How do you line up diamond inlays?
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How do you line up diamond inlays?
I did little round inlays on my first fingerboard and they didn't come out centered. For #2 I wanted to get fancy with blue MOP diamonds but my fat stubby fingers and foggy noggin have befuddled. I've drawn lines and have done mock layouts but those darned things slip and slide and spin. It's very frustrating. If any of you have any tricks I'd love to hear them. I'm otherwise ready to go with regards to Dremel bits.
~ Neil
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Re: How do you line up diamond inlays?
I draw lines so that the points center on a line. I then super glue (just a touch) down diamonds so that I can trace around them. I have not had any success just holding them.
If the fret board is rosewood (or not ebony) with diamonds I trace with a scalpel and us a sharp chisel to clean out the waist. I had trouble getting clean corners with a dremel. I know it can be done, I just like the chisel for squared off inlays.
If the fret board is rosewood (or not ebony) with diamonds I trace with a scalpel and us a sharp chisel to clean out the waist. I had trouble getting clean corners with a dremel. I know it can be done, I just like the chisel for squared off inlays.
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Re: How do you line up diamond inlays?
Thanks, John,
I assume that you scribe around the diamond (I'm thinking of using an exactly knife) then pop it up carefully so that you can finish with the Dremel? By the way, yes it's ebony.
I assume that you scribe around the diamond (I'm thinking of using an exactly knife) then pop it up carefully so that you can finish with the Dremel? By the way, yes it's ebony.
~ Neil
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Re: How do you line up diamond inlays?
Yes that sounds right. Also with ebony you can hide anything.nkwak wrote:Thanks, John,
I assume that you scribe around the diamond (I'm thinking of using an exactly knife) then pop it up carefully so that you can finish with the Dremel? By the way, yes it's ebony.
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Re: How do you line up diamond inlays?
Here's how I lay out mine, centers them up very nicely. This can give you two or three centers with centerlines depending on your inlay type.
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Tim Benware
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Re: How do you line up diamond inlays?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nPpLjxT4do
here is how I do it.
I use 3 mail lines the center and to place the double inlays a line that follows the taper 7/16 in from the ends. The a center line on each fret that gets inlay , keep it simple.
here is how I do it.
I use 3 mail lines the center and to place the double inlays a line that follows the taper 7/16 in from the ends. The a center line on each fret that gets inlay , keep it simple.
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
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Re: How do you line up diamond inlays?
John, I like mine centered on the board and between the strings. Your method moves the outside pieces of pearl out closer to the edge of the FB. Just a different way to do it.
Tim Benware
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Re: How do you line up diamond inlays?
As to the question of holding the piece with stubby fingers, John had a good idea that has worked for me. Grind the tippy tip off of a 8 or 10 penny nail and use it to push and hold down the piece while you trace with either a knife or .03 lead pencil
Ed
Ed
Ed M
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Re: How do you line up diamond inlays?
I do it the martin does it. There are many ways to do it.
One thing you need to consider , that is taper , I follow the taper of the fretboard on the outer inlays. Again find what you like and do it that way , and have fun with it .
One thing you need to consider , that is taper , I follow the taper of the fretboard on the outer inlays. Again find what you like and do it that way , and have fun with it .
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
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Re: How do you line up diamond inlays?
For round dots I set up the fingerboard on my milling machine, find the center line and center of a fret space with an edge finder and a digital readout, and drill to depth with a center-cutting end mill that gives an (almost) flat-bottomed hole....but maybe that's cheating. Cheating or not, I've still managed to get it wrong on occasion.
For diamonds and such, I think the secret (such as it is) is a dot of superglue to hold it in place while scribing around it. I've never had any luck holding an inlay with my finger such that it doesn't move.
For diamonds and such, I think the secret (such as it is) is a dot of superglue to hold it in place while scribing around it. I've never had any luck holding an inlay with my finger such that it doesn't move.
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Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion