Cutting Diamond Sights in Rails

mreightball

mreightball

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Does anyone know how to cut diamond sights into rails?
What power tool to use?
What kind of bit to use?
Or is there another way to do it?
Thanks
Ron
 
mreightball said:
Does anyone know how to cut diamond sights into rails?
What power tool to use?
What kind of bit to use?
Or is there another way to do it?
Thanks
Ron
Click to expand...

I would find someone with a CNC router or mill. Doing it by hand would probably be a lot of work and one slip and:mad:
 
mreightball said:
Does anyone know how to cut diamond sights into rails?
What power tool to use?
What kind of bit to use?
Or is there another way to do it?
Thanks
Ron
Click to expand...

When I use to inlay diamond sights in the rails for the tables I built, I used a jig to do it. The jig was made from 1/4" Plexiglas in a triangle shape. On this jig I had a short piece of 1/4" plexiglas glued to the underside of it that lined up with the feather strip dado, that kept it straight at all times. Then after centering the jig on the rail where I wanted it, I used a small trim router with a 1/8" straight cut bit to cut out the inset. When using the router you have to make sure you use the template in the faceplate of the router base, that is what keeps the 1/8" router bit from cutting into the jig as you go around the inside edges of the template. Then I used a small chisel to square the corners of the inset. The mother of pearl sights were squared up to fit the inset by using a belt sander to take down what ever side needed to be shortened to fit the inset. Once every thing lined up, I used Elmer's wood glue to set the sight in place, and pressed it flat with another piece of clear plexiglas so I could see how it was setting in place.

Hope this helps,

Glen
 
Any other ideas how to do this. I don't know if there is a tool that will cut the diamond site right to the point of the diamond versus Glen's idea of using a chisel to finish the diamond point.
 
mreightball said:
Any other ideas how to do this. I don't know if there is a tool that will cut the diamond site right to the point of the diamond versus Glen's idea of using a chisel to finish the diamond point.
Click to expand...

You pretty much have one of two choices, either square the inset with a chisel, or round over the pointed corners of the sight you're going to inlay to match the rounded corner left by the router bit. There is no router bits that will cut a squared so to speak corner to match the point on a diamond inlayed sight;)
 
realkingcobra said:
You pretty much have one of two choices, either square the inset with a chisel, or round over the pointed corners of the sight you're going to inlay to match the rounded corner left by the router bit. There is no router bits that will cut a squared so to speak corner to match the point on a diamond inlayed sight;)
Click to expand...

Thanks Glen maybe to do them with rounded corners is not to bad an idea what do you think pointed or rounded? I guess when it is done by a cnc type of machine you can get a sharper point on things.
 
Dartman said:
Maybe OTLB can make some stick-on rail sights?
:thumbup:
Click to expand...

spraypaint.jpg
 
mreightball said:
Thanks Glen maybe to do them with rounded corners is not to bad an idea what do you think pointed or rounded? I guess when it is done by a cnc type of machine you can get a sharper point on things.
Click to expand...

Even a CNC machine using an 1/8" cutter bit still leaves the inside corners rounded;) so they still have to be squared by "hand"...:thumbup:

Glen
 
Does anyone know where I can get diamond sites with rounded corners.
Most suppliers have pointed diamonds.
 
mreightball said:
Does anyone know where I can get diamond sites with rounded corners.
Most suppliers have pointed diamonds.
Click to expand...

If you're going to go through all the hassel of cutting out the recess to inlay the diamond sights, rounding the corners of the sights with a belt sander shouldn't be any problem at all:smile:
 
The problem there would be to get the perfect curvature for each diamond to fit the diamond cut out by the router. If we had the perfect jig for the perfect diamond that would be great.
Ron
 
mreightball said:
The problem there would be to get the perfect curvature for each diamond to fit the diamond cut out by the router. If we had the perfect jig for the perfect diamond that would be great.
Ron
Click to expand...

Ron, the jig is more perfect than the sights you want to inlay, as it will 18 times...give you the same cut out for the sights...but on the other hand, no 18 sights are cut out exactly the same;) so the variable here has to be in the ability to match the sight to the inlay recess...not the inlay recess to the sight;)...thus.....a size correcting...form fitting....belt sander and some patients:p;)
 
"License plate" jig for cutting diamond sights

Here is a simple, "license plate" adjustable jig for cutting different sizes of diamond sights. A two layer license plate jig works great for a lot of things because you can change the size of the cutout simply by sliding the two plates against each other. It is two identical sheets of 1/16" aluminum plate and a 1/2" x 1/2" guide bar, all held together with 1/4 x 20 cap screws. The diamond shapes were milled into the plates oversized so that by offsetting the two plates you can obtain different sizes of diamonds.

dmd4.2.jpg

I use a laminate trimmer rather than a router because it is so much easier to use and with the minimal amount of material being removed from the diamond pocket it has plenty of power. The guide on the bottom of the router has been turned down so that it protrudes only 0.120" (slightly less than the 1/8" thickness of the two plates).

dmd6.2.jpg

Here is a picture of the 1/8" solid carbide bit from the cutting side of the jig.

dmd1.2.jpg

After setting the plate overlap and guide bar position (all three parts held together with the same two cap screws) I mount the jig to the rail with quick ratchet clamps.

dmd2.2.jpg

In this rail, I used ebony diamonds set in white oak. Gives a really nice contrast when finished. For the final step, I use a tiny chisel (not shown) shaped just like the skinny, end points to cut out the rounded edge the router bit leaves. The finishing chisel is a relatively easy tool to make using a dremel and a small screwdriver as the blank.

dmd5.2.jpg

The jig works just as well for MOP or abalone sights. One very important word of caution here:

I've noticed that the dust from grinding MOP and abalone sights is extremely toxic, especially the abalone. I cut and finish them wet using a wet lapidary saw so there is no dust.

Kerry
www.ridgebackrails.com
 
Hi Kerry

I really like that idea of being able to adjust the size of the jig the way that you made that! Thanks for sharing!

Gary :)
 
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