Producing flat wood scales

Purchase a high quality re-saw blade for your bandsaw. Tune up all the settings on the saw (wheels, guide blocks, etc); there are some good videos for this on YouTube. These two things will make a world of difference. Make or purchase a point fence.

If only cutting for small stock (knife scales and such) you could try a high quality hand rip saw.

For flattening a 12 inch disc or 4x36 belt sander would be a good investment. Finish with sand paper on granite or glass. If you have a good router, you could make a sled and flatten with a wide bowl bit.

Once again, if small stock, a large high quality rasp would work. Finish with paper on flat surface as described above.

As a side note, if your hand planes are not cutting well they are either not sharp enough or not adjusted properly, likely both. Getting planes set up just right is much more of an art than using them.
 
Thanks, this is starting to come together now. I will buy a 12" disc sander and work on improving my band saw to get good cuts.
 
Tuning up the bandsaw was mentioned. One thing I've found to help is replacing the blade guides. The ones from the factory generally suck. Pieces of hardwood cut to the same size are a perfect replacement. The best and traditional choice is lignum vitae, but apple or pear wood are good as domestic options. I've ever seen walnut used with surprisingly good results
 
I'd give some more thought to the 9" disc sander if I were you.
Being able to cut and attach standard sheets of sandpaper is very convenient and cost effective.
 
A quality bandsaw blade is everything! Get Norse and there are one or two other domestic made blades. I get the 1/2" 10-14 TPI Carbide tipped for Rip cutting scales
 
I've never liked the 9" disc sanders myself. I've had one for ages but basically never use it. The sandpaper is about 1/5th the price of 12" discs, but it also seems to last about 1/5th as long as 12" discs. Even if the 12" cost slightly more, I'd still rather not change abrasives as often.
If you use it for blade finishing and change grits constantly I can see it being worthwhile. But for handle fitting work I wouldn't recommend it
 
The biggest benefit I've found from the disc aside from the cheaper sandpaper is the versatility of it. Mounting it vertically or horizontally. I just recently changed the orientation of mine. Not to mention being able to run it off of the same vfd that powers your grinder.
Not sure if the harbor freight disc is variable speed or reversible (both functions I use a lot), but it's great to have when you move up the higher grits.
I don't go through paper very fast, but I haven't really messed with the super steels yet either.
But to each their own.
 
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I think it really comes down to what you do with it. A 9" disc with a VFD is basically a power lap, and usually used as such. Hence why mounting vertically is often useful.
For more rough work where you have no need to change grit constantly (flattening scales, cutting angles for handle and bolster fitup, ect) I believe a 12" is better suited. It has a nice big table that is easy to set at whatever angle you want, and a 100 grit blue zirconia disc usually lasts me at least a month or two.
All in all its different machines for different jobs, just like how a 1x42 and a 2x72 both have their place. At under $200 for a new one (and probably in the $50 range for a used one) I couldn't imagine not having a 12" disc in my shop, even with a variable speed 9" disc, belt grinder, and surface grinder.
 
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