finishing mikarta

butcher_block said:
most likly it was pressed to hard and squeezed too much epoxy out
kind of tricky to get right i have trashed some because it just didnt turn out right
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Actually, Butch, it resulted in a change of resin so the cotton cloth would wet better. This person did a lot of development work on his process, down to studying how different preparation (washing liquids) methods worked. Certainly appealed to the tech geek in me. :o

You are correct, though, that pressure is a factor. This was done using an industrial-quality hyrdraulic system that may have been used for book binding.
 
I really appreciate all the help Gentlemen!

Came out OK. Not great. But for my first shot at mikarta, not too bad either.
 
fitzo said:
Do you mind if I ask you what "J" stands for. Is it Joe, as in the "Moto-Joe" I gleaned from your website? I prefer not to keep calling you Mr. Caswell, if you don't object. Seems too impersonal. I would also ask what style of guitar playing you cotton to most. :) I am mostly a blues player. I just got to play my Tom Anderson Hollow-T Tele for a couple days until this &%^$&^% bad hand gave out. Wonderful guitar, always a pleasure.
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Yup, the J. is for Joe, and you're more than welcome to use it, thanks.


I studied Rock guitar under a terrific player named Jim Davidson (he was into Jazz because rock/blues was just too easy anymore). I gravitated to blues myself mainly because, at the time, rock guitar had become pretty 'formula' (late '80s-early '90s). Blues is intrinsically simple and I found it a more expressive platform ---The 'substance' of good blues isn't defined by layers of tricks and mechanics, if you know what I mean.

I haven't been over there lately, but Tom Anderson's shop was/is about 4 miles from my house. He's a very good player, in case you have never heard him.
Right now I have a PRS Custom 24 that's pretty impressive, though I can get more out of my old US-made Kramer Baretta. I was messing with a Tom Anderson hollow strat-style piece the other day. I'll have to see if he likes knives ... heh, heh!

[SORRY FOR THE HIJACK, GUYS!]
 
Thanks, Joe! My PRS Custom is my rock geetar; missus gave it to me one Christmas when we still worked. I've still got altogether too many guitars.:o I prefer lyricism over Berklee-style mechanics in guitar playing. Carlos S. has always been my favorite player.

I too, apologize for my hijack, Andy. I'll stop now. :)
 
Weren't we talking about micarta or something?

HEY! what about a blue jean micarta guitar!!!!
If you get good saturation it should be dense enough. The right resin and it should be strong/hard enough. It should be stable enough.
Could be kind of cool, I think!--guitar body out of a solid block of denim ...
 
i lll get righg on it i have a ton of blue jeans cut up for it
but why stop there i ll make you any color you want:D
i did however think about making a savage 17HMR stock that way
 
butcher_block said:
i lll get righg on it i have a ton of blue jeans cut up for it
but why stop there i ll make you any color you want:D
i did however think about making a savage 17HMR stock that way
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Gun stocks too ... Hadn't thought of that. It seems the possibilities are endless.
 
Hi Guys,
Would anybody be interested in making me some of this blue jean micarta for me to put on a Buck 110? I only need a pair that measures about 1 1/2 x 4 x 1/4. I would take more than 1 set if the price is reasonable.
Thanks,
arksknives
 
butcher_block said:
i like to take mine to about 400 grit hand sanding then light coat of super glue then sand it down lightly to smooth the finish then buff
but thats just me and my home made mycarta
butch
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will 2 part epoxy work the same?

How much pressure do you need? just enough to make it flat or more?
 
I did some in a 12 ton press and it was too much. I then used 12 layers of denim, covered with plastic, then put a 1/8'' 10x12 peice of steel on it with 2-10lb weights. Came out nice. Held in a lot more resin.
 
trentu said:
I did some in a 12 ton press and it was too much. I then used 12 layers of denim, covered with plastic, then put a 1/8'' 10x12 peice of steel on it with 2-10lb weights. Came out nice. Held in a lot more resin.
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Trentu: Have you repeated the process successfully with the weights on both the same material and materials of other weights? How much pressure did you apply with your shop press? I see people using C-clamps, wing nuts and now your "free weight" method. I have been thinking of using the shop press for uniformity, but if the goal is to use minimal pressure, while limiting air pockets and retaining sufficient resin, it may lack the control needed to provide a consistant product.

This is for anyone in the know.

How can you insure an even consistant press at the right pressure?b]
There has to be a standard for producing first quality panels. It would seem that a continuous pressure of a certain degree would be required while the panel dries to get consistant quality results; or is it possible that one can get the same results by using less hardener, verifying complete saturation of the fabric, using a roller or blade to clear the air pockets from between the layers of fabric after stacking them, then using something like the weights to keep the fabric stable?

Is it possible that the wicking problem was due to incomplete saturation, rather than too much compression?
 
I use the shop press now with just enough pressure to ooze out the resin and air. Still use the board and weight method if I am making single scales. Butch makes the best homemade micarta.
 
JCaswell said:
WOW.
I suspect if it'll soak up water, you could get it to soak up something else that's thin enough.
Ideas that come to mind include:

Sending it out to get stabilized (as strange as that might seem.)
Soaking it in penetrating epoxy, wood hardener or even very thin resin.

It kind of stinks that these things tend to become obvious AFTER it's already on a knife.

What did you do with your thirsty micarta? Try any fixes?
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if you had access to a vacuum pump/chamber would it really hurt the knife if you but the whole thing in there with whatever resin you like? Maybe the scales would swell, maybe not. I doubt it would be that difficult to clean up that resin off of the blade if you only used enough to cover the scales.
 
im interested in this mycarta what other kinda materials do u guys think u can use other than blue jeans?
 
inzane said:
im interested in this mycarta what other kinda materials do u guys think u can use other than blue jeans?
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Retread said:
Anybody done any research on this?
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arksknives said:
Hi Guys,
Would anybody be interested in making me some of this blue jean micarta for me to put on a Buck 110? I only need a pair that measures about 1 1/2 x 4 x 1/4. I would take more than 1 set if the price is reasonable.
Thanks,
arksknives
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Not trying to hijack the thread (and I don’t play guitar, but my brother play a great bass…:) )

I have been experimenting. Have a look at my photobucket album:

http://s185.photobucket.com/albums/x45/shadetrees/

I hope to be offering scales for sale by the end of the month. I am waiting for feedback just now on some samples I have sent out. I intend to share that feedback when the time gets closer.
 
and i cant wait to try out the scale set i have on the way so i can bust your balls if need be :)
realy i think m,if we all push foward with this we can come up with some real neat stuff
 
butcher_block said:
and i cant wait to try out the scale set i have on the way so i can bust your balls if need be :)
realy i think m,if we all push foward with this we can come up with some real neat stuff
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great, now I'm all nervous...:o

That stuff was yarn based, we'll see how it acts.

No doubt some real neat stuff will be made....pushing forward!
 
You've got some really interesting looking pieces-have you tried shaping any yourself?
 
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