How To Drill Scale Pin Holes Exactly The Right Way?

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Now that I'm an old hand at scale making having made with my own two hands exactly one set of scales I want to know how I can improve the process next time I make scales.

Particular I want to know how to drill the holes so they come out just right?

I made these scales...

Here's the link to my first effort and results as a scale maker. In making my scales the hardest part was doing the pins, but the part I felt was the biggest failure was the pivot pin hole. The wedge pin hole luckily was better and okay I think, but I want more than luck.

How do you get the holes just right? Straight? True? Vertical and horizontal and all that in places they should be (you know what I mean).

I used a Dremel with a bit so drilling was easy enough, but not straight enough. How do you get it straight?

Assuming a Harbor Freight drill press is in my future how do you drill those drill press holes so everything lines up? I assume the holes can be drilled in two ways.

• Drill the holes before sanding and shaping so the material making up the scales (wood or plastic or whatever) is flat when the holes are drilled. Does this lead to problems with things not lining up or in some other way with the holes when the scales are bent by the pins and the wedge?
• Drill the holes when the scales are made except for the holes and the pins? How then do you hold all the parts together (the two scales + the wedge) while drilling?

I assume there may be another way, but I haven't thought of it. I'm not even able to get the holes straight and true and even as I discovered yesterday.

Still, my scales came out pretty good for a first effort.

Thanks for any drilling tips.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[eKretz]

Definitely drill with a drill press. That's the only way to insure you get the holes dead square and inline. That insures that you will have a nice centered blade. The way I do it is to rough in the scales a bit for general shape but leave the inside and outside surfaces flat and parallel. Then stick the two scales together with double sided tape between so they stay aligned well. Drill the holes through the scales. Put temporary bolts/screws through the holes and fasten the nuts on the other side. Shape the outside contours until they are close but not quite finished. Next make a slightly oversized wedge and put a hole through. Install it and refasten the temp screw to hold it in place, then finish the outside contours. After final assembly with pins give the contoured area near the wedge a last kiss with the sander if necessary.

 

[seattleshaver]

I tape the two scales together and then use a pin drill (pin vise) and am very careful. I also make a little divot to start the drill so that it doesn't slip initially.

A drill press would be better but I don't have one.

 

[timwcic]

Definitely drill with a drill press. That's the only way to insure you get the holes dead square and inline. That insures that you will have a nice centered blade. The way I do it is to rough in the scales a bit for general shape but leave the inside and outside surfaces flat and parallel. Then stick the two scales together with double sided tape between so they stay aligned well. Drill the holes through the scales. Put temporary bolts/screws through the holes and fasten the nuts on the other side. Shape the outside contours until they are close but not quite finished. Next make a slightly oversized wedge and put a hole through. Install it and refasten the temp screw to hold it in place, then finish the outside contours. After final assembly with pins give the contoured area near the wedge a last kiss with the sander if necessary.

I do everything mentioned above. Drill press will give the best results. Drill pin vise would be a distant second. I would never freehand with a dremel, to many variables and the right side drill bit to match the pin stock is a must. Drill holes after rough out and temporarily hold together with machine screws and finish off

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Thanks, everybody.

Definitely drill with a drill press. That's the only way to insure you get the holes dead square and inline. That insures that you will have a nice centered blade. The way I do it is to rough in the scales a bit for general shape but leave the inside and outside surfaces flat and parallel. Then stick the two scales together with double sided tape between so they stay aligned well. Drill the holes through the scales. Put temporary bolts/screws through the holes and fasten the nuts on the other side. Shape the outside contours until they are close but not quite finished. Next make a slightly oversized wedge and put a hole through. Install it and refasten the temp screw to hold it in place, then finish the outside contours. After final assembly with pins give the contoured area near the wedge a last kiss with the sander if necessary.

This is one of the clearest and most helpful paragraphs I've ever read. Thanks you so much.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I would never freehand with a dremel, to many variables and the right side drill bit to match the pin stock is a must. Drill holes after rough out and temporarily hold together with machine screws and finish off

View attachment 932579

I need to get those nuts and bolts you gentlemen are using. I've heard where to get them but never succeeded in finding exactly the right item when I looked for them. I'm clearly missing a trick.

I used a 1.8 mm drill bit on my 1st scales, but I've ordered 1/16" drill bits to have on hand for my next scales.

