Another Custom Inlay

[Diane Kauffmds]

I'm creating a custom inlaid board. This board will go on another luthier's build. It's another vine, with berries as markers. Right now I'm just at the creative stage.

I guess some of this will be boring, because I'm starting from the beginning. The theme is blackberries.

This is the initial drawing. I traced the fretboard and slots by putting the actual board under tracing paper. Then I start sketching. Things will be added, like serrated edges on the leaves and thorns.

This is the first concept drawing.

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[Diane Kauffmds]

The concept was okay, but it needed detail. I worked on it today, enlarging leaves, moving berries. I also added a little critter in a position where you may not immediately notice him; hopefully be a nice little ssurprise when seen.

The drawing, as you can see, is pretty messy. I'll trace it onto a clean sheet of paper tomorrow. The first thing I've noticed is that frets 11-14 need more detail.

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[Diane Kauffmds]

This is the latest rendition. It's amazing what shows up in photos that aren't as noticeable in real life. It needed more detail. I like this drawing. Sent it off for approval. When approved, I redraw everything, cleaning it up and making everything look a lot better.

Then off for final approval.

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[Diane Kauffmds]

I'm think I'm finished. I invite anyone to make suggestions. I've cleaned up the sketch and traced it again. I've added design elements.

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[Diane Kauffmds]

Nix the pot! I'm erasing the pot and just continuing the vine down to the bottom. Revision coming!

[Diane Kauffmds]

Still making revisions. The design will continue down the board, so the bottom will change...again.

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[Diane Kauffmds]

Someone suggested that the vine curve on frets 14-15 looked bare in comparison to the 3 leaf trios. I took one out and replaced the remaining 3 leaf groups. I also drew a new vine curve on these frets. Work continuing...

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[Kevin Sjostrand]

Diane
You are very talented I can't imagine cutting all those pieces by hand. Should turn out very nice.

[Diane Kauffmds]

Diane
You are very talented I can't imagine cutting all those pieces by hand. Should turn out very nice.

Thanks Kevin. From your lips to God's ears...

[Diane Kauffmds]

As you know from my other posts, I've been working on alternative inlay materials. I've figured out what I'll use for the leaves. I'm using thin abalone veneer offcuts and epoxy resin.

I've taken some abalone veneer offcuts and broken it up to sizes that will work. Abalone gets more "'sparkle" when broken up. I need green for the leaves. I layered 2 thin molds with the abalone fragments. Then I mixed the epoxy and colored it with 2 colors of green and 2 colors of blue. The dyes are transparent. They allow all of the abalone colors through, but provide a reliably green background.

When cured, the blanks cab be cut just like shell. They can be sanded without worrying about sanding through the colors. It's inlaid just like shell.

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