Sound Hole and Rosette Pearl Questions

[tippie53]

yes I use tite bond for the pearl

[Darryl Young]

I doubt this makes much difference but I'll ask anyhow and see if there is something I'm overlooking........when should I cut the soundhole?

Would it be better to install the pearl, take a thin pass on my drum sander to level the top/pearl/rosette, then cut the soundhole, then thickness the top off the backside? Or can I cut the soundhole after inlaying the pearl and before sanding and thicknessing? Or should I have rosette complete and top thicknessed....then cut the soundhole?

[darren]

I've always leveled the rosette, thicknessed from the inside, and then cut the soundhole.

[JRHall]

I doubt this makes much difference but I'll ask anyhow and see if there is something I'm overlooking........when should I cut the soundhole?

Would it be better to install the pearl, take a thin pass on my drum sander to level the top/pearl/rosette, then cut the soundhole, then thickness the top off the backside? Or can I cut the soundhole after inlaying the pearl and before sanding and thicknessing? Or should I have rosette complete and top thicknessed....then cut the soundhole?

I don't think it makes much difference, just make sure you're done with the roset work first.

[Jim_H]

You can cut the sound hole at any point after you no longer need the center hole for reference or routing.

This is a bit if a vague answer, because it really depends on your build style. It really just comes down to making sure you don't need the center hole any more.

[tippie53]

I get my pearl from Custom pearl

[Darryl Young]

I guess I'll wait till tomorrow night to fit the Ablam in the rosette. Seems I remember Duco can make the plastic purfling soft and it takes a couple days for it to harden. Sound correct?