Inlay materials

[Belbein]

I'm (re)starting work on an acoustic bass guitar that I started [mumble] years ago. My first next step is a peghead inlay. In the [mumble] years since I last did an inlay, the materials have all changed, so I need some advice on what materials I should be looking at.

I do very complex inlay designs, with multiple multiple multiple small pieces assembled into what is essentially a mosaic. I need many colors. And I need inlay materials thin enough to easily cut. I've used wood for marquetry, MOP and abalone but the colors are too limiting. I've previously used Corian and similar materials but thicknesses are problematic. There are various artificial sheet materials but I'm not sure which ones to look at. My last experiment was with Inlace epoxy, which seemed like it had some promise, but in the meantime the company's out of business. I've thought of epoxy with micah powder but know nothing about using it.

Any ideas? (Looking for MATERIAL ideas at this point, not assembly.)

[KingCavalier]

I'm using a few different materials for inlay, the thing is most of them need to be thinned out, I use my drum sander for that. Here's a few from my list.

Jacquard Pear Ex flooded with CA glue, no thickness necessary.
Recon Stone, try Masecraft supply they have tons of other material I use.
Kirinite, they sell direct, great colors.
Aurora Opal, I find them on Etsy.
I also use different metals, Brass, Copper, Silver, Gold. I buy them thinner than I need and add a backer to makeup the difference.

I use Water based finish when using the material that's likely melt from solvent based finishes.

hth

[Belbein]

I appreciate your reply, KingC. I'll check out some of those sites. I've been corresponding with one particular supplier who's not on your list, but I'm about done with them. They have quoted me two different prices per oz., different in magnitude by about 100x. I can't get them to explain. For the life of me I don't understand why people can't read a simple email and reply directly to the message they receive [grumble grumble grumble].

I have many questions about your response, almost too many to list. Like what you mean when you say:

--"flooded with CA glue, no thickness necessary" (I'm assuming this is a some kind of powder additive?)
--"add a backer to make up the difference"
--"Water based finish"
--"material that's likely melt from solvent based finishes"

I also have a question about whether--for very complex designs--you assemble them piece by piece in the recess/cut-out/cavity, or whether you assemble the whole thing on your bench and inlay the whole shebangs.

Sorry to take advantage of your good nature in responding, by hitting you with questions. I have the feeling I'm reinventing a wheel that has been perfected already. It might be easier if we could just talk.