Pearl Procedures: Keeping Pieces Organized on Complex Design

[Rag Thumb]

I am attempting my first complex pearl inlay project - a Tree of Life on a fretboard. I haven't counted but I would estimate quickly there are 40 or 50 pieces in the design.

The procedure I am using has me rough routing each of the three "sections" of pearl at a time, going back piece by piece and cleaning up the opening for each piece for a good fit, then removing the piece and setting it aside. I then move on to the next piece.

The problem I am having is with regard to the individual pieces becoming hard to keep track of. Try as I might as I transport the pieces to my adjacent storage area I have now dropped/kicked/misplaced/etc pieces. The last of these I have now completely lost and will likely have to resort to cutting a new piece (yet another new experience for me!).

Am I making a mistake in procedure here? I am not gluing (CA) in each piece as I complete its routing, thinking that in doing so the CA would flow out to the next routed area. Maybe I should put each piece in with a small amount of CA as I complete the routing for it and its adjoining piece (so the router doesn't need to come anywhere near the pearl)?? That way the pieces I have completed can't walk away.

The potential problem I see with that procedure would be that if any pearl were at all proud of the fretboard it would throw the router off for the next piece depth-wise.

If anyone would care to share how they do projects like this it would be greatly appreciated.

[tippie53]

call me but in a nutshell this may help
lay out some wax paper and superglue a few pieces together at a time so you have less pieces . Also mark them with sharpie