Jigsaw micarta?

W

Whoever Wherever

Joined
Nov 17, 2006
Messages
1,124
Has anyone played around with cutting out and fitting together two types of

micarta such as Todd Begg uses on his hunters and fighters? I want to play

around with this to see if I can get anything cool without looking like his stuff.

Anyone have any tips or experience with this?
 
No. leme see if I can find a link.

Like this
http://knifeart.com/clanbrowandb.html

simmilar I would imagine but with more of a puzzle fit than the other. I like the type of work you posted as well though, Todd shure ha s a good sense of design.
Theres a few better examples on TNK but if I post a link from there it just brings you to there front page.
 
I figured he simply sawed the pieces to fit much as a woden puzzle would be done. I wasnt shure how he got the pieces to stay together though. I guess I could try epoxy. I havent done much with micarta over standard hanlde slabs.
 
BigJimSlade said:
I figured he simply sawed the pieces to fit much as a woden puzzle would be done. I wasnt shure how he got the pieces to stay together though. I guess I could try epoxy. I havent done much with micarta over standard hanlde slabs.
Click to expand...

It's tough to tell from the angle, but if you focus on the edges, the pattern does NOT go all the way through the micarta. It looks painted on or at leas only in the top few layers which would mean it was custom/handmade micarta.

If you want to try to do the puzzle thing, the width of the sawblade will make the pieces fit rather loosely. You can cut these out with a scrollsaw, but there's a science/mathematics to it. Without getting into detail, you can stack the two bits of micarta together, set your scrollsaw table at a bit of an angle so that after you cut the pieces out, they will wedge together tightly. I'd imagine any good epoxy would finish the job.

They do this in woodworking all the time. Look for info on "intarsia" and inlay for more details.

Sorry it's vague, but the process is tough to describe in words. (at least for me, anyway!)

J-
 
Here's a technique that can work. Opposite pieces are engraved out with a laser and filled with epoxy, CA, or polyester. These are tinted CA glue lakes in a solid lasered walnut pen barrel to make the islands. I did earlier prototypes with two different woods lasered and interlocked, but they weren't as solid.

puzzlepen.jpg
 
Todd Begg is a skilled machinist and a wizard with a mill.

CNC maybe?
 
btboone said:
Here's a technique that can work. Opposite pieces are engraved out with a laser and filled with epoxy, CA, or polyester. These are tinted CA glue lakes in a solid lasered walnut pen barrel to make the islands. I did earlier prototypes with two different woods lasered and interlocked, but they weren't as solid.

puzzlepen.jpg
Click to expand...

THAT's COOL!

J-
 
Wow thanks for the input guys, A few things to think about. Now that you mention it it does look like the black is inside the micarta but some of the other pics I have seen make it look like its solid color through it.
 
Since it doesn't go all the way through, he must machine a channel into the Micarta, but not all the way through, then cut the opposite in a different piece of Micarta and sand flush. I don't really like the effect, personally, but I respect the work! I wonder if you could also place a pattern in dye in some of the layers, then press it up?
 
Yes I machine the pockets out and make the corresponding inlay of a different camo color. If you think it is painted on, then I will consider that a compliment!

I do it with my tool room mill cnc, I dial in the inlay peices where they are just less than a press fit, where they will stay in the cavity when inverted and have to be tapped out. I then epoxy them in place as well as with screws. If the fit is good after the 3d shaping, which is done by hand, then there will be a seamless fit. Hope that helps you.

Todd Begg
 
Thanks for the info Todd. Your work is inspiring. I wil have to check out the intarsia method for now and keep saving for a good mill. Like I said i dont want to do anything to simmilar in looks to yours, what would be the point in that but I love the style. Very good looking handles IMO.
 
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