Rosette with a lot of inlaywork, now ready

[John Parchem]

That is cool how you batched by gluing them together after the rough cut.

[Kevin in California]

Herman is a smart guy

[Herman]

Too much honor

[Ken Hundley]

I did an inlay for my sister that could have been a nightmare, but took the easy route. The guitar was going to be black, with a pearl necklace style inlay, meaning the side closer to the bridge was considerably larger than the side closer to the neck, think one circle inside another, offset towards the top. All the real delicate work was in the area between the bottom of the inner circle and the bottom of the outer circle.

Anyway, I routed out the area it was going, then glued in the pearl (was purchased, so I didn't have to do any cutting). I then mixed black pigment with epoxy, and poured it around the inlay. Once I sanded it smooth, it was perfect under finish!

[Herman]

Thanks Ken, I'll will work also with the stained epoxy later on.
I made the triangles as a block, but still they not all exactly the same size. The triangle cut on one side I mede with a diamond litte file. Still have to work on all the 50 pieces by hand. If there are a few that are a bit off give a romantic hands-on appearance, I keep telling myself.

Now the perimeter is scratched into the ebony.


Then the bulk is routed.


The sharp corners are stabbed out with a scalpel.


Fits! Do not mention the routing errors, please. It the fruit of being a drunk.

[ken cierp]

Another option for this type of rosette is to use the method originally outline by Irving Sloane in his books and adapted by Bruce Petros for his laser engraved rosettes and purfling. The idea is to route the rosette pocket as usual, place veneer rings on the inside and outside. Arrange and then glue the inlays in place -- once that is done the voids are filled with epoxy that has been colored with paint powder. Just a thought.

[Herman]

Thanks Ken, I've had that thought after I started this way to do it. But now I'm a pitbull. I'll finish the mess I started. :-)