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I'm about to cut my first rosette channel and I'm not sure how deep to cut it. My finished top is to be .10" and my purfling material is also .10" - any recommendations and/or suggestions? My top is currently .13" so will need to be thickness sanded and I assume I want to wait for the thickness sander until after the rosette is installed. I'm just not sure how deep to cut the channel?

Also, my purfling material is BWB fiber material and NOT plastic - what glue types are recommended and do I need to spray a coat of shellac on the top before installing? My first build came channeled and I installed the plastic rosette with plastic cement.

Any help would be appreciated.

I think 2/3rds of the top is about standard, so 2mm deep channels in a 3mm top. definitely leave some room for cleaning up the rosette. I typically install the rosette when the top is still relatively thick, (3mm or so), clean up the rosette, then thickness from the back when I like what the outside is lookin like.

schellac will help keep the channels routed clean but a sharp bit is most important. schellac in the channels should stop ca from wicking in the end grain of the spruce, if you're using ca. I'd avoid it though. I think John recommend duco (sp?) - he'll probably chime in soon.

If you use white glue allow for some swelling in your channels.

I don't use water based glues on rosettes . I find duco cement as good as any glue for rosettes and is the only glue I use . One key for a nice inner ring is to stagger the material so your joints are not in a line.
I like to route the material about .060 to .080 deep. If I can I like to rosette when my top is at thick as possible and sand to thickness also.

okay - got it all channeled/installed and glued using Duco cement. My last question with regards to the rosette - is there any reason to go back over the purfling with CA to ensure the strips are stuck together? Everything fit tight and glued down well with the Duco but I don't believe much glue got between the purfling strips to glue them together.

NOOOOO Ca can stain spruce. Duco will have this well glued. Once sanded and in finish if you want to wick CA at that point but it isn't a good idea. The staining doesn't happen right away but in a year or so this pee yellow stain will start to show.

Looks pretty good to me. scrape it down and you'll have a better idea of how tight things are.

When using Duco, do you still need to use shellac?

If so, is there a specific brand of shellac to use?

Thanks - Glen

no Duco works just fine. Using shellac as a sealer now makes it the adhesive as you are gluing to the shellac and not the wood.

So what glue seems to work best for all-wood rings and inlay rosettes instead of fibre/plastic and wood? Same duco cement or something else?