My First Home Brew with G10 Scales

[jruther2]

This is my first attempt at using G10 for a pick handle as well as the first time I've used loveless bolts to attach a handle. The handle material is G10 3D Blue/Black and the pick is made from 0.025" Starrett Feeler Gauge stock. Let me know what you think.

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Side 1.jpg

Bottom Edge.jpg

Bottom Edge Angled Away.jpg

Business End.jpg

Back End.jpg

Angled Toward.jpg

Angled Away.jpg

[elbowmacaroni]

Nice work bro! that looks really nice.

[Thedonofdeath]

very very nice

[KokomoLock]

Looks great man. The pick tip looks perfect!!

[whizdumb]

I love G10 and Have always wanted to make a handle out of it. That looks awesome. The gold, blue and black have a nice contrast. Although I would have used black rivet-type connectors for less contrast (personal preference), I think that your pick looks great. Good work. Keep it up.

[Grandpa]

looks great! The working end looks very good. What did you use to cut it out? What steps of polishing did you use?

[ItalianTools]

Wow! Excellent job!

[bezza1]

well sehe is sexy mate i love that handle on it the tip look great you got skill bro congrats

[the lockpickkid]

Very nice! So what the hell is G10? Whatever it is, it is very nice looking!

[HallisChalmers]

Very nice! So what the hell is G10? Whatever it is, it is very nice looking!

Quote: "Synthetic. Glass cloth filled epoxy. Tough and lightweight, G10 makes an excellent handle material. Resistant to solvents and harsh chemicals."

Read here: http://www.knives.com/material.html

[sandman]

that is fucking awsome!!!

[sandman]

Very nice! So what the hell is G10? Whatever it is, it is very nice looking!

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G10 laminate grades are produced by inserting continuous glass woven fabric impregnated with an epoxy resin binder while forming the sheet under high pressure. This material is used extensively in the electronics industry because its water absorption is extremely minimal and the G10 line of materials is not electrically conductive. The G10 is most commonly used in PCB (Printed Circuit Boards) applications. G10 exhibits superior mechanical and dimensional stability and doesn't shrink. Temperature ratings of 180 degrees C. In addition to these properties, G10 has excellent dielectric loss properties, and great electrical strength. G10 is also known as Micarta and Garolite and can be used for structural supports, buss bars, mechanical insulation, gears, test fixtures, washers, spacers and tight tolerance machined parts for electromechanical assemblies.

G-10/FR-4 Epoxy
G-10/FR-4 is a thermosetting industrial laminate consisting of a continuous filament glass cloth material with an epoxy resin binder. This product, first introduced in the 1950's, has characteristics of high strength, excellent electrical properties and chemical resistance. These properties are maintained not only at room temperature but also under humid or moist conditions.

Today what is called G-10 is actually FR-4, the flame retardant version of G-10. The material FR-4 can usually be used where G-10 is specified, however G-10 should not be used where FR-4 is specified.

Both G-10 and FR-4 are rated at 285 degree F continuous operating temperature. Because they are thermosets, no melting will occur with these grades, however charring will be observed after extended periods above the temperature rating. FR-4 has a flammability rating of 94 V-0.

With these outstanding characteristics, it is easy to understand why G-10/FR-4 is such a versatile material and is used in a wide variety of applications.


Properties
High dielectric strength
Radiation resistant
High tensile strength
Low cold flow or creep
Chemically resistant
High flexural strength
Dimensional stability
Low moisture absorption
Low dissipation factor
High impact strength
Cryogenic serviceability


Applications
Electrical equipment Solder Frames
Aerospace conditions Test fixtures
Rocket cases Medical diagnostic
Antenna insulators Circuit board holders
Test boards Terminal boards
End plates Underwater conditions
Cryogenic insulation

[jruther2]

Thanks for all the kind words fellas!

I love G10 and Have always wanted to make a handle out of it. That looks awesome. The gold, blue and black have a nice contrast. Although I would have used black rivet-type connectors for less contrast (personal preference), I think that your pick looks great. Good work. Keep it up.

Thanks whizdumb! You should definitely give the G10 handle a shot, it is quite easy to work with. I agree with you about the contrast, I'm not crazy about the brass with silver center especially when the handle itself already has two colors to it. Also, I think next time I'll get all aluminum (bolt and nut) and probably in a smaller diameter. I don't use rivets anymore because I don't like the way they finish and I prefer everything to be flush as opposed to having a rivet head sticking out on one side.

looks great! The working end looks very good. What did you use to cut it out? What steps of polishing did you use?

Thanks Grandpa! Not sure if you are asking about the pick or the handle so I'll answer both.

For the handle: I cut the rough blanks on a band saw then drilled all the holes (handle and pick blank) on an end mill. With the scales temporarily bolted to the pick blank I evened the edges of all three with a belt sander. The belt sander was a mistake. While using the sander the metal got quite warm and ended up melting some blemishes into the handle material ( I was able to sand out most of the blemishes in the final steps of sanding but you can find them if you look for them and they are quite noticeable to me because I know where they are.) What I should have done was make the handle end of the pick blank the exact size I wanted and cut the G10 slightly bigger and let the hand sanding at the end match everything up. I didn't know at the time that the G10 would be so easy to shape by hand sanding. In the final stages, after everything was bolted together and the bolts had been cut flush with a hacksaw, I sanded (dry and wet) with 180, 320, 400, and 600 grit paper. I gave it a shine by spraying on some silicone and then wiping it off with a dry cloth. Also, I think it is worth mentioning that when I bolted everything together for the last time (before the handle had been sanded) the pick was completely finished including polishing. Once I bolted everything together, before I started sanding the handle, I carefully wrapped masking tape (which comes off easily) around the pick shaft and then put aluminum foil duct tape around that to protect the finished pick.

For the pick: It was rough cut with a dremel then I smoothed the lines of the shaft with a bench grinder. All the curves of the pick were smoothed out with the dremel using this tungsten carbide cutter. Then I chamfered the edges of the pick blade with this chainsaw sharpening stone. Finally to the sanding. I work through grits of 180, 320, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, and 2000. For 180 and 320 I wrap sand paper around a flat piece of 1/4" wide spring steel and sand all the edges,including the chamfers. For the sides I lay the pick flat on the table and use my fingers instead of the flat steel. For 400-800 grit I wrap the spring steel again and sand the chamfers and then lay the pick flat and sand the sides in the same manner as before. For 1000-2000 I dry sand the sides with the pick laying flat on the table then wet sand holding the pick in hand with sand paper pinched around the pick. Finally, I apply Mothers polish and buff it with the dremel using a cloth wheel.

[whizdumb]

Your welcome jruther.. very very nice pick.

On a side note... I did read that the dust particulate from sanding the g10 is particularly(pun intended) bad for you to inhale. Just be careful when sanding this because it is, after all, a variant of fiberglass. Please use a well ventilated area, mask, clean up after, etc. Sorry for the thread jack PSA... But I kinda felt obligated.

Happy Brewing,
Whizdumb

[jruther2]

On a side note... I did read that the dust particulate from sanding the g10 is particularly(pun intended) bad for you to inhale. Just be careful when sanding this because it is, after all, a variant of fiberglass. Please use a well ventilated area, mask, clean up after, etc. Sorry for the thread jack PSA... But I kinda felt obligated.

Thanks for mentioning that whizdumb. I should have said something about that myself. This is some nasty stuff that needs to be respected. Wet sanding definitely helped but even with doing that and wearing a mask I'm still blowing a little bit of blood out of my nose So yes, it is particularly bad to inhale!