Official Luthiers Forum!

I just inlaid two fretboards with identical gold MOP sets. It is the snowflake set from Andy DePaul. One FB came out perfect. On the other, however, one of the small (1/4" square) diamonds turned during clamping. (should have CA'd it in place and packed dust around it, but I didn't). It is an ebony board, the diamond is firmly attached with ebony dust in epoxy, and has dried very hard. Do I live with it or is there a way to remove it and straighten it up? The guitars are for my sons. Of course, I would like them to be perfect, but I'm afraid I'll do a lot more damage trying to remove it. Can I soften that epoxy enough to remove and replace that one item?

Thanks,
Ron

_________________
OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Ron, sorry to hear that, i'll let the experts answer you but maybe a source of electric heat applied right over it should soften it up enough for you to go in there and take it out? I'm thinking about maybe routing it out with a dremel, fill up and restart but as you know, it's on ly worth my newbie's advice! Good luck in fixin' this bud.

You can take a hot soilder iron to the pearl till the CA smokes then remove the pearl. MichaelP38803.7156481482

With epoxy, getting it hot enough to pop may damage the fingerboard. I'd test with a piece of scrap first.

I'm thinking you are going to have to route it out with a good end mill and a solid grip. the ebony will be softer than the pearle so be careful!)... And good luck to you.

_________________
Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Thanks, guys
Anyone else have input on the feasibility of using the soldering/woodburning pen to heat the pearl? I might try that tomorrow, but sure don't want to hurt the FB as it has about 15 other inlays in it and is ready to attach to the neck. A lot of work to mess up now.

Ron

_________________
OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Personally I would rout it out and re do it. Just my thought.

Ron, whatever you decide, i'm with you, i'll be sending positive vibes your way bud!

Thanks, Serge, I can feel those vibes now.

Ron

_________________
OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

I am in the process of routing out a whole 3" butterflyfish half in an otherwise perfect headstock (with two other fishes that are fine) because the new material I tried didn't work.

Believe me your is an easier job

Craig. L

_________________
www.handcraftinlay.com

I've always heard that Indian rugs are woven with intentional mistakes in them. To avoid perfection.

I'm always letting my kids know their old man isn't perfect!

And I'm sure the guitars I build for them will defintely have some "character"!

[QUOTE=ATaylor] I've always heard that Indian rugs are woven with intentional mistakes in them. To avoid perfection.

I'm always letting my kids know their old man isn't perfect!

And I'm sure the guitars I build for them will defintely have some "character"![/QUOTE]


Really wise thinking Alan. A nice way to apease oneself.

I like that, too, Alan. Thanks, and thanks Craig. Good luck with yours.

Ron

_________________
OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Ron,

I would just rout it out and replace with another. Much less time spent doing so .

_________________
Paul Bordeaux
http://www.bordeauxinlay.com

[QUOTE=old man] I just inlaid two fretboards with identical gold MOP sets. Ron[/QUOTE]

Ron,

How did you make out on this? Hope it went well.

_________________
Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

If Paul Bordeaux says rout then I would rout. He is someone that knows.

_________________
Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Joe, I agree that Paul and Craig are the experts here. The problem with routing it out, though, it would have destroyed the piece and I didn't have another gold piece to replace it with. Anyway,

I used my woodburning pen with a flat tip and applied heat only to the top of the pearl (1/4" square). After a few seconds, the epoxy softened and I lifted the piece out with my exacto blade. Worked like a charm. I cleaned it off, cleaned the hole and reinstalled the piece. I'm pleased with the result.
Thanks everyone for the help.

Ron

_________________
OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Ron, congrats! Nothin like the satisfying feeling of a disaster averted! I'll bet the reason Paul and Craig suggested routing it out was that normally the amount of heat required to loosen a piece of pearl can make it so brittle so as to make the piece unuseable. It must have been a combination of the right touch and the luthier gods lookin over your shoulder! Good stuff!

Thank God i was the first one to give you that brilliant advice AHEM!!!!!AHEM!!!! AHEM!

just kiddikg Ron, i wasn't sure if i was gonna write this the first time, fearin' the experts would laugh at this suggestion but it turns you beat us all with another brilliant idea of yours!

Congrats dear friend, i'm very happy for ya!

Serge

It had worked for me in the past. I figured it would for you. I had little worry with the epoxy. I was more cocerned with the CA and wood dust filler. The epoxy softens pretty quick but sometimes the CA will hold on till it almost cooks. Glad this worked out for you Ron

Ron,
great news!

_________________
Paul Bordeaux
http://www.bordeauxinlay.com

Good Job.... it's good when a plan works....

_________________
Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

I almost only use CA as a backing/filling glue becuase it seems to hold much stronger than epoxy. It also doesn't really ever let go, hence the routing I have to go through now.
I do use CA remover after I get to the bottom end of the route when I remove a piece, which is rarely, but it does soften it up enough to work it. It needs almost overnight to sit.

Craig L.

_________________
www.handcraftinlay.com