Herb . . .

Is your FCS Forstner bit 1" or 1 1/8"? Thanks.

Is your FCS Forstner bit 1" or 1 1/8"?>>> Thanks…1" bit , then I use a 1/2" barrel sander on the end of a drill motor to open up the size(freehand)…Herb.

Just and interesting note…necessity is the mother of invention and I can tell this group knows that all to well with some of the creative ideas I read about over the past several weeks I’ve bee involved in swaylocks discussion. My FCS Barrel sander lost all of its grit during a drill out repair I was involved in as an installation went bad. I simply applied some contact cement to a 3/8" strip of 80 grit and wala! It actually cleans out the foam and opens up the channel so the “H” pattern can form better than the barrell sander. One other little innovation that came to me in a flash of brilliance (which is once or twice in a millenium)was using bags of rice in a nylon stocking or tube sock as a weight to hold your blank stationary while sanding. The cost of lead shot in a divers belt sack is prohibitive as far as I’m concerned and the rice sock is less abusive to your foam than a carpet wrapped brick or lead weight. The cost of rice is really cheap! And if times get rough you’ll always have a nutricious meal on hand. JC

Note on scuba weight: Especially with new weights, lead dust can fall out of the mesh and dirty the foam. I cover with bags or cloth to prevent this annoyance. They are expensive (about 2 bucks a pound)but I also use mine for diving!

Just and interesting note…necessity is the mother of > invention and I can tell this group knows that all to well with some of > the creative ideas I read about over the past several weeks I’ve bee > involved in swaylocks discussion. My FCS Barrel sander lost all of its > grit during a drill out repair I was involved in as an installation went > bad. I simply applied some contact cement to a 3/8" strip of 80 grit > and wala! It actually cleans out the foam and opens up the channel so the > “H” pattern can form better than the barrell sander.>>> One other little innovation that came to me in a flash of brilliance > (which is once or twice in a millenium)was using bags of rice in a nylon > stocking or tube sock as a weight to hold your blank stationary while > sanding. The cost of lead shot in a divers belt sack is prohibitive as far > as I’m concerned and the rice sock is less abusive to your foam than a > carpet wrapped brick or lead weight. The cost of rice is really cheap! And > if times get rough you’ll always have a nutricious meal on hand. JC Yeah, these guys are pretty sharp. AND they don’t mind helping or giving advice. Amazing! Thanks, everybody. Expecially Herb and Jim. Rice on the blank and “nutricious” meal after. Hmmm. I always used kitty litter and cleaned an oil spot on the floor afterwards. I’ve got so much to learn. – but a clean floor. Are there any tricks for sanding the hot-coat? Maybe dessert? Jake

Herb instead of enlarging with a barrel sander, would it work just to cut the hole @ 1 1/4", or would that be too much? Just curious. Thanks for all your help, and most of all, thank you MR. Swaylock for this forum.

Note on scuba weight: Especially with new weights, lead dust can fall out > of the mesh and dirty the foam. I cover with bags or cloth to prevent this > annoyance. They are expensive (about 2 bucks a pound)but I also use mine > for diving! I don’t recommend doing the same with the rice! JC

Yeah, these guys are pretty sharp. AND they don’t mind helping or giving > advice. Amazing! Thanks, everybody. Expecially Herb and Jim.>>> Rice on the blank and “nutricious” meal after. Hmmm. I always > used kitty litter and cleaned an oil spot on the floor afterwards. I’ve > got so much to learn. – but a clean floor. Are there any tricks for > sanding the hot-coat? Maybe dessert?>>> Jake I don’t know about the hot coat but toohpaste works great for a polishing compound! And it also prevents your board from Gingivitas and tooth decay! JC

Jake: I use a 1 1/8 hole saw to center and cut the glass, then come back with an 1 1/8" Forsener bit. My H-tool is another 1 1/8" hole saw with the center bit ground down below the surface of the hole saw barrel. I too found a barrel type sander on my Dremel tool is great for cleanup. Just a tip: in between FCS installs I’ve found the surface rust on the hole saw to leave a nasty stain on the lam layer. Clean the bits off first before you perorate the cloth layer. Tom Sterne>>> Herb instead of enlarging with a barrel sander, would it work just to cut > the hole @ 1 1/4", or would that be too much? Just curious.>>> Thanks for all your help, and most of all, thank you MR. Swaylock for this > forum.

I use sand in a heavy duty plastic bag,then insert it in a canvas coin/cash bag,it’s the cheapest the best conforming(for ding repairs),and they make good shooting bags at the range!..need a little more weight,…just add water.Herb.

Jake: My barrel sanders are given to me. I have about a thousand of them,there heavier duty than the FCS BARRELS…YOU CAN BUILD ONE OUT OF 1/2" DOWEL OR A BROOM STICK,AND A LONG SCREW…I prefer 1" holesaws,and bits because I can control the hole size better. That’s me,work with what works for you!Herb

My barrel sanders are given to me. I have about a thousand of them,there > heavier duty than the FCS BARRELS…YOU CAN BUILD ONE OUT OF > 1/2" DOWEL OR A BROOM STICK,AND A LONG SCREW…I prefer 1" > holesaws,and bits because I can control the hole size better. That’s > me,work with what works for you!Herb Actually, I’m switching from router to Forstner, and I wanted to make sure I got the right one. 1"F. is the supplied FCS kit size, right? 1 1/8" dia. Forstner won’t fit into 1 1/8" guide, if I ever decide to use one. I doubt I ever would, but I want to cover my “bases”. Thanks again, Jake-not-the-Genius

I don’t know about the hot coat but toohpaste works great for a polishing > compound! And it also prevents your board from Gingivitas and tooth decay! > JC Ahhh. I’ll write that down. I like the step after that the best. Rinse with saline solution, repeat. Jake