First Attempt

[ph33nyx]

So, after seeing everyone else posting their first try at making scales I became inspired and decided to give it a go myself.
I purchased a few Gold Dollars and some wood.
Here you go.....In Padauk wood

Looks like a got a small crack at the pin area

 

[Luc]

That's a start! You could glue the scales where the crack is before you thighten the pivot or make new scales with a bit more wood around the pivot area. That would be my suggestion, but for a first try, very good!

 

[mdunn]

looking good!

(ps, you need to work on your peening )

 

[ph33nyx]

(ps, you need to work on your peening )

Ahh....you don't like my 18ga brad nail pin?

 

[Blue58]

Ahh....you don't like my 18ga brad nail pin?

Ohhh is that what that is?? I hadn't noticed the scales look great.

 

[Mr. Scruffy]

Great work Drew!

What did you do for the wedge?

 

[ph33nyx]

What did you do for the wedge?

I didn't use a wedge. I cut a single piece of wood in the shape I wanted, then used a saw attachment on my dremel and carefully cut down the center to make the opening for the blade.

 

[TonyGold]

Model shops sell 1.5 mm (or 1/16" or 16 swg - they are all about the same diam) malleable brass rod at about $1.50/ft. Good welding shops sell brazing rods (spelter rods) of that diam for about the same price. Some of the spelter rods tend to be a bit 'brittle' as purchased but can be annealed. I am currently looking at using a concave ended nail drift (punch) mounted in an electric drill to 'round up' the peened end of the pin. It sounds crude but jewellers use much the same technique to put domed ends on rivets, pins etc. Heaven help you if you slip off while attempting this! On the other hand you could do a fair amount of damage miss hitting the pin if peening it in the normal way.