DIY BLOCK Fretboard Inlays - Shadetree Mechanic Method

[animalfarm]

Been very intrigued by idea, been doing lots of research. Would make a great

WINTER/INDOOR project. At this point, still in the "Thinkin' about it" stage...

 

I would purchase "PRE-MADE" inlays, ferget about cuttin' my own!!!

 

This is what I HAVE:

 

 

This is the Result I WANT: (Heck, even regular SQUARE Block Inlays be good fer me).

I can see the 12th fret area iz gonna be "interesting territory" based on Dot spacing on above git.

 

 

 

Finally landed on a couple of YouTube Vids that show a "Gentleman" doing his own Block inlays

on a fretboard with Dots, and WITHOUT removing Frets. Really.

He DOES remove the nut, to get to the 1st Fret area...

 

He uses "Wood Putty" to secure his, then DYES the putty. I'm Wondering WHY didn't he just SAVE

the Fretboard Router "Dust", then mix with Epoxy or preferred glue to get a color match of any visible gap.

 

YOUTUBE VIDS (2) and Direct links (if you wish to see full size):

 

Part 1 -

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUSxmIAXQz4&feature=channel

 

Part 2 -

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zXq_xhmqmo&feature=channel

 

Thoughts? I KNOW there are MANY ways to do this, and most PRO luthiers remove the

Freboard for this kind of work. No offense will be taken, just kickin' the can around.....

[Whitmore Willy]

Animalfarm,

 

Sounds like an interesting project. If you decide to do it, take lots of pics and keep us updated.

I've never done it so no insights or advice here except:

 

Don't slip with the router!

 

 

Willy

[MrSaint]

Think this could be done with ivory aswell?

 

And good luck! I would love to see the results of the work. Don't cut any fingers now..

[Whitmore Willy]

AF,

Thought of one suggestion. (although you probably already thought of it)

 

Buy a cheep neck off Ebite and try a few practice routes first. Especially the 12th fret and thinner ones above it.

 

Willy

[animalfarm]

Or just do it with stickers....

 

Peter - I found out about the sticker idea while searching - they're HERE:

http://www.inlaystickers.com/servlet/the-Fret-Markers/Categories

 

Heck at $5.29USD a SET, would be worth trying for grins.

 

 

AF,

Thought of one suggestion. (although you probably already thought of it)

Buy a cheep neck off Ebite and try a few practice routes first.

Especially the 12th fret and thinner ones above it.

Willy

 

THAT'S a "Fer Sure" deal! Will have to ruin a few fret slots just to get my technique

down and work out any bugs/problems.

If I DO this project, I'll provide plenty of step-by-step documentation, most likely just

"stick figure drawings" instead of pics...... Yeah, right. LOTS of PICs, so that others can reap

the benfits of any scr@w-ups I make.

 

Downside, Ebay sellers think their git necks are made of gold. Gonna take a bit of

searching for a cheapie.

[animalfarm]

Hmmmmmm.... Appears not many of us have done this before? This means I must

do more reasearch, then embark in uncharted territory. Just have to make sure my

Dremel routs don't end up looking like they were done on hallucenogenics.

 

ANY ONE done this before? LAST time I'll ask.

[Hungrycat]

I've never done inlay before, but I know that Rosewood tends to chip, so you do have to be super careful with it.

[brianh]

I've thought about doing this as well, but couldn't get past the fret radius problem. How do you get a squared-up, flat-bottomed rout when working on a curved fretboard?

 

It also seems my candidate guits are set neck which presents two problems: A) hard to work on the neck with 5-8 lbs of body attached; 2) if I slip up, the whole guit is firewood, not just the neck.

 

Anyway, looking forward to the tutorial.

[RaSTuS]

Ambitious project AF, you must have the balls of a bull to take it on, hope it works out well for you.

[CodeMonk]

Hmmmmmm.... Appears not many of us have done this before? This means I must

do more reasearch, then embark in uncharted territory. Just have to make sure my

Dremel routs don't end up looking like they were done on hallucenogenics.

 

ANY ONE done this before? LAST time I'll ask.

 

This might be interesting though :)

[james_edward]

Hmmmmmm.... Appears not many of us have done this before? This means I must

do more reasearch, then embark in uncharted territory. Just have to make sure my

Dremel routs don't end up looking like they were done on hallucenogenics.

 

ANY ONE done this before? LAST time I'll ask.

 

sorry, late to respond, but I've done this plenty of times, what exactly do you want to know? - fire away

[james_edward]

I've thought about doing this as well, but couldn't get past the fret radius problem. How do you get a squared-up, flat-bottomed rout when working on a curved fretboard?

 

It also seems my candidate guits are set neck which presents two problems: A) hard to work on the neck with 5-8 lbs of body attached; 2) if I slip up, the whole guit is firewood, not just the neck.

 

Anyway, looking forward to the tutorial.

 

Brian, you do that by setting up a flat plate (to run your router on) over the inlay location.

 

The plate or "Jig" has a cut out in it (shaped and sized to match the piece of inlay you're using) and the router has a collar or bushing that runs in that cut out.

 

Flat bottom routes are the easiest way to go for sure - it takes some work to set up the neck or whole guitar with the Jig in the right place, but once you're set up the cut takes less than a minute.

[cjlandry]

I haven't done such a thing on a guitar, but I have inlaid a few decorative pieces of wood, a long time ago. Really odd shaped stuff. For me, the key was to slightly under-size the major cut-out, then manually remove wood a little at a time until the inlay fit without any "sawdust mix" needed.

 

Of course, this was not on a guitar neck with frets. I'm sure jigs could be made, easily enough. I'd want a pair of jigs for each inlay, though. One for cutting the fretboard, another for cutting out the inlay itself. With a matched pair of jigs, you'll achieve perfection every time.

[animalfarm]

sorry, late to respond, but I've done this plenty of times, what exactly do you want to know? - fire away

 

For me, the key was to slightly under-size the major cut-out, then manually remove wood a

little at a time until the inlay fit without any "sawdust mix" needed.

 

James -

Bottom Line on Project - I would like to install Block Inlays as per the VIDS in my OP, and I

DO NOT want to remove the Frets (I LIKE my Frets!)

The "fellow" in the VIDS marks his borders with masking tape (no jigs involved), then makes his

routes/cuts by HAND.

 

I'm OK with this technique until getting up to the "higher" frets, say the 12th and above, as I'm

not 100% positive I can control the Dremel accurately in the SMALL space between the frets.

Would it be necessary to "return" to old school methods and use the ol' wood chisel and Xacto to

score the area to be removed and then cross-cut it in order to take the wood out in SMALL bits?

 

The obvious question is: In the days of OLD, how did Luthiers do their inlays?

 

Looks like this potential project will involve a little "Old School" technique with the aid

of some "New School" tools - ie: A Dremel with a bottom plate, with cutting tip set to correct depth.

 

As per CJ's comment, I would remove the majority of the material with the Dremel, then head to the

Wood chisel and X-acto Knife to CAREFULLY finish the cut to correct size.

 

I'll be using PRE-CUT Block inlay sets (already looking at Stewmac and Grizzly Tools sites), average price

around $35.00.

 

Should this turn out to be a totally FUBAR idea, I will abandon it. BUT, am currently hunting

for a "Sacrificial Neck" with a Rosewood Fretboard to try technique out on.

[cjlandry]

James -

Bottom Line on Project - I would like to install Block Inlays as per the VIDS in my OP, and I

DO NOT want to remove the Frets (I LIKE my Frets!)

The "fellow" in the VIDS marks his borders with masking tape (no jigs involved), then makes his

routes/cuts by HAND.

 

I'm OK with this technique until getting up to the "higher" frets, say the 12th and above, as I'm

not 100% positive I can control the Dremel accurately in the SMALL space between the frets.

