scale making

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Henry_L

Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
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Two questions for forum pros --

First I'm relatively new to scale making but have done a few rough razor scales by hand. Working with hardwood--some exotic like burl--and micarta, nothing over 3/8 in thick. Band or scroll saw? My sense is that I'll get more precision and quality within my budget with a scroll saw. I've read a lot of negative things about 9 inch band saws (again, my budget).

Second I'd like to find a barlow knife kit where I could do the scales but not the blade. Anything like that out there?

Thanks everyone.
 
Check Knifekits.com for kits. Most of the other knife suppliers also sell knife kits. Kits where the scales screw on will be the easiest to do.

A portaband works for a lot of things and is a good tool when you only have one. Even a cheap HF one will do the job for most folks.
 
Henry_L said:
Two questions for forum pros --

First I'm relatively new to scale making but have done a few rough razor scales by hand. Working with hardwood--some exotic like burl--and micarta, nothing over 3/8 in thick. Band or scroll saw? My sense is that I'll get more precision and quality within my budget with a scroll saw. I've read a lot of negative things about 9 inch band saws (again, my budget).

Second I'd like to find a barlow knife kit where I could do the scales but not the blade. Anything like that out there?

Thanks everyone.
Click to expand...
I get your thinking because u had the same thought when I started out doing slip joint recovers. Here are my thoughts. A scroll saw is worthless IMO. Not even decent at cutting up micarta. A band saw is better but really not by much. Probably because cheap bandsaws aren't all that great. The portaband is a game changer! Mount it on a SWAG table with the foot paddle and it's just great. Wish u had just ponied up and spent the money the first time and went this route.

For the slip joint kits. Just buy cheap slippies and learn to recover them. ;)
 
General consensus is a portaband (even HF model) with a decent blade and your set. A swag table adds to the versatility but theres plenty of DIY table examples out there. I have the cheap HF vertical / horizontal bandsaw and it works fine for scales. Splitting blocks is a bit more of a pain but it also works. I do want a wood bandsaw eventually but that's very low on the priority list. No to a scroll saw.
 
The only comment I would make about the portaband saw and SWAG table is the issue of dust collection - not easy with that, but the facility is built in to most wood band saws.

especially important when cutting rosewoods...
 
Helpful stuff. I have pretty good info that once you have the 1/8-1/4" blanks the scroll saw works great for scale shaping, but is of no use getting to that blank.

Portabands have a lot of admirers; let me ask this: do I absolutely need a swag table if I am going to use the portaband for sectioning into 1/8 blanks? I'd be working with blanks 6x2x2 inch generally.

I understand its a hand held unit but do I really need a swag table to secure the blank?
 
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Henry_L said:
Helpful stuff. I have pretty good info that once you have the 1/8-1/4" blanks the scroll saw works great for scale shaping, but is of no use getting to that blank.

Portabands have a lot of admirers; let me ask this: do I absolutely need a swag table if I am going to use the portaband for sectioning into 1/8 blanks? I'd be working with blanks 6x2x2 inch generally.

I understand its a hand held unit but do I really need a swag table to secure the blank?
Click to expand...
A saw, preferably portaband is only half of the equation. A decent disk sander is the other half. ;)
 
Henry_L said:
Helpful stuff. I have pretty good info that once you have the 1/8-1/4" blanks the scroll saw works great for scale shaping, but is of no use getting to that blank.

Portabands have a lot of admirers; let me ask this: do I absolutely need a swag table if I am going to use the portaband for sectioning into 1/8 blanks? I'd be working with blanks 6x2x2 inch generally.

I understand its a hand held unit but do I really need a swag table to secure the blank?
Click to expand...
Not really. I have the swag table and I really like it, but I've seen other people use less expensive options they built for themselves. Here is a video where Jeremy from the Simple Little Life Youtube channel makes a work table for his. Here's another one from him where he mounts his saw to the wall. These are just the ones I could find off the top of my head. If you search youtube, you'll probably find other examples of makers DIY-ing a work table or stand for their portabands.
 
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