Bullets Hurt Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 I made this blade and then I realised there is no hardwood in my area. I'd like to make micarta but I don't think people use fiberglass resin in Puerto Rico for much, so I can't find that in the hardware store. Any Ideas? Forgot to mention that the delivery services don't ship here so I can't just buy blanks. I'd really like some help guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockstar.esq Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 It's hard to imagine that any place with boats wouldn't have fiberglass at stores near the shores. It's also hard to imagine any place in the tropics would have a shortage of hardwood. Dunno, maybe bone? Butchers could probably help you out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironsmith Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 try corian. a countertop material similar to plastic, somebody that does home remodels my have scraps from the sink cut out... just an idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullets Hurt Posted July 17, 2014 Author Share Posted July 17, 2014 We don't really have that many boats, most people that have boats are fishermen and people here just fish by the lake or rivers. We have redheart but there aren't really any lumber spots to buy stuff. Butcher is a good idea. I'll see If I can find one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullets Hurt Posted July 17, 2014 Author Share Posted July 17, 2014 try corian. a countertop material similar to plastic, somebody that does home remodels my have scraps from the sink cut out... just an idea You mean that fake rock looking stuff? How does it deal with heat? I have an uncle that makes countertops. And sorry for the double post, my phone got wonky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 Not sure about where you are but some shipping pallets here are made ofhardwood ,, a used pallet would have a lot of wood in it...if you can find one......Used furniture stores may have some things you could break down for wood..Dressers,,chairs anything..and if they are broken the price may be better.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcornell Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 PVC pipe has promise - it can be glued in layers to make various depths. It can be softened in a pot of boiling water and then shaped into almost any shape you can think of - but I usually just smash it flat. The pre-printed lettering comes off with pvc pipe cleaner or a little sanding (wear a mask). When people ask, I tell them that it's Appalachian Ivory. No elephants were harmed, but some hydrocarbon molecules were seriously inconvenienced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 PVC pipe has promise - it can be glued in layers to make various depths. It can be softened in a pot of boiling water and then shaped into almost any shape you can think of - but I usually just smash it flat. The pre-printed lettering comes off with pvc pipe cleaner or a little sanding (wear a mask). When people ask, I tell them that it's Appalachian Ivory. No elephants were harmed, but some hydrocarbon molecules were seriously inconvenienced. Now that's awesome! you could make some kind of pvc-mascus if you get white, black, and recycled water purple, and green pipes and laminate them together with pipe glue! pretty limited in terms of what you can do with the pattern but you could probably still get an interesting stacked leather look to it at the very least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullets Hurt Posted July 18, 2014 Author Share Posted July 18, 2014 Hey guys, thanks for all the responses, I'm going to try making scales from some pvc pipe I had laying around, but I'm also going to try to get some corian in case something goes wrong with the pvc. What kind of glue should I use? Just normal contact cement? I appreciate every reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 hardware store PVC cement will bond them together, I don't know exactly how well it will perform long term in that particular environment, as they are formulated to just be set and buried and left alone. I would also avoid leaving PVC scales in the sun regularly, as PVC gets brittle when exposed to direct sunlight over long periods of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullets Hurt Posted July 18, 2014 Author Share Posted July 18, 2014 ^^^ Cool, thanks for the help. I've been having this problem with the pvc, I can't seem to get it fully flat. Am I supposed to leave it the boiling water until it softens or for how much longer? By the time I clamp it down it's already half stiff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironsmith Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 just a caveat, "corian is somewhat brittle, it can crack if it falls to the floor. It is easy to shape and very hygienic therefore it is best to use it on kitchen knives. Also if it is made well it is dishwasher safe and well polished handle is bacteria free." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullets Hurt Posted July 18, 2014 Author Share Posted July 18, 2014 just a caveat, "corian is somewhat brittle, it can crack if it falls to the floor. It is easy to shape and very hygienic therefore it is best to use it on kitchen knives. Also if it is made well it is dishwasher safe and well polished handle is bacteria free." Yeah, I read that, but I'm alright with it. It sounds like peening the pins in can be a pain, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 What about scraps of hardwood flooring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullets Hurt Posted July 19, 2014 Author Share Posted July 19, 2014 What about scraps of hardwood flooring? I wish I could some of that, but no one has hardwood flooring here. And houses are all made of cement, so none of that stuff either. I think I'll just use the corian, The pvc flattening has me frazzled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmccustomknives Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 Rich is right about the shipping pallets. I have found some amazing woods on the lowely pallet. My personal pocket knife has scales from a pallet (walnut). You can expect to find anything from poplar to curly maple from the states. Over seas I see a lot of mahagonies, even once found some coco bolo. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 How about some epoxy and the motherboard off a junked computer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullets Hurt Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 How about some epoxy and the motherboard off a junked computer? Has anyone done that before? It seems too papery to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BM454 Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 What I've seen, driftwood tends to be hard. Most of the time it's already weathered down to the heart wood. If you have large streams or rivers, that's the place to look. Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Has anyone done that before? It seems too papery to me. Some micarta is paper and resins. So after its bonded in the resins, what could be a problem :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullets Hurt Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 Some micarta is paper and resins. So after its bonded in the resins, what could be a problem :) Yeah, I guess you are right. :) If I mess up parking over the pvc, I'll take apart an old labtop and some old mp3 players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
me miller Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Got any axe,hammer, or hatchet handles. They are probably hickory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcornell Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 ^^^ Cool, thanks for the help. I've been having this problem with the pvc, I can't seem to get it fully flat. Am I supposed to leave it the boiling water until it softens or for how much longer? By the time I clamp it down it's already half stiff. I made a press out of two nestled pieces of angle iron - I've got bolts with wing nuts holding it in place. The press and the pvc goes into the pot of boiling water. I then pick up the whole (press and pvc) and smush it in a vise. When cold, it's quite flat. As far as gluing the layers of pvc together, you can use PVC glue or you can use epoxy. Both have their uses, but epoxy is a better bet for the long term. YMMV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 im liking the computer MoBo scale idea too, that sounds like a pretty awesome gift for the techie's in our lives. after you have done the final shaping on it would it be worth running another light coat of epoxy or shellac or something over the top to seal all the exposed edges of the circuit boards? or is that a non-issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 I'd think that a top "clear coat" would be a good idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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