How do you do those fancy inlays

[Neil K Walk]

I've seen some truly beautiful works on inlay on headstocks and fretboards from artists such as Grit Laskins and I was wondering how the heck they do that? Beside playing guitar I also (used to) love to draw and think I was pretty good at it at one time. Now that I'm dipping my toe into building I was thinking maybe somewhere down the road I'd like to do that somewhere down the line. In fact, I have the beginnings of a theme for a future guitar floating around my head and put some images to paper and electrons:







...I was thinking of making templates by scanning them into my computer and doing a little Photoshop/Illustrator conversion. From that point on it'd be cutting the paper with an exacto knife and moving on to the final material with a coping saw:


Anyhow, I'm not looking to do something overly ornate with pearl or abalone; just woods and not the nice stuff either. This theme here for example has me wanting to get my hands on some boards of that sun-faded and water-bleached wood that is used as fence posts on the dunes. I figure with some light dying I could get a nice effect.

Now for the technical part. How thick/thin do the inlay materials have to be to put on a fretboard or a headstock? What are some good materials to start with? Is that balsa stuff I see in craft stores adequate or would it be too soft for a fretboard? Are they any special techniques I need to learn? For example, I know that the resulting artwork isn't going to be nearly as detailed as I can get with pencil or ink, but is there a way to approximate shading without any hard lines. I was thinking maybe a little watercolor or ink dabbed on the wood would work? Would that interfere with the final protective finish though?

I know, too many questions but sorry: inspiration kind of kicks the brain into high gear and the thoughts come to quick to describe properly.

[naccoachbob]

Larry Robinson has a set of 3 dvd's about inlay. Very comprehensive and answers all your questions on design, materials, methods, etc.
Pretty interesting.
You're on the right track, making images. Then re-size them in a copier until they fit. Be aware of frets so you can place the design properly.
Use a jeweler's saw, not a coping saw. Jeweler's saws work with much finer blades and allow more accurate cutting. They're not expensive. Matter of fact, from watching his videos, and using a Dremel instead of his tool, you could probably get in the inlay business for less than a couple of Ben's. Now the materials is where this gets pricey!
I think a lot of inlay artists use about .05 or .06 material (and thinner) for their work.
PM sent.
Bob

[dekutree64]

Here's my tool list:

Black & Decker dremel-style tool, $25 http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-R...0797295&sr=8-1

StewMac precision router base, $53 http://www.stewmac.com/shopby/item/5260

And at least a 1/32" and 1/8" bit. You can get those from StewMac for $18 each. However, I would recommend getting a bunch from precisebits.com instead. Much cheaper, although they have a minimum order of $50. But you'll probably want at least two 1/32" bits because they are the most useful, and break the easiest. Also a 1/16" for clearing out smaller areas. I would get a 1/64" as well if I had it to do over. Get the depth ring on all of them. Being able to swap bits without readjusting depth is priceless.

Another nice thing from StewMac is a little air pump to go with the router base, which blows the chips away as you work. Very helpful (although I don't think it's any stronger than a normal fish tank bubbler, so you may have one lying around the house) http://www.stewmac.com/shopby/item/5262

You'll also need an x-acto knife for scoring around the inlay piece before routing (if you do that style, rather than gluing a pattern down and freehand routing it), and for fitting of pieces. I usually end up jabbing around at the edges of the pocket a bit, especially in pointy corners where a round router bit can't get it perfect. Get one of the fatter handles, the silver pencil looking ones are murder on the tendons

Jeweler's saws... I use the one from lmii.com, but I'd really like to have a deeper reach, like 4 or 5". Always having to do maneuvers when cutting from scraps of wood that are just a little too large. Their smallest blades are still a little wide kerfed for my taste as well. Maybe try Rio Grande?

Also nice to have some needle files for cleaning up edges, but not entirely necessary. Could use a tiny piece of sandpaper instead, either rolled up or glued to a stick to stiffen it up.

As for materials... balsa is probably too soft for fingerboards, but ok for rosettes/headstocks/etc.. I often use 1/8" thick material just because that's what headplate blanks come in, and I don't have a drum sander and am too lazy to plane them down (especially the curly ones that would tear). I only inlay to about 1/16" depth, and then chisel the rest off.

