Ideas for unusual scales

**mountainm** · 14-03-12, 08:25 AM

Had a couple of ideas for scales after I saw the stabilised pine cone ones and wondered if they would work.

First up it's stabilised leaf litter - so a layer of autumn leaves compressed in resin.

Second idea is straw, or hay Micarta, layered in different directions per layer then compressed with epoxy.

Anyone done anything similar?

Cheers

M

**Numb** · 14-03-12, 09:23 AM

I havent seen leaf or hay scales but I imagine that one has to be mindful of airbubbles when using pourus materials like that.
I think it was Swissbianco that made scales from old motherboards in resin for a couple of SAKs and they looked really nice.

/N

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**spandit** · 14-03-12, 09:27 AM

What resin do you use? How would you draw it through the material?

**mountainm** · 14-03-12, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by spandit

What resin do you use? How would you draw it through the material?

Good questions! No idea to be honest. I'm guessing you'd need to use some sort of pressurised system or vacuum chamber to pump out the air.

**tomancik** · 14-03-12, 10:16 AM

How about cork? That could feel very nicely.

**Benji** · 14-03-12, 10:16 AM

Pat at Ankrom Exotics makes the cone scales mentioned in the first post. He uses something called 'Alumilite' clear urethane resin in the scales I have. Although it says clear it's actually gold, but it looks quite natural. I imagine you'd need a vacuum to stabilise something fragile like cones.

**Roadcat** · 14-03-12, 10:26 AM

I think it's a pretty cool idea - there's all sorts of materials that, if held together with epoxy, could make beautiful scales. What about pieces of drift-wood?

**Stew** · 14-03-12, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by tomancik

How about cork? That could feel very nicely.

I would think it wouldn't make much difference once it's been stabilised - it'll just feel solid, surely.

**Ru Titley** · 14-03-12, 01:01 PM

I always liked the idea of pages from a book done in a stabilised clear resin , when ground youd get some real odd passages .

**mountainm** · 14-03-12, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by Ru Titley

I always liked the idea of pages from a book done in a stabilised clear resin , when ground youd get some real odd passages .

That's a really nice idea, or sheet music.

**rd6743** · 14-03-12, 08:35 PM

Paracord? Snakeskin?

**Andy** · 14-03-12, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by mountainm

That's a really nice idea, or sheet music.

or Lego

**el don jeremie** · 14-03-12, 08:54 PM

Old tires ?

**OldSchool** · 14-03-12, 09:02 PM

Hair of the redhead?

Very very very fine sand mixed with epoxy. Sea sponge with epoxy. I thought of stabilized newspaper or plain computer paper.

**mountainm** · 14-03-12, 09:29 PM

I emailed Pat at ankrom, he's up for experimenting and sends his greetings.

Maybe we should come up with a top ten?

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