I will not be very likely to use the Dremel to drill the holes again unless I can find a way to do it correctly (and I don't want the Dremel drill press gizmo because a HF small drill press is not that much more expensive and its reviews are pretty stellar).

Happy shaves and thanks,

Jim

 

[eKretz]

Well, you could make a drill fixture that clamps to the scales and acts as a guide bushing for the drill, but a drill press is a very handy thing if you work with your hands much at all. And it would be best to have a drill press to make the fixture so that you get the hole nice and square. Sort of a circular proposition.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Well, you could make a drill fixture that clamps to the scales and acts as a guide bushing for the drill, but a drill press is a very handy thing if you work with your hands much at all. And it would be best to have a drill press to make the fixture so that you get the hole nice and square. Sort of a circular proposition.

I like the model though. I'll buy a drill press and make a drill fixture that clamps to the scales, etc. Then I'll sell the drill press on the BST.

Spoiler: Are you kidding?

Yes. If I buy the drill press I'll find lots of uses for it. Let's see. I need a drill press, and a scroll saw, and a belt sander, and a ....

Really, the one thing I can't figure out how to do very well without the proper tool (a drill press) is the holes. The other parts of the project just take more time and more work without power tools.

Of course if I get into blade modification (and I want to modify my Gold Dollar 1996) I need a belt sander.

Busy saving money at B&B!

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chaloney]

I need to get those nuts and bolts you gentlemen are using. I've heard where to get them but never succeeded in finding exactly the right item when I looked for them. I'm clearly missing a trick.

I used a 1.8 mm drill bit on my 1st scales, but I've ordered 1/16" drill bits to have on hand for my next scales.

I will not be very likely to use the Dremel to drill the holes again unless I can find a way to do it correctly (and I don't want the Dremel drill press gizmo because a HF small drill press is not that much more expensive and its reviews are pretty stellar).

Happy shaves and thanks,

Jim

microfasteners.com
>machine screws>hex head>brass
0-80 will fit. they appear to have 1/2" or 3/4" length. you will also need 0-80 nuts as well

>hardware>nuts>hex nuts>brass>small pattern

i have only used them for test-fitting so i tighten them just with my fingers but they also sell a socket wrench for 0-80 size as well

>tools and miscellaneous>miniature hex socket wrench
the 3/32 size says it is for 0-80 hex head bolts - you might actually want two of them, one for the bolt, one for the nut if you are planning to make them permanent

 

[Doc226]

This is what I do

I use double sided tape and stick both blanks together. Shape the outside contour of the scales, once the outside shape is done, mark the holes and drill them with a drill press. Thin the scales and round off, sand and buff until the desired finish on the outside is done. Unstick the scales and make the wedge the proper shape to allow them to bow around the tang.

I then pin the wedge into the scales and screw a small piece of tang substitute into the pivot hole, sand the wedge flush with the scales and then pin the blade in.

 

[Andy77]

The couple times I’ve made scales I used this guy with my Dremel. I avoided having to buy a whole new tool and was able to use the dremel I was already using.

https://toolsourcedirect.com/shop/dremel-220-01-drill-press-stand-work-station/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2Oqx7f2I3wIVzV9-Ch0VnwvkEAQYBiABEgLc_fD_BwE

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

microfasteners.com
>machine screws>hex head>brass
0-80 will fit. they appear to have 1/2" or 3/4" length. you will also need 0-80 nuts as well

>hardware>nuts>hex nuts>brass>small pattern

i have only used them for test-fitting so i tighten them just with my fingers but they also sell a socket wrench for 0-80 size as well

>tools and miscellaneous>miniature hex socket wrench
the 3/32 size says it is for 0-80 hex head bolts - you might actually want two of them, one for the bolt, one for the nut if you are planning to make them permanent

Ah, just exactly what I need to find and buy the right kit. Thank you so much, sir.

This is what I do.

I use double sided tape and stick both blanks together. Shape the outside contour of the scales, once the outside shape is done, mark the holes and drill them with a drill press. Thin the scales and round off, sand and buff until the desired finish on the outside is done. Unstick the scales and make the wedge the proper shape to allow them to bow around the tang.

I then pin the wedge into the scales and screw a small piece of tang substitute into the pivot hole, sand the wedge flush with the scales and then pin the blade in.

Thank you for your precisely worded and helpful explanation. This is of great help to me. I think I've gotten the steps to making better scales and better holes firmly in mind now and I have a baseline method for my holes in mind. Gotta get a drill press.

Oh, this came to mind as I read your post.

