Cutting Scales?

C

chad1043

Joined
Sep 30, 2007
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I was wondering what peoples use to cut scales. I have a few basic power tools, but was wondering what I need to get into cutting my own scales.

Thanks,
Chad
 
Band saw or mitre saw is mine. Need a little table saw though. Would help keep things nice and flat.
 
A table saw is best. The bigger the better.(But a smal,l portable 10" unite will work)
Stacy
 
OK, I should have stated something. I'm looking at cutting the scales to the shape of the tang. Do you normally use a hand saw or do most of you use scroll or band saws? Would a hand saw be OK?

Thanks,
Chad
 
Oh, sorry, thought you meant from a block to a slab. I usually just use the belt grinder with an 80 grit to get it to shape. I have used a band or a scroll saw for wider slabs.
 
If I have a lot of excess that needs to come off I use the bandsaw otherwise belt grinder with 50 grit belt.
 
Personally I like to keep it in block fashion when I epoxy it onto the handle. It's easier to correct mistakes and to clamp the scales on. Then I cut off the excess using a small bandsaw or a coping saw. I find that the easiest. Using a coping saw is definitely the cheapest way to go and doesn't really take very long to cut off the excess. Then off to sanding and filing the shape of the handle.
 
I second raythebigfoot with the coping saw. With a little prictice. a hand coping saw is really pretty darn fast and it doesn't make near the mess of belt sanding all the surplus.
 
I cut the big excess bits off with a power jigsaw ( bandsaw would be better if I had one), and then do most of the stock removal with a belt sander ( just a portable belt sander clamped upside down) Its easier to get nice rounded contours on a sander
 
I use a table saw to split blocks into scales, it is a 10" craftsman saw with this blade. it has a super thin kerf so you do not lose a lot of material splitting the stuff. I made a super zero clearance adapter for the gap where you change blades from out of a piece of ipe.
http://www.hechinger.com/web/catalo...es-58582&cid=D62E107590C753C8F638BB5448429BB3
after that I use the bandsaw to profile it. and for true flattening I use the disc sander to get the mating surface perfectly flat. belt sander, round files, sandpaper wrapped files to shape.
 
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