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Hello folks,
I am working on a project for a dear friend's son. He turns 21 in August, so. The Magellan project is being built to commemorate this.
It is my intention to record the age of the boy by inlaying the number 21 into the top of the guitar.
I have never attempted inlay before and would like some advice/warnings before I hack at the guitar with a Dremel MotoTool...
Cheers,
El
You arent going to get this right with a dremel.....
You need a jewellers saw and some really fine blades. hare and Forbes sell the really fine blades. Then you need a swallow tail jig to cut the Mother of Pearl on and you should wear a mask as the residue is highly toxic.....
The besy way to get to work on your design is to glue it onto a paper template with the graphic printed on the paper then cut the shapes with the jewellers saw. The blade teeth should be positioned to cut on the down stroke.draw the blade through some candle wax before you begin your cutting.
When finished cutting your shape, use whiteout to cover the position where you will position your mother of pearl on the headstock and once dry trace out the shape of your MOP. Now set your dremel speed to 25000 and set the depth of the blade to just less than the thickness of your MOP and working from the centre of your outline on the white out move in circles towards the edges. This should give you a good cavity to place your inlay. The dremel blade you would use would be no bigger than. 3/32".
Then super glue the inlay in place!
Make sure there are no gaps, if there are mix up some wood dust from the same material as the headstock with some glue and press into the gaps. When satisfied sand this all down to the headstock! Then paint!
Sorry Gav, I meant that the Dremel was for cutting out the cavity for the shaped MOP.
But big thanks for the awesome advice about cutting MOP. Had not thought about the reside issue.
Wot Gav said...
But if you like, you can rock on over to the Man Cave of Extreme Lutherie and I will show you how it is done.
Inlay is some thing that is best learned by watching. I taught myself and I often think of how much shell I would not have wasted if I had only been shown how to do it!
Thanks gents, I have just perused the entire thread. Great advice!
Y'see? This is why I love this forum!! :D
Actually, from what I have read shell dust isn't toxic as such.
The problem is the same as with any fine dust, it could screw your lungs up!
What!!!????? You mean they lied to me and I dress up like a moron from the times of the black plague for nuthin'Quote:
Quote from dingobass on June 8, 2013, 17:30
Actually, from what I have read shell dust isn't toxic as such.
The problem is the same as with any fine dust, it could screw your lungs up!
http://www.portercalls.com/images/so...DIEarticle.pdf
Informative and funny.
Apart from the inlay you have planned, can I ask what you plan to do about the colour and finish of the guitar... Are you painting, Wudtoning ? Are you planning subtle or loud visuals ?
Better safe than sorry, Gav.Quote:
Quote from Gavin1393 on June 8, 2013, 21:08
What!!!????? You mean they lied to me and I dress up like a moron from the times of the black plague for nuthin'Quote:
Quote from dingobass on June 8, 2013, 17:30
Actually, from what I have read shell dust isn't toxic as such.
The problem is the same as with any fine dust, it could screw your lungs up!
But when you stop and think about it, shell is nothing more than calcium so therefore it is not toxic.
Dust of any kind is not recommended for inhalation, so I would still use a dust mask and have the extractor fan running.
@MikeL- the finish is going to be Amaranthine. When/if it arrives in time... ;) it's a new Wudtone finish in a glorious violet shade, and as the Birthday Boy's fave colour is purple, it makes total sense.
I am also planning the inlay to go on the lower bout of the guitar, closest to the fingerboard. The inlay will be the number 21- unless I can find a suitable BlackJack inlay pre made...