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Just wanted to share a tip on attaching patterns to shell.
After trying many types of glue, I settled on non-toxic glue stick. Yes, the one your grade schooler used in arts and crafts!
It's water soluble,inexpensive, and easy to find.(Just rob your kid's bookbag!)
The trick is to coat your pattern and the shell blank. Let it dry for a minute and it's ready to cut.
It also works well when sending cut shell to a customer on a backer. It will hold firm, yet release in under a minute submerged in warm water.

Below is a recent "mirror image set" of inlays for Schwartz guitars.

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Paul Bordeaux
http://www.bordeauxinlay.com

Thanks for the tip!!
Will try on the next one....

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Beautiful work, Paul! And a great tip.

Really nice, I am getting pretty convinced that the Art of Inlay is just that. These sponsors that do custom inlay work is starting to make more sense to me on some of my builds. I'm all in favor of the well rounded builder concept that learns all the aspects of guitar building, however, this as a stand alone art expression is pretty complex. Doing a little ditty here and there I am fair, but this level of quality above is unbelievable.

Thanks Paul and our other Inlay sponsors for sharing this great work and talent you all have. I hope I can afford you expertise in the near future.

Mike
White Oak, Texas

Beautiful inlay! And thanks about the tip re: coating both sides. I've used glue stick with good success just applying it to one surface, but it tends to flake up if you only apply it on one face!

I must try that. I use water basd rubber cemenet
john

awesome work Paul!

Wow! Paul that's gorgeous!

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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."

[QUOTE=1bordeaux]After trying many types of glue, I settled on non-toxic glue stick. Yes, the one your grade schooler used in arts and crafts!
........
The trick is to coat your pattern and the shell blank. Let it dry for a minute and it's ready to cut.[/IMG][/QUOTE]

Beautiful work Paul.

I've been using CA to glue may pattern on shell blanks...and occassionally the edges of the paper pattern let go with the heat of jewellers blade. This doesn't happen with a glue stick?Anthony Z38795.4378703704

I have been using 3M's Scotch super strength glue.
It's a little goopy, but it's a one coat deal, and I have not found anything it doesn't stick to yet, all pearls, all metals, it doesn't heat up, it never lifts. I haven't given it the soapy water test, but I don't use that technique in my inlays. It does stay flexible long enough to peel or scrape off fragile pieces.

I hear some people can't find it though.

Nice stuff Paul! Very classy. I can't wait to see it after it's engraved.

Craig L

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www.handcraftinlay.com

[QUOTE=Anthony Z]
Beautiful work Paul.

I've been using CA to glue may pattern on shell blanks...and occassionally the edges of the paper pattern let go with the heat of jewellers blade. This doesn't happen with a glue stick?[/QUOTE]

I had the same problem with CA; The only time it's happened since going to glue stick is when I've managed to not coat an edge.

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Paul Bordeaux
http://www.bordeauxinlay.com

[QUOTE=clavin] I have been using 3M's Scotch super strength glue.
It's a little goopy, but it's a one coat deal, and I have not found anything it doesn't stick to yet, all pearls, all metals, it doesn't heat up, it never lifts. I haven't given it the soapy water test, but I don't use that technique in my inlays. It does stay flexible long enough to peel or scrape off fragile pieces.

I hear some people can't find it though.
[/QUOTE]

Craig, I actually use the Scotch brand of glue stick when I can find it.

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Paul Bordeaux
http://www.bordeauxinlay.com

Thanks for your reply Paul -- sorry for having sounded dubious -- I will now certainly give it a try.

You cut those by hand? It is a great job. Looks machine cut. I'll never be able to do that....

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

[QUOTE=Joe Beaver] You cut those by hand? It is a great job. Looks machine cut. I'll never be able to do that....[/QUOTE]
Joe, I was once told that I,"was not capable of cutting inlay", many years ago. That lit the fire under my hiney.
Never say never...

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Paul Bordeaux
http://www.bordeauxinlay.com

Paul,

You could be right. I think I just might take my next inlay more seriously. I'm thinking with more patience and care mine would be a little better...

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust