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Here is a neat inlay of a cat named George that Paul did for me.
Paul captured the likeness of George in amazing fashion!
I still have to install my logo.






A full perspective



Thanks for looking!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Seems a shame to put a bold logo on there to take away from the great inlay work...

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

That is a great looking pussy guitar Lance....... Pardon me but I am not fond of cats, pardon me too Don my friend. Since I moved into the giant litter box here with no lawn yet every cat for miles is scratching around in my yard and taking a dump........ Then of course there is poor old Hesh out there trying to do gardening with his bare hands and he keeps picking up turds........

Seriously that is a beautiful inlay as always from Paul and I am sure your latest guitar will be superb too.

Yeah, ive looked at it both ways, I prefer it with as to with out the logo.
Besides I wont do a guitar anymore with out the logo. I can have a nameless
child out there!


Thanks Hesh!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

That's a fine lookin' kitty. I think the sig will look great with it.

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

I wasn't serious about that.....

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

out the logo..





Go slow and don't scratch the kitty Lance.....

Craig L

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www.handcraftinlay.com

Superb, LanceandPaul!
What part of the face gets the G string tuner hole?

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Beautiful!

I'm with Hesh, I don't like cats either (allergic), but that is one fine inlay!! Lance, what do you use to drill through the pearl?

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

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

Thanks Ron, I will be using a tiny bit first, 1/16, then work my way up to the larger bits. Paul advised that I wick in CA between drilling to be sure the shell says put

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

You are a braver man than I to drill through solid MOP. I chickened out and dremeled a slightly oversized hole through an inlay and then drilled the wood with a drill bit. The tuner bushing hid the slight gap.

You can come clean up after my two 90 pound Labradoodles instead

I had a cat when I was just out of college that I loved dearly, but I haven't run into any lately that endeared me to the species.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Meow!

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How long is that in luthyears?

Beautiful work Lance! (As usual )

Well done inlays sure do something for a guitar. I generally like a straight forward look but some of these inlays really stand out! This is one of them. Excellent !!!!

I imagine a very sharp drill, with no flute wear on the side is important too, but I've never drilled shell before!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Lance,
I'm not so sure about a sharp drill bit being the one to use for drilling MOP. I was told by someone that works with a lot of plexiglass and lexans that it drills best with a dull drill bit as there is less chance the bit will grab and crack the material when it is dull.
This is just a thought, but I would do a test on some MOP, with both sharp and dull bits before I drilled the headstock, I know there is no such thing as scrap MOP but it might be the safest thing to try before you go for it. I think your idea of starting with small bits and increasing gradually is a good way to go.

Cal
BTW the inlay looks great

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Remember, there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers!

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the kind comments!

George was actually a victim of the tainted pet food that went around last year. Our client lost a long time friend.

One of the suggestions to Lance for drilling the shell was to carefully drill a tiny pilot hole from shell side completely though the head stock. Then, using a small router bit,(1/32) punch a series of holes just inside the perimeter of the tuner outline, then follow up with a slow careful route to the "line",cutting just slightly below the depth of the shell.
Follow up with successive drill sizes, drill the actual "working" hole, then lightly countersink the shell surface.

Any other methods? Thoughts?


(Montreal bound in the A.M.)

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Paul Bordeaux
http://www.bordeauxinlay.com

Hi, I've never drilled shell, but it's fairly similar to marble and limestone, I believe, which are easily drilled with carbide or diamond bits. Bits made for glass will also drill these easily. You must use a slow speed drill to avoid heating, and thus cracking, marble, glass or tile when using such bits.

Here's a link to a diamond drill source: http://www.diamond-drill-bit-and-tool.c ... l/MAIN.htm

and here's one for glass drill bits:

http://www.mcmaster.com/param/asp/PSear ... Width=1680

Hope this is helpful.

Joe

Punch rout the little bit of shell that's there (the majority of it is ebony) and clear away the area with little router bits. Then go in and drill and carefully hand file the pearl if you have to.

Shell is not like marble when routed. It has growth laminations that vary widely with the pieces, types, and thicknesses. Abalone can chip out whole pieces long when not cut right, and some pearl pieces just break when cutting with saw. That said it's uncommon.
Pearl actually drills and routs really really well, so just do the router thing. The way to not do it is take a huge drill bit and just bore through. The area should have the pearl removed first, as Paul stated, and gave instructions to do very well.

Nice cat Paul. Makes the guitar look great. I like cats.

Craig L

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www.handcraftinlay.com