Would it be necessary to "return" to old school methods and use the ol' wood chisel and Xacto to

score the area to be removed and then cross-cut it in order to take the wood out in SMALL bits?

 

The obvious question is: In the days of OLD, how did Luthiers do their inlays?

 

Looks like this potential project will involve a little "Old School" technique with the aid

of some "New School" tools - ie: A Dremel with a bottom plate, with cutting tip set to correct depth.

 

As per CJ's comment, I would remove the majority of the material with the Dremel, then head to the

Wood chisel and X-acto Knife to CAREFULLY finish the cut to correct size.

 

I'll be using PRE-CUT Block inlay sets (already looking at Stewmac and Grizzly Tools sites), average price

around $35.00.

 

Should this turn out to be a totally FUBAR idea, I will abandon it. BUT, am currently hunting

for a "Sacrificial Neck" with a Rosewood Fretboard to try technique out on.

 

You should be able to make a guide easily enough. For cuts parallel to the frets, you can clamp a straight piece of wood to the neck to prevent your cutter from getting too close to the frets. For perpendicular cuts, you'll have to use two pieces of wood across the neck, with another piece of wood along the neck. Same thing, to keep your tool from cutting too close to the neck's edge.

 

Just make sure that your clamps are secure, measure a dozen times and make "dry runs" with the tool. In other words, leave the bit out, turn on the tool, run it back and forth across the guide several times, then measure again to be sure the guide hasn't moved from its place. Make sure you run the motor, because the motor's vibration will tend to move the guide more than your hand's pressure on the guide.

 

I hope my descriptions are suitable, because I no longer have my old clamps from my wood-working days. If I did, I'd make up a few demo pics for you.

[cjlandry]

BTW, should my son's old LP Junior turn out to have a warped neck, I'll gladly give you that neck so you can experiment. Please don't pray for it to be warped, though.

[animalfarm]

BTW, should my son's old LP Junior turn out to have a warped neck, I'll gladly give you that neck so you can experiment. Please don't pray for it to be warped, though.

 

heh, heh, heh....

 

I wouldn't even entertain the thought! Thanks for the suggestion regarding the

wood and clamps.

I'm scoping out necks on "Squee-Bay"...maybe, maybe.

 

GOOD LUCK with YOUR neck!

[brianh]

Brian, you do that by setting up a flat plate (to run your router on) over the inlay location.

 

The plate or "Jig" has a cut out in it (shaped and sized to match the piece of inlay you're using) and the router has a collar or bushing that runs in that cut out.

 

Flat bottom routes are the easiest way to go for sure - it takes some work to set up the neck or whole guitar with the Jig in the right place, but once you're set up the cut takes less than a minute.

James, do have any pics of the jig? I've used jigs for pickup hole routing, but not on a fretboard. I assume it has to be made out of plexiglass so you can get the inlay square on and centered? I also assume you have to make a set of jigs to match the different inlay sizes. After that I guess it's just a matter of finding a router bit that's small enough to make tight corners and really, really sharp so's not to chip the fretboard.

 

Oh, and setting the height must be a right pain - too shallow and the inlay won't sit flush - too deep and you'll be looking at the truss rod...

[RaSTuS]

too deep and you'll be looking at the truss rod...

ROFL.

[cjlandry]

heh, heh, heh....

 

I wouldn't even entertain the thought! Thanks for the suggestion regarding the

wood and clamps.

I'm scoping out necks on "Squee-Bay"...maybe, maybe.

 

GOOD LUCK with YOUR neck!

 

I left it hang for a few months with the strings on, still thinking it was a lost cause. Took it down just now, tuned it up, and it plays normally again.

 

I guess being on the stand without strings did allow the neck to backbow a bit. Now it's normal again. Some block inlays might be a cool project to try with this guitar, since I'd written it off as junk before. I'll have to think about it. I do want to do some sort of custom graphic on the body, though. It's black, so I might just find some cool decals and clear-coat over it.

[animalfarm]

Summer Approacheth - Thinkin' about it AGAIN......... BUMP!