Do you hate it when you learn the hard way?

scottickes

scottickes

Joined
Oct 27, 2005
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I do, cause I just did.

I've always made guards out of a single piece of brass, nickel silver, etc. I decided to try my hand at a stacked multi-material type guard. Starting from the ricasso I had 1/4" nickelsilver, then three spacers (red, white, red), then 1/4" ebony, then three more spacers (red, white, red), then 1/8" nickelsilver.

I had it all epoxied together and roughly shaped. I even epoxied two small pins from the handle side down into it, that went through all the material and about 3/4 of the way into the 1/4" nickelsilver that would be against the ricasso. This was meant to hold it together while I drilled it. Well, at least that part worked. but...........

Then I marked it carefully to begin drilling the holes for my slot. I drilled the first hole, and then took it out of the drill vise to look at it before drilling anymore holes, and my hole had wandered way off by the time it got to the bottom. Aaaaauuuuurrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhh!

It's soooooo far off that I have to start over. I really suck at making guards right now.

When I make the new one, I'm going to carefully drill and hand file each slot starting at the handle side one by one before epoxying it all together.

Any other suggestions? I need to shorten my learning curve here.

Ickie
 
I just drilled each spacer seperatly.
If you peen the last one, then sand off the peening marks, you can get a perfect fit.
 
When one learns the hard way, one doesn't easily forget. :)

You're on the right track, do each piece separately, then pin together.
 
I agree. I usually fit the guard very tight and then I'm a little less precise on the spacers. Once the epoxy is in and the pin has snugged everything up, it's not going anywhere.

Post pics of the completed piece! :)

-d
 
I mark each piece on the top back side with a small file cut or punch mark inside or close to the slot so I know which way they go on when I glue it up and in what order.
Mace
 
I usually make hunters and the like in sets of four or six.
If making a stacked guard, I put a "billet" together of the materials needed, enough to make all six guards. This might be 6inches long. I lay the bar out, drill for pins first and epoxy them in place. After all the pins are in, I cut the slots. Before each piece is cut off with the band saw, I insert an extra length bolt through the slot, it makes a nice handle for grinding.
If making a single guard, I cut the slots in each piece separately.
Learning the hard way is how we discover the easier ways.:D Fred
 
Hey Scott-

I owe you one... so come on up and I'll show you :)

Plus it would just be cool to meet you! :D :cool:
 
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