I had to read it a couple of times to make the transition from one Tang to another. Do they still make Tang? Not that I want to buy it.

Happy shaves and thanks,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Ah, how to drill holes in scales?

I posted this on another thread but realized it should be here, too, so here it is.

This video, beginning at 5:20, shows how to successfully use a horizontally held Dremel instead of a hand held drill or Dremel or pin vise.

The entire video is worth watching and rather fascinating I think. I've been trying to figure out how to accurately drill holes in scales with equipment I already have or can obtain inexpensively. I have a Dremel. I don't have a drill press. I've tried a pin vise and found out it would not drill through the material I was using for scales, Kirinite. A Dremel will, but how to do it right?

With the cheap piece pictured here in blue, and available on ebay, linked, and my cheap clamp-on vise and Dremel I have the tools I need to make accurate scale holes.

I've not tried this drilling method yet, but it's on my soon to do list. The video is not particularly clear visually, and I had to watch and listen about twelve times before I figured out exactly how the man was holding the scales, where the drill was relative to everything else, and how he was using his knee. The knee is key.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[alpster]

I have a very nice drill press. It even has a cross slide vise, but I prefer to use a pin vise by hand. I don't double tape the scales together until after the holes are drilled and before final shaping/sanding. I then shape the scales to make sure the holes are perfect. In other words, the holes are the reference points for the shape of the scales. The holes dictate the final shape instead of winding up off centered after all the work is done. I hope this makes sense.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I have a very nice drill press. It even has a cross slide vise, but I prefer to use a pin vise by hand. I don't double tape the scales together until after the holes are drilled and before final shaping/sanding. I then shape the scales to make sure the holes are perfect. In other words, the holes are the reference points for the shape of the scales. The holes dictate the final shape instead of winding up off centered after all the work is done. I hope this makes sense.

A good way to skin the cat I think. Nice idea.

 

[Ice-Man]

Let us dig an old post up from the deep.

The way I do it is I have a Dremel & The Dremel stand, right I cut the scales out then stick together with double-sided tape. I then use the old scale as a reference to mark the pinholes and draw the scale outline, then I use a 1/16th drill or a 1.6mm hole in both ends where the mark is.

As I know both scales are flat then once that is done, I then sand and shape the scales to the pinholes. So that way you know everything is in line and you are able to tweak your sanding so it all looks good.

 

[Somerled]

Let us dig an old post up from the deep.

The way I do it is I have a Dremel & The Dremel stand, right I cut the scales out then stick together with double-sided tape. I then use the old scale as a reference to mark the pinholes and draw the scale outline, then I use a 1/16th drill or a 1.6mm hole in both ends where the mark is.

As I know both scales are flat then once that is done, I then sand and shape the scales to the pinholes. So that way you know everything is in line and you are able to tweak your sanding so it all looks good.

Thats pretty much how I do it.

But I was having the devils own time of seperating the the halves and removing all the sticky residue from the double sided tape. So, came up with a little workaround. Apply some thin decorators masking tape to the two halves and then stick them together with the double sided tape. Makes for a real easy job seperating both halves once shaped.

This tip isn't needed if you use acrylic and leave the protective film on. But, if your using kirinite or other materials then this works a treat.

 

[Ice-Man]

I just wipe the glue off with petrol lighter fluid or methylated spirits....

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Let us dig an old post up from the deep.

The way I do it is I have a Dremel & The Dremel stand, right I cut the scales out then stick together with double-sided tape. I then use the old scale as a reference to mark the pinholes and draw the scale outline, then I use a 1/16th drill or a 1.6mm hole in both ends where the mark is.

As I know both scales are flat then once that is done, I then sand and shape the scales to the pinholes. So that way you know everything is in line and you are able to tweak your sanding so it all looks good.

Very good point, sir.

I also drill the holes before sanding, with the two scales affixed to one another. If I screw up the holes at least I've not wasted all that sanding time and effort.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Thats pretty much how I do it.

But I was having the devils own time of seperating the the halves and removing all the sticky residue from the double sided tape. So, came up with a little workaround. Apply some thin decorators masking tape to the two halves and then stick them together with the double sided tape. Makes for a real easy job seperating both halves once shaped.

This tip isn't needed if you use acrylic and leave the protective film on. But, if your using kirinite or other materials then this works a treat.

A GEM blade makes it a non problem in my experience. Maybe we're using different adhesives though.

Happy shaves,

Jim