Custom made scales. a How-To... PICTURE HEAVY

[PTRSAK]

I've had a few questions from members about making scales so I thought I would document the process with the next pair I was going to make.

This set are from "Woodland Camo" acrylic resin but the process is basically the same for any of the materials I have used. The major part of the difference is in the finishing.

So, here we go.

Starting with the "patient" that is going to receive the transplant.

108mm Solo


The block of resin as bought online.


Setting the rip fence on the bandsaw using an original scale for reference. You could also just measure it.


Cutting a blank "slice" of the material


Two slices. There is room to get both scales for a 91mm or 84mm knife from one slice, I'm using a bigger framed knife here. BUT I will be saving the offcuts for other projects.


As you can see here, when you place two slices with the faces from the cut between them up, you get a "bookmatched" or mirrored pair.
This means you can get the same pattern on both sides of the knife.


Choosing the most interesting part of the blanks to make the scales from and marking out by tracing around the original scales


Cutting out the shape of the scales "just" outside the line


I mark the inside of the scales so I know which is which and which edge goes toward the blade.


Notice how the insides do not have matching camo pattern like the outsides will have.
Of course you may prefer not to match them up, but the same process works for wood scales with highly figured grain.


Well, that's as far as I got tonight so I will continue later with drilling the bushing holes and shaping and finishing of the scales.

[WWW]

Looking forward for the final results!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

[RamoN]

Thanks for this generous tutorial, some day im going to give it a try and rescale my ranger 

[captain spaulding]

 


I need a pair of those!

[detron]

yes,  thank you.  now I just need a bandsaw....

[RamoN]

Well if you prepare a nice work bench and have patience a jigsaw is cheaper smaller and can get the job done just as well. Might require extra sanding afterwards but it should be enough.

[detron]

Well if you prepare a nice work bench and have patience a jigsaw is cheaper smaller and can get the job done just as well. Might require extra sanding afterwards but it should be enough.

need a bandsaw,   or a jigsaw

[MadPlumbarian]

Nice job, can't wait for the end result! JR

[n4vgm]

Nice touch on the bookmatching!   

[lowtech]

 

[Sparky415]

What he said!   

 

[Syph007]

Cool a 108 mod.   

Someday I gotta take one of those apart.

[PTRSAK]

Cool a 108 mod.   

Someday I gotta take one of those apart.

Looks like it's just pinned through bushings the same as a 91mm SAK so existing techniques would all work.

I've spent a bit of time wondering if the solo spring from one of these would allow fitting of scissors to a GAK or a Trooper. That would be a cool knife.

But the only GAK I have is an I.C.A.R. not a Vic' and I am not sure they are 100% compatible. Maybe 99% but still, I'd rather use a Vic if I was going to bother with doing it.

Might keep my eyes open for a Vic with a worn blade, then I could use the blade from the Solo to freshen the finished knife up.

[PTRSAK]

Derailing my own thread for a minute...

I'm not the first to fit custom scales to a 108, as this photo of a very cool orange G10 scaled example shows.

[enki_ck]

Yes, Spork also did a very cool blue one.



http://forum.multitool.org/index.php?topic=38918.msg624483#msg624483

[PTRSAK]

exposed rivets...  nice

[Fattsgalore]

I need me some power tools, and somewhere to put them...

Like custom scales a lot. Would love to make some from layered comic book pages and resin if that's even possible...

[detron]

I need me some power tools, and somewhere to put them...

Like custom scales a lot. Would love to make some from layered comic book pages and resin if that's even possible...

a friend of mine made a set of these (found the same picture I just uploaded)  so I have been thinking of a simple comic book covered scale




I know those are shoes, but the idea seems perfect to do to a scale are two

[Fattsgalore]

That's cool. Don't know how that particular method would lend it's self to a tool though. Think it's more show than go...But real cool.
Do mine up with some X-men.

[PTRSAK]

How about this?

[Chaka]

I remember that one. I has several printed images of Jessica Rabbit bonded with epoxy, doesn't?

Sent from my GT-S5830i using Tapatalk 2

[PTRSAK]

It's Paper Micarta made with printer images of Jessica laminated together with Polyester casting resin...

ANYWAY, let's get this thread back on track.

I prefer to make my scales a snap on fit like the genuine ones so the holes are a fraction smaller than the barb on the bushing. BUT they have to be in exactly the right place.
This is how I get the bushing holes in the right places.
If you are squeamish, look away now.

Yes, this method wrecks a pair of scales, but I find it is the most accurate short of having a mill to drill the holes in perfect position.


Get a drill that is a few 10ths of a mm smaller than the bushings. If you have removed the scales carefully and not wrecked the existing holes, the drill size you want should fit nicely in the original holes that the bushings press in to.
Drill into the bushing holes and right through the scales.
This will now give you a pair of drilling templates.


