this won't effect your final outcome.

Thanks for sharing your mistakes.

-G

Common problem! Amen on sharing of goofs!!
One simple method of keeping the small drill from skating on the work is to pre-drill a starting spot by using a xacto knife #11 blade in the small diameter handle, touch it at the spot you wish to drill and dig the tip in a "tiny" bit and twirl the knife till a slight small dimple is formed to start your drill bit. Practic first as if you use too much pressure, the tip of the blade will break off in the scale material.
There are also starter bits which are a large diameter shank with a small diameter drill on the end. They may used by hand or in the drill press and lathe. ('drill countersink' Thanks H.F. for the photo.)

Originally Posted by deighaingeal

snip....I also must say that I still have a little trouble with the bit walking with a 1/16" drill bit so if you drill first this won't effect your final outcome.
Thanks for sharing your mistakes.
-G

Your drill bits might need to be sharpened.
Also, try a 3/32 bit instead of a 1/16 for your pin holes. I cracked three sets of scales before Glen gave me that bit of advice. I have not cracked any scales while pinning since.

5/64

Also to the OP, looking at the sticky in the workshop would give you tons of hints and tricks in all those threads...

There are multiple questions asked and answered in those threads that would have saved you a ton of work and headaches...

Doh! I do that every time it comes up.
I didn't have a 5/64 so I've been using the 3/32 because I apparently don't know where the hardware store is.
But, the 3/32 does work. I'm sure it's a little looser than it needs to be, but I have not had a problem yet.

Also take your time and use a light touch with the ol hammer:-)