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I'm thinking I could have more creative room if I cut my own veneer strips into purfling but, I've had limited luck using a razor blade. (tends to split the wood) Any suggestions on how I could do it?

Thank you......

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

There are several ways to do this. One way is to use Shane's fret cutting table saw blade. Because of the thin kerf you have very little waste.

i always use a fresh xacto knife and just take lots of very light cuts, i almost never have a splitting problem

The saw blade and light cuts both sound like good ways. I guess I do tend to lean on it and try and cut all the way with the first pass. When I lam a few together the saw blade sounds pretty good.

Thanks guys....

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Some guys use this.Its a pasta cutter and it really works.Its not mine,just a pic I saw on some other forum!

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

That works... If you make to much you can always boil and eat it!

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Courtnall's book 'Making Master Guitars" has two methods of making purfling/binding descrbied in detail.

Cheers Martin

Sounds like Im really plugging this book...I do find myself referring to it thouigh on a very regular basis.

You could try something like this, below. Or make one of your own out of a couple of strips of wood & a blade. Mexican luthiers use a 'cuchillo' and scrap wood.

CrowDuck

http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229 &Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=14568

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

Michael Mcbroom uses the pasta cutter method.

Which reminds me I haven't seen Michael or his wonderful 10 String Guitars around the forum lately, any one seen him ?

To give credit where due, I think (not positive mind) the pasta cutter idea is a Grant Goltz innovation, man he is one clever guy, never cornered and his solutions are always first class.

Cheers

Kim

guys the photo of the pasta cutter is not viewable,(for me) is it one of those 10-12 inch wide things with two rollers that you crank on the handle ?? I hate ask a silly question, which cutter? I prefer linguini..

Yes thats the type mike

Does that pasta cutter REALLY work?

I dunno, but I'm digging mine out tomorrow. I'll let you know.

A couple other ways (other than alienating yourself from moma).

1) Veneer Saw (Lee Valley sells them)

2) Pattern cutter (basically a wheel with a very sharp edge (Lee Valley sells them)

3) Kinda what Robbie suggested -- I use a thin kerf blade like a Diablo -- set the fence and run a block of scrap wood over the blade -- then clamp it to the fence. This keeps your fingers away from the blade and acts as a hold down for your stock.

Thanks for the wealth of info on this guys, i'm gonna try making my own pretty soon!

[QUOTE=John Kinnaird] Does that pasta cutter REALLY work? [/QUOTE]

Works like a dream!

I have been using a 30" paper cutter (you know, big chop arm) for the past
29 years. It works pretty well.Howard Klepper38785.2107291667

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

[QUOTE=John Kinnaird] Does that pasta cutter REALLY work? [/QUOTE]

Dunno but I guess if you stuffed up a few purflings you could serve them up to your dinner guests as pasta and see if any of them were honest enough to tell you your cooking was cr*p.

Cheers Martin

The handiest tool I've found for cutting purfling strips from veneer and other materials is this Micro-Mark wood strip cutter:

http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229 &Action=Catalog&Type=Department&ID=30

It's easily adjustable and the blades are cheap!    Peter J38785.3082523148

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Peter

The pasta cutter works well, wet the veneer down throughly with warm water to soften it up and don't try putting too wide a strips through at once or you will strip the gears of the machine. No more than about 4" max at a time, less if it's harder stuff, sprinkle with a little grano-parma and a drizzle of truffle and garlic infused extra virgin olive oil, serve with a full glass of robust Shiraz or if you prefer something a little more supple a cheeky little merlot with a full round finish would do quite nicely.

Cheers

Kim

[QUOTE=John Kinnaird] Does that pasta cutter REALLY work? [/QUOTE]
Funny ,But apparently it does the job! Yeah..Thats where I found the pic,Grant Goltz uses it
Thanks Kim DaveAndy38785.4990046296

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Here's the MicroMark wood strip cutter, Item # 14568

http://www.micromark.com/prodimgs/14568.jpg


CrowDuck

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.