Dave's ES-3

[Dave Easter]

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.

[Swinging Beef]

Mmm.. nice
Ill be watchign this closely.

The stick on MOP logo on my build makes inlays seem like a job for the pros

[Dave Easter]

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.

[Gavin1393]

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.

[Dave Easter]

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.

[Dave Easter]

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.,...

[andrewdosborne]

Hello Dave, looking forward to seeing this build progress. ES-3 looks like a nice kit.


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[stan]

a great kit Dave, sounds like you have cool plans

[Dave Easter]

My first attempt at inlay, still needs sanding and finishing.
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!

[Fretworn]

Looks good though. Is it the pre-cutting that has left it asymmetrical, or the inlay process?