You will need to sharpen the drill bit so it has a nearly flat end on it, preferably with a central spur. This will enable you to drill the holes deep enough for the bushings without going right through if you are making the scales as thin as standard ones.
Measure the height of the bushings with a vernier caliper so you can check the holes you drill are deep enough.


Holding the drilling template FIRMLY against the scale blank, drill the first hole.
Then place the shank of a drill the same size in the hole and drill the other end hole.
Pin this end too and drill the middle bushing hole.


Remember to cut a hole to fit over the 4th pin without a bushing. I usually do this with a bit in my dremel.
With the 108mm scales there is also the lanyard hole to drill.


Here are the rough shape blanks pressed onto the bushings and ready for a date with Mr Sander.


Sand the profile of the scales down until they match the shape of the liners.
Go gently here as it is easy to take off too much material. If I am rescaling a pre-loved knife I try to just clean up the edges of the liners at this step. If it's a new knife I try to get as close as possible without sanding the liners.


On this knife I am leaving the scales very slab sided so will only round off the corners.
On other scales I have made the whole side a single smooth curve.


IF this knife was going to work for a living and the camo was supposed to be functional, I would call it finished right here.
It has been sanded with a 150 grit belt which has left a smooth but non reflective matte surface. It is also nice and grippy.


BUT, this one is allowed to be pretty so after 150 grit comes 280, 400, 600, 1000, 2400, 3600, 6000 and finally brasso.



... and that's one way of doing it.

With wood I generally sand to 1000 grit and then finish with boiled Linseed oil.

[MadPlumbarian]

Nice job! Came out nice!! JR

[enki_ck]

Looks good. And nice polish on the scales.

I use masking tape to transfer the holes from the original scales to the blanks. Glue the tape to the scale, mark the outlines and the holes, glue the same masking tape to the blanks and cut/drill along the lines (or transfer them using a scriber or X-Acto knife).

[PTRSAK]

I've tried various tapes, papers, card stock etc but found it's not quite good enough to get interference fit holes located accurately enough. It's okay if you are making the holes bigger and gluing the scales on.
But then again, perhaps it's my $59 drill press   nah, that's a piece of precision chinese machinery.   

[tosh]

I've tried various tapes, papers, card stock etc but found it's not quite good enough to get interference fit holes located accurately enough. It's okay if you are making the holes bigger and gluing the scales on.
But then again, perhaps it's my $59 drill press   nah, that's a piece of precision chinese machinery.   

Couldn't a spare liner do the trick??

[PTRSAK]

I've tried various tapes, papers, card stock etc but found it's not quite good enough to get interference fit holes located accurately enough. It's okay if you are making the holes bigger and gluing the scales on.
But then again, perhaps it's my $59 drill press   nah, that's a piece of precision chinese machinery.   

Couldn't a spare liner do the trick??

That works almost as well. But it relies on the bushing size drill centering properly in the pivot pin holes in the liner. I have a couple of sets of 84mm liners that I use for my Recruit and Sportsman/Tourist scales .

But in a case like the 108mm I did here I didn't have any spare liners, just the removed (and to be discarded) scales.

I guess the point is, there are several ways to do it, the ultimate being machining up a jig to locate and drill the holes and cut the shape with a router or even doing them on a CNC router.
I want one of them, but keep thinking of how many sets of scales I would have to sell to break even.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/PROFESSIONAL-CNC-4-AXIS-ROUTER-ENGRAVER-MILLING-DRILLING-DEVICE-NEW-i8-/121223900308?

[Mr. Whippy]

Fantastic tutorial.  I'm going to try this with some oak scraps from the cabinets and I'M GOING FOR THE PRESS FIT DAMN IT!

[tosh]

I've tried various tapes, papers, card stock etc but found it's not quite good enough to get interference fit holes located accurately enough. It's okay if you are making the holes bigger and gluing the scales on.
But then again, perhaps it's my $59 drill press   nah, that's a piece of precision chinese machinery.   

Couldn't a spare liner do the trick??

I guess the point is, there are several ways to do it, the ultimate being machining up a jig to locate and drill the holes and cut the shape with a router or even doing them on a CNC router.
I want one of them, but keep thinking of how many sets of scales I would have to sell to break even.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/PROFESSIONAL-CNC-4-AXIS-ROUTER-ENGRAVER-MILLING-DRILLING-DEVICE-NEW-i8-/121223900308?

You're not the only one that wants one!! 
I actually thought of buying the router copy jig - poor mans CNC!!

[singleshot03]

Thank you for sharing those steps.  one of these days..

Jim