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I just started sanding the ES-3 today. It's a lovely kit with the abalone inlays and two colour binding, so I feel like I really need to raise my game on this one. I haven't decided on a colour or finish yet. I'm also looking online for ideas for the headstock to compliment the fretboard inlays. Can I manage an inlay job? Hmmm.
Mmm.. nice
Ill be watchign this closely.
The stick on MOP logo on my build makes inlays seem like a job for the pros :)
Well, I found some very pretty MOP and abalone in very thin sheets on eBay, which look great in the packet! I just need to figure a design that's not too tricky. It might end up as an "onlay" rather than an inlay! A friend has pointed me towards a furniture restorer nearby who will let me have some veneer off cuts cheap too. I've got no excuses now, just need a bit of tinkering time.
Very thin MOP is also often very brittle and utterly useless.
How do you plan on cutting / shaping the MOP? you need to be working with 0.8-1.1mm usually to get an excellent result.
Hmmm, don't know yet, all part of the learning process. Once I have my design figured out, I'll start cutting. If it's crap it was fairly cheap so it can go in the bin and I'll try something else. I might try mounting it on some veneer with epoxy, then use a cutting wheel on the dremel. If I can design it for straight cuts, that might go.
Well, the abalone stuff was dead easy to use, it cuts with a scalpel, or even scissors. The MOP is, indeed, very brittle and tricky to use. I found that I could glue the stuff down oversize, trim it to size, then slide a blade under the waste and lift it off. I've made a simple design, all straight lines, which matches the fretboard. It looks OK, from a distance. Quite a long distance actually.,...
Hello Dave, looking forward to seeing this build progress. ES-3 looks like a nice kit.
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a great kit Dave, sounds like you have cool plans
My first attempt at inlay, still needs sanding and finishing. Attachment 5197
To be honest, I'm not very happy with it. The edges are not clean, and it's not symmetrical. I will go as far as getting it smooth and shiny, just for practice, and see how I feel. It will be easy to strip it off and start again. If I do, I will replace the MOP with a light colour veneer, because, as Gavin said, the thin stuff is very brittle, and utterly useless. Thankfully it was very cheap!
Looks good though. Is it the pre-cutting that has left it asymmetrical, or the inlay process?