Help with ukulele rosette or inlay

Kevs-the-name

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I'm looking to add a very simple rosette or inlay (similar to stewmac build) to my soundboards.
However, I can't find any pre-made ones and don't know what to purchase for the inlay design (of where to get it)

I am UK based and would 'prefer' to buy locally rather than import if I can. I have a soundhole/rosette LMI Cutter.

Any ideas GREATLY appreciated.

Kev
 
Most of the guys here make their own rosettes. Make is relative sometimes - ranging from Allen and Beau to getting preshaped MOP - JoAnn at Rescue Pearl has "uke sized" curved strips last I looked.

There are other luthier suppliers that sell premade Classical guitar rosettes; I think you'll be hard pressed to find them smaller.

I'll also say most of the guys here cut their own inlay as well. You can source material all over the place, Rescue Pearl being one of them. Then you'll need tools.

Of course, Andy DePaule has made a business of precut inlay designs - I think he does custom stuff as well.
 
I'm looking to add a very simple rosette or inlay (similar to stewmac build) to my soundboards.
However, I can't find any pre-made ones and don't know what to purchase for the inlay design (of where to get it)

I am UK based and would 'prefer' to buy locally rather than import if I can. I have a soundhole/rosette LMI Cutter.

Any ideas GREATLY appreciated.

Kev
There are pages of them on ebay.
 
Come on Kev ..its not difficult you just cut the slot and fill it with wood plastic pearl or whatever. Try it on some scraps of wood first ..before you go for the real thing ;)
 
Come on Kev ..its not difficult you just cut the slot and fill it with wood plastic pearl or whatever. Try it on some scraps of wood first ..before you go for the real thing ;)

Thanks Ken.... help and advice (however it comes) is what I need;)
- do you mean some kind of ‘putty’ or filler?
 
Thanks Ken.... help and advice (however it comes) is what I need;)
- do you mean some kind of ‘putty’ or filler?

I think you need to change your original post from one that is searching for a supplier of things that we normally make ourselves, to one that better mirrors the title. Then I think you'll get responses along the lines that will fit your need.
 
One way to get a wood inlay or other is find someone local who has a laser and have them cut several if your uncomfortable making your own.

Blessings,

Kevin
 
Ok to add to what others are saying. A good starting point is to get a Dremel tool, a Dremel tool router base from StewMac and either get the rosette cutter from Stew mac or make your own. I have found that the Sears Crafstman dremel tool is a better quality made unit then the dremel brand. While your ordering from Stew mac get some purling as well to play with. Get some scrap wood out and go to town. You can cut your own wood rosettes as well. One option is also getting zip flex which is easier to install then shell pieces.
 
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+1 for cutting your own wood rosette. The one shown here was made from the offcut walnut pieces from the back & sides set, edge joined and cut out with the Stemac/Dremel circle cutter. I tape it down to a thick backing board which has the centre drilled for the stewmac 3/16" pin. Fibre purfling (from Small Wonder Music in the UK) does not require pre-bending, which simplifies things still further. Excavate the top