Some CNC Work

I don't really use the CNC much for actual building more for templates & jigs, but I do use it to route the head plates and cut the pockets and inlay pieces, it's just more accurate than I am..

So her are three head plates for the L-0 guitars and three inlays, Koa, Walnut & Indian Rosewood with Black Lipped Mussel, White MoP and Gold MoP  ...

Cutting Shell

Rick's tenor guitar will have a Celtic knot inlay on the peghead. Tonight I cut that out & got ready to route the cavity in the Ebony peghead overlay.

I used a finer jeweller's blade than on previous inlays and that seemed to work better.

For routing the cavity I'll use the Pantograph I previously made and a twice life size pattern. I've done a test and it works well.. I do the real routing tomorrow.

Pattern laid out and ready to cut

And cut

Twice size pattern for the pantograph

I should say the twice life size pattern was made using the "big print" program from www.woodgears.ca, the pantograph idea also came from there.

Making Fretboards

Not many process pictures but I just finished the two fretboards for the tenor and parlour guitars.. 

One for the Parlour in Wenge with Paua shell bar fret markers and bound with the same binding as the guitar.

One for the tenor in Ebony with gold Mother of Pearl fret dots, also bound in maple like the guitar..

They still need to have the frets put in but I might wait for a bit on that as I am sort of into cutting pearl not I might cut the gold MOP celtic knot inlay for the tenor's headstock.

My little rig for cutting the slots for the bar fret markers

Yes I missed by about 1/32" the slots are 1/16"

Bound and ready for frets

Different angle

Completed Tenor Fretboard

And again the artistic Angle

The two together

Cutting Shell and Inlaying

I've done one simple inlay before, since this is what I call a Celtic tenor guitar should have a Celtic inlay.. So gave that a try.. The inlay will go on the peghead.. I tried a couple of methods to cut the shell but in the end went with the tried and true jeweler's saw and needle files..

I considered trying to leave some wood in the voids between the arms of the design when I routed out the opening but decided they were so small it would be impossible. So I routed out the entire shape and glued in the shell with 5 minute epoxy coloured liberally with lamp black.. Left everything a little high then sanded smooth..

All in all I think it worked out good!

V block & Jeweler's saw with the cut out design

Just sitting on top of the neck

the pocket for the shell routed

glued in and filled with epoxy and lamp black

sanded smooth