I used some 1/40" veneer on the rosette/headstock with no problems. Pain to cut though, it flakes apart so easily. I ended up gluing the pattern onto it and then using the router with 1/32" bit to cut along the lines. Also have to be careful to get the pocket depth perfect, so you only have to sand the very surface at the end, to avoid going through it.

Shading, one cool technique I've seen but never tried (although I want to) is to scorch the wood. Fill a tin can with sand and leave it on a fire until it gets good and hot, and then stick the part of the wood you want to darken into the sand for a few seconds (holding with tweezers of course). The slow heat transfer of the sand allows it to scorch all the way through the wood rather than just the surface, so you can sand it down after inlaying and the shading is still there.

[Kitchen Guitars]

No way on Balsa. I have Hardwood scraps of all you can dig into. Many Luthiers will not put wood in the fret board others do wonderful things with it.
Humidity effects different woods different ways. There are wood swell fears. Depth? Pick one. On a fret board you may want to go thicker for weart and humidity changes.
Grit Laskin does alot of etching and fill with a black powder that I am pretty sure came out of a copying machine.
The Dremel is ok. If you want to buy a Fordham system for the shop you are welcome to
I have the Larry Robinson book. I'll lend it to you.

[Neil K Walk]

Wow! Thanks, dekutree64! Interesting about the "scorching" technique. I've often wondered is wood burning could be a possible complimentary technique.

No balsa, check. I'll have to peruse Rockler's stock a little more closely. They had some nice stuff last time I was there.

[dekutree64]

Ah, found the video where I saw the scorch technique. These guys are awesome, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjByJMwOMcc. The inlay is near the end of part 4 and start of part 5. He also uses a cool technique of undercutting with two pieces held together, so you get two copies of it in complementary colors. Undercutting allows the pieces to fit together despite the saw kerf leaving a gap. Just need a little extra thickness for the angled edges to come together.

[Rod True]

Originally Posted by dekutree64

Here's my tool list:

StewMac precision router base, $53 http://www.stewmac.com/shopby/item/5260

Another nice thing from StewMac is a little air pump to go with the router base, which blows the chips away as you work. Very helpful (although I don't think it's any stronger than a normal fish tank bubbler, so you may have one lying around the house) http://www.stewmac.com/shopby/item/5262

You can make your own router base for pennies.



Works just fine.

Also, if you put a piece of masking tape on the bit, leave it hang out there like a flag, it will blow the routed chips away as you work. I learned this from another Luthier

[dekutree64]

Originally Posted by R. True

Also, if you put a piece of masking tape on the bit, leave it hang out there like a flag, it will blow the routed chips away as you work. I learned this from another Luthier

That is the most genius idea I've heard in a long time! I'll be sure to spread that around whenever I'm talking about inlay from now on.

And yeah, shop-made router bases are a fine way to go as well. I've been thinking about making a new platform for mine out of transparent plastic just so I can see where I'm going better, and it wouldn't be a whole lot harder to make the rest as well. Probably the hardest part would be getting the mounting hole threaded just right for a Dremel style tool to hold firmly like the Stewmac base. Although the tool does have a little plastic cover thing that screws on to help keep wood chips out of the bearings, which you could epoxy into the router base to be the threads

[pops]

I get used bits from my dentist for the really fine work. Small offset chisels from 1/8 to 1/32 are sweet for hand work too.

[naccoachbob]

Not to dampen the party, but be careful with that dust flying around. It'll stay in the room where you do the inlay. A vacuum might be better if you do it for a long period of time. Of course, if you can do it outside..................

[Neil K Walk]

Good advice. I've got a Shop Vac on my Xmas list and a respirator but I'll stick with wood to start. I wouldn't mind doing custom-shaped fretboard dots out of pearl one day though.

[Neil K Walk]

Santa was good to me: I got a Dremel 300 with a cheapo base and a 6 gal shop vac. Next up is a trip to Rockler for a cabinet scraper and some thin stock.