Mule, tool box

[oregon]

http://www.luthiersfriend.com/robosande ... ander.html

I was considering getting one or more of these jig-guided drum sanders, for use in the drill press, in order to help make scales for the mules. The metal knife blank itself would make a nice jig, I think, if you're doing a flush edge fit.

Anyone using this tool already? Worthwhile?

This looks like an improvement, in cases where you don't want to freehand it, over a plain drum sander for the drill press. I would rough cut the scales(plastic scale material) with a scroll saw then apply this tool, drill and fit the scales to the blank with barrel screws and finish the scale edges to the desired finish.

oregon

[JNewell]

I bought one of those years ago. They're ok, sorta. You will need several different grits, as you'd guess. For occasional use, it's probably OK. One issue is that, depending on how and how much you use it, you will wind up putting lateral force on the quill, which it isn't made for. Sooner or later, maybe sooner, you're going to wind up with a lot of lateral wear and play in the drill press, which pretty much makes the drill press useless as a precision tool.

I replaced it with a spindle sander and find it does a better, faster job and saves W&T on the drill press. I bought the Rigid spindle sander @ Home Depot on sale and it's turned out to be an excellent purchase. There's obviously a cost/benefit analysis that only you can perform here, though.

[Marion David Poff]

I have seen these used by a number of different makers, so they work.

But, the issue of lateral pressure on your drill press is an issue, so, over time you can ruin your drill press.

I think an oscillating spindle sander would treat you best....

http://grizzly.com/outlet/1-3-Hp-Oscill ... nder/G0538

I use one those, but not a grizzly, to shape my mule scales, it worked quite well.

Marion

[oregon]

The base appeal of the linked Jig-friendly drum sander is that I can easily copy the contours of the knife blank onto the scale material over and over again. For example, if I wanted 6 sets of scales, out of various materials (G-10, carbon fiber, wood, micarta & plastic) I could quickly produce them to fit the mules, all with flush edges. When a new mule arrives then I've got scales on the ready line. A drunkard's dream perhaps.

With the brilliant Rigid sander it looks like you are always free-handing the edges so that one set of scales and another set handles would not be interchangeable (each set would be different, with differences of various degrees depending on your skill the day they were produced). I'm looking for ease of standardized manufacturing process. I don't see a way for the Rigid sander to follow a jig.

The Rigid sander is quite appealing, you couldn't be more right JNewell. Now, can I wait for a sale...

oregon

[gaj999]

Sounds like it would only be useful for making removable scales. One inch diameter probably isn't small enough for the smaller radius curves.

You're going to have to hope that different factories in different countries plus normal manufacturing variances give you a flush fit in all cases.

Gordon

[The Deacon]

Don't they make a similar fixture for table routers? I'd imagine that would solve the lateral force issue since, unlike a drill press, a router is built to take side loads.

[JNewell]

Sounds like it would only be useful for making removable scales. One inch diameter probably isn't small enough for the smaller radius curves.

You're going to have to hope that different factories in different countries plus normal manufacturing variances give you a flush fit in all cases.

Gordon

Actually, this is a very good point. One of the good/necessary features of the Rigid and some other spindle sanders is that they have a variety of different diameter spindles, which is critical to get the radii correct. I'm not sure the product in the first link comes in enough different diameters, but even if it does, by the time you're done buying everything you'll have spent a good proportion of a regular benchtop spindle sander. And, for our purposes, you probably don't need to spend Jet dollars on this tool.

[gull wing]

They work, but you must change the sanding cylinder often, what a pain.
I use a 2 x 72 belt grinder with small wheel attachment and ceramic grit belt, they last.

[Bill1170]

Sounds like it would only be useful for making removable scales. One inch diameter probably isn't small enough for the smaller radius curves.
Gordon

A quarter coin is just under an inch in diameter. I just ran a quarter around the tang of a Mule and 1" will sand all the inside corners of the tang except the thumb ramp, which most do not cover with their handle scales. So you should be fine.

If you want to produce multiple scales quickly, a router template with a flush trim bit is your best bet. Making the template will take time and care, but will save time later. A phenolic template will work well and be durable over time. Contour saw the scales 1/16" oversize, then fix them to the template with double sided tape and flush trim the scale on a router table, using rubberized push blocks to keep your fingers away from the cutter. You need really good tape for this so the piece does not shift while routing.

Bill

[oregon]

Don't they make a similar fixture for table routers? I'd imagine that would solve the lateral force issue since, unlike a drill press, a router is built to take side loads.

Ahhh, a router. Yes. You use a flush trim router bit in your router to copy a shape per the below linked instructions.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2307788_duplica ... outer.html

However, and I'm asking anyone here, how do you bring the router to the work, or the work to the router, when you have a C clamp holding the rough-cut scales onto the jig (the knife blank itself is the jig)? I'd like to see this done. The linked description isn't enough for me to visualize the process where the flush trim router bit removes exactly the right material from the scales in order to create a square and flush fit.

If this process was quick and easy I wouldn't even have to use double stick tape to keep both halves of the handle together during the routing. I could router each side separately if the results were exacting.

I confess to having no router experience.

Bill: I wrote the above before seeing your post. So you use really strong double stick tape, and not a C clamp, to hold the template to the scales when employing the router. Why not simply use the knife blank as your template?

oregon

[The Deacon]

Depends. With a table router, you bring the work to the tool just as you'd have to do with a drill press mounted drum sander. With a hand-held router, you bring the tool to the work.

The most important thing, regardless of what tool you use, is to make sure the blade's edge is well covered. A couple layers of masking tape are NOT good enough. Bringing anything into contact with tool spinning at high speed is inherently dangerous. Doing so with an unprotected, or inadequately protected, "Spydie sharp" blade borders on suicidal behavior.