Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Damon Brantley on November 4, 2017 at 7:14pm

Hi MIchael,

Have you purchased the homebuilt help videos? The videos at

http://homebuilthelp.com/ZAC/Scratch_zac.htm

http://homebuilthelp.com/ZAC/metalpage101_Zenith.htm

can answer all those questions to get you started. Personally, I have purchased every video for every part of the construction of my 650.

You can also search around on youtube for hints as well, but for a very reasonable price the above videos can

get you off to a great start in scratchbuilding.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Hill on November 5, 2017 at 9:03am

I use a radius router bit for the radius on the edge. My procedure for making form blocks is to cut and sand the outer surfaces to 90 degrees, then put the radius on the corner of the block, after that I bevel the outer edge to accomidate the springback. (radius the edge before cutting the angle or your formblock will end up undersized). then I cut the flutes. To bevel the angle and cut the flutes I use a rigid belt/drum sander from home depot, but your flutes could be cut on a drill press with the table tilted. All of these operations could be done by careful hand work it just takes longer. Dan 701 sn6856

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Permalink Reply by Michael T. on November 5, 2017 at 12:37pm

great tip about doing the radius 1st.

I do own both the homebuilt videos the other gentleman mentioned but I was wondering about the sander as I have a disk sander but not the drum type as shown in the videos and was wondering if there was another way to do the flutes.

I do have a drill press but its the smaller type with a fixed table that moves up and down but not angled. I could work out and angle jig to hold it steady against a drum bit.

I appreciate the response as sometimes methods change over the years and its good to see I`m on the right path

In the videos they use a router table to do the radius, is it just as acceptable to do the radius with a handheld router and the rib screwed to the work table. I was wondering if a router table is a necessary item to get?

do you get more chips flying around from routering aluminum with the router table or if I routered with a hand held router and the rib jig screwed to the table would this be minimized? or either way I`m going to get covered?..lol

Thanks

Michael in Toronto

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Permalink Reply by Dan Hill on November 5, 2017 at 1:12pm

handheld will work but router table is easier and probably safer for the smaller pieces. I use a router table I built a long time ago and it works great. There is video of it in use in some of my u-tube videos on building access panels, you will wear lots of alluminum chips either way. Dan.

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Permalink Reply by Damon Brantley on November 5, 2017 at 1:34pm

For the flutes, you could try a 1/2 inch wood rasp. I have one and have used it for tuning flute depths when I did not want to drag out the sander. I have not used the rasp to do flutes from scratch, but it should work.

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