How to inlay your fretboard

[tujoz]

Hi there
I know many of you wanted to have artwork inlay in your fingerboard and thats why some of you pasted stickers or even draw on the fretboard.My purpose is to share on how I did my inlays on my acoustic.
Firstly choose the artwork, for me I choosed falling leaves

Transfer it to a piece of Mother of Pearl blanks(I ordered it thru ebay)
note: If anyone have lobang for MOP blanks please advice!
use blank label stickers and paste it directly on your MOP
next cut it with a jewellers saw it comes with a very fine blade for artwork.
I bought it at a hardware store cost $20+
With this saw you can cut as close as possible to the image

image is cut and ready for the board

 

[tujoz]

If your fretboard is rosewood, use a water base white colour paint so that the transfered markings is visible.

Next is to route using a mini grinder(dremel tool) with a mini routing base(i DIYed)

 

[tujoz]

A pic of the router in action

Do be extra carefull as you do not want to over cut the board.
Tip: do not throw the dust as it will be usefull later.

After you have routed everything chisel the side so that all will fit nicely

Next is to prepare the epoxy solution.I prefer araldite slow setting.
Mix it with the sawdust it helps to fill the gaps evenly.

 

[tujoz]

Take extra care with epoxy as some people have skin reactions to this stuff...well maybe only me

After it has set probably the next day. Comes the most tiring part, Sanding!!!
For me I use grid 280 to remove the epoxy then 350,400,600,800 and lastly 1200 to get it flushed and polished.
note: take note of the colour of the residue stop if the colour is brown, that is your fretboard and you'll probably end up scalloping it!!!

What comes next is the polishing, use lemon oil or wood restoring oil.3 coats with 6 hours within subsequent coating.

 

[tujoz]

finished product

Do PM me if you need advice for your project I might be able to help.
Thanks for viewing.

 

[rayycnk]

wow. very impressive bro. do you like do for people? i mean, like charge?

 

[spiritedflame]

good job tujoz...

hmm where do u get the materials for the inlays?

 

[tujoz]

I actually have a few customers mostly friends. I charge them like $50-70 for design like notched diamonds and lightning. for the time being I'm sourcing for MOP blanks, solid ones not laminated or synthetic.MOP have a certain sheen that I love, it really is a looker.

 

[tujoz]

good job tujoz...

hmm where do u get the materials for the inlays?

Thank you spiritedflame.
Well i got it from ebay which linked me to Australia mother of pearls.It's packed in ounce's.You'll get about 15 blanks for SGD58.Good for 3-4guitars.

FYI This is the link
http://www.mopsupplies.com/luthiersupplies.html

 

[spiritedflame]

hey tujoz,

is it possible for you to cut out a tree of life inlay with the frets on?

 

[tujoz]

Bro its too intricate and I don't think I'll have the time and patience, tho it is possible to do it with the frets wire on.

 

[spiritedflame]

how bout if i get that fingerboard cut out already but instead, cutting the inlays out.

would that be easier?

 

[Phil]

Hey for tree-of-life check with Vincent, his nick here is Gr3y. He does custom inlays as well, and I've seen his tree-of-life, pretty impressive stuff going on there.

Anyway really nice work there as well Tujoz!

 

[tujoz]

how bout if i get that fingerboard cut out already but instead, cutting the inlays out.

would that be easier?

Usually when you want to do inlay, you have to cut the MOP first.Then using the cutout pieces as template not the other way round.

 

[newal]

Great post

Hi tujos.
Great post thanx for the info, a couple of questions tho...when you say keep the dust did you mean the dust from cuttin out the wood of the fret or the dust from the mother of pearl,...also what was the little pipe thing you had near to the routa ...i take it was a small hoover...im not stating the obvious its just that ive never seen or even dreamt that this could be done( the inlay bit) & I think it looks great its exacly what im hoping to do this weekend. I dont have the routa but I have a little modling type thing with differant attachments etc I just need to make a small holding device to make it steady, lastly if I go to a moddling shop he will sell me some differant items such as glue etc etc.. but I supose its personal prefrance. ......also what is MOP..... .many thanx.

 

[vickomaniac]

^MOP is mother of pearl

 

[tujoz]

^MOP is mother of pearl

Thanks Vickomaniac for the explanation.

ok Newal the dust that I mentioned was the saw dust that you will get when you route your fretboard.
the pipe thingy is actually an attachment to an aereation pump(the one you use for your fish tank).I put it there to help me blow the dust so that I can see where I'm cutting.
Hope this helps and all the best for your weekend project.

 

[theunknown]

hey tujoz, where exactly did u apply the epoxy? the way i see it, u're applying on the inlays themselves. how will it stick that way?

 

[tujoz]

hey tujoz, where exactly did u apply the epoxy? the way i see it, u're applying on the inlays themselves. how will it stick that way?

Ok maybe the picture is not clear enuf.
You should fill the cavity that you route with the epoxy/sawdust mixture and then fit in your inlay.The excess epoxy will SQUISHH(dunno the real word) out just like jam.That is why you'll see the epoxy on the inlay.Those are the ones your need to sand down to the exact height of your fretboard.

 

[theunknown]

Take extra care with epoxy as some people have skin reactions to this stuff...well maybe only me

QUOTE]

so in this pic, what is the yellow thing? what are you doing exactly? the white thing is the inlay itself or the epoxy?

thanks!