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I know, this is nothing fancy like many of the jigs here, but it's functional and it works (and it's my first made-up jig). This was inspired by the advice from John Kinnaird and Brad Goodman for cutting MOP. Basically, I routed a deep channel in scrap wood to the correct diameter for the MOP. I then cut the routed channel in half and put the MOP blanks in with the ends sticking out. I used my fret cutters to cut the MOP, then I used a file across the edges to true them up. It worked like a charm and took less than 30 mins. once I got started. Here are some pictures:







Now it's just too bad I didn't check the diameter size before I ordered the MOP. I think it's going to be too large to use for a rosette. Any ideas?   

Cheers!

John

Really nice job. Really Nice. Now how about pics of how you cut the radii? This opens a new day in MOP and abalone rosettes. You are gonna be famous, Put your name on it....

Can you take us blow by blow, materials, tools used, even the exact by the part number bits you cut it with? Thanks, and congratulations on this fine job.

Okay, here is my suggestion. Recut all the pieces in the proper radius, they will be tighter and probably smaller, but will work. In the end, that's what you want is something that works, right?

Wait a minute, I just re-read your post, you didn't cut that pearl? You ordered it pre-curved. Darn, so what you are showing us is the cutter and the file and the grooved channel.

So, what are you going to do with it? (as he scratches his head and ambles toward the coffee pot)Dickey38423.3432291667

John,

Excellent idea! Great looking rosette. What size did you get? Looks at least 1/4 inch.

Are you using this rosette for a classical? I think Depaul sends them out with a radius that suits steel string soundhole size better. 4.92 is what they list on their website. So, I will have the same problem when I get the rosette pieces from them.

Not sure how to fix it. Someone here will have an idea.

Jeff

Here's an idea I did once when I was in the same situation. I made a fake top with the rosette channel cut in it and also a 1/4" hole directly in the center of the circle. I went ahead and inlayed the pearl and floated in thin CA. (Don't go too nuts with the CA at this point). Now, with the rosette basically done I used a router in a circle jig and re-cut the outside of the pearl to the correct size. Go extremely slow to prevent chipping. When done I soaked the whole thing in a bath of acetone over night and the next day I awoke to find perfectly sized pieces of pearl in the bottom of the bath.
that's what worked for me. Good luck. Paul

Thanks all for the ideas. Paul, did you only re-cut the outside diameter of the pearl, or the inside too? I didn't realize a classical rosette was so much smaller than a steelstring. What's the largest soundhole you've ever had on a classical?

Cheers!

John

John, the particular piece that I had had the inside diameter that I wanted. You could just as easy cut the inside by readjusting your circle cutter and repeating the process.
I don't build classicals at all. Check that, I've built one and it had a 4" hole.

John, you can use a circle cutter to cut a disk out of plywood the same size as the inside diameter. Then, glue some sandpaper to the disk and chuck it up in your drill press. Noe you can gring the inside radius to the exact diameter you need.

Then, if you are so inclined, you can take a pair of scribes and set them to the thickness you want and, with the scribe on the inside diameter, you can mark the outside diameter. This one will have to be cut with your pearl saw though.

Hope this helps.

_________________
Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

I have made several with 1/4 wide b/w/b/Paua/b/w/b, just a single ring. It is one of my favorites. It is not traditional, but can be very nice if kept simple. I have also done it with altenating contrasting wood MOP at 1/4 wide.