Chris Schumann
09-25-2008, 1:48 PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_dominoes
I have a set of these, but want to make more of them as gifts. They were often made of ebony, and I would eventually like to do that, but I'd like to try a cheaper wood to start with, say, walnut. I might try to ebonize them.
I'll have to cut all three dimensions, as 1/4" stock is a bit too thin, and anything else is far too thick. Ebony is easy to find in 1/4" ... and 2", and not much between, without a special order. (Ebony is also often sold with a heavy wax coating, and I haven't dealt with that yet.)
I have a band saw and table saw, a palm sander, as well as a No. 5 jack plane and a smaller plane that I haven't seen in a while, but I imagine I'll at least need a drill press. I have in mind a set of templates I can make to place the pips very repeatably. Are there bits with rounded tip profiles?
But the main issue I have is how to take a hunk of arbitrary stock and get pieces of uniform size out of it, especially if some time passes between sets. Will I really need a jointer?
(Actually, even older sets were made from bone, but I haven't found anything resembling bone sheet stock!)
I have a set of these, but want to make more of them as gifts. They were often made of ebony, and I would eventually like to do that, but I'd like to try a cheaper wood to start with, say, walnut. I might try to ebonize them.
I'll have to cut all three dimensions, as 1/4" stock is a bit too thin, and anything else is far too thick. Ebony is easy to find in 1/4" ... and 2", and not much between, without a special order. (Ebony is also often sold with a heavy wax coating, and I haven't dealt with that yet.)
I have a band saw and table saw, a palm sander, as well as a No. 5 jack plane and a smaller plane that I haven't seen in a while, but I imagine I'll at least need a drill press. I have in mind a set of templates I can make to place the pips very repeatably. Are there bits with rounded tip profiles?
But the main issue I have is how to take a hunk of arbitrary stock and get pieces of uniform size out of it, especially if some time passes between sets. Will I really need a jointer?
(Actually, even older sets were made from bone, but I haven't found anything resembling bone sheet stock!)