Fretboard Inlay

Take us through building your guitar step by step. Post pictures and tell us what you're doing.
ruby@magpage.com
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Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 8:03 am
Location: Chestertown Maryland

Re: Fretboard Inlay

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

Diane

I don't think it is true that you got the proportions wrong because most inlays go from big at the wide frets to small at the narrow frets. Just google:

https://www.google.com/search?q=tree+of ... 95&bih=652

Then look at "images". I think yours looks about right.


Ed
Ed M
Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3246
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Fretboard Inlay

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

ruby@magpage.com wrote:Diane

I don't think it is true that you got the proportions wrong because most inlays go from big at the wide frets to small at the narrow frets. Just google:

https://www.google.com/search?q=tree+of ... 95&bih=652

Then look at "images". I think yours looks about right.


Ed
Thank you Ed.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
Diane Kauffmds
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Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Fretboard Inlay/DONE!

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

I finally found time to finish the fretboard. I had to fill the inlays 3 times to make sure they were level with the board. I filled them, then allowed the board to sit until the next day.

Today, starting with 120g, I sanded the board, using my radius sanding beam. I sanded to 320g.

There is no filling around any of the design. Since the inlay actually lays below the surface, I had no idea how to fill any mistakes made from routing. Luckily, any mistakes are so minor that they're not noticeable.

Just like the proof of concept, although the design is a good .5mm below the surface of the fretboard, covered by hardened ca glue, it appears to be at level with the surface.

I had no problems whatsoever, opening the fret slots. I thought maybe the next time, I might just mark the fret positions, inlay the design, then cut the slots, to save me from having to do the slots twice.
PicsArt_01-17-03.29.40.jpg
PicsArt_01-17-02.43.01.jpg
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Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
robinsonb5
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2018 6:01 pm

Re: Fretboard Inlay/DONE!

Post by robinsonb5 »

That looks amazing! Wonderful work!
Diane Kauffmds wrote:I had no problems whatsoever, opening the fret slots. I thought maybe the next time, I might just mark the fret positions, inlay the design, then cut the slots, to save me from having to do the slots twice.
Just in case you haven't already considered this, if your frets have barbed tangs, remove the barbs where they would otherwise collide with the inlay - or drill small relief holes to make room for them. The wood will give somewhat to accept them; shell and ca glue not so much.
Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3246
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Fretboard Inlay/DONE!

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

robinsonb5 wrote:That looks amazing! Wonderful work!
Diane Kauffmds wrote:I had no problems whatsoever, opening the fret slots. I thought maybe the next time, I might just mark the fret positions, inlay the design, then cut the slots, to save me from having to do the slots twice.
Just in case you haven't already considered this, if your frets have barbed tangs, remove the barbs where they would otherwise collide with the inlay - or drill small relief holes to make room for them. The wood will give somewhat to accept them; shell and ca glue not so much.
Thanks for the suggestion. I hadn't thought of that. I've done the precut inlay before, but this is my first time designing. I'll do as you suggest.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
Kevin Sjostrand
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Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: Fretboard Inlay

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

It's beautiful Diane!!!!
Diane Kauffmds
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Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Fretboard Inlay

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

Thanks Kevin.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3246
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Fretboard Inlay

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

I finally got around to inlaying the butterfly antenna and fretting the board. I ended up using 3 strands of copper wire, twisted together and shaped, for the antenna.

I've been using a fretting caul in my drill press to fret. I finally got an arbor so I can sit down and fret. Once I got the hang of it, fretting went quick and I was done in 20 minutes. The board is ready to install on the neck and is done, with the exception of leveling the frets and dressing, which I will do once it's installed on the neck.
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tilted.JPG
with frets.JPG
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Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
Danl8
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Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2014 7:50 am
Location: Chadds Ford, PA

Re: Fretboard Inlay

Post by Danl8 »

This has been a great tutorial in designing and executing the inlay. Very, very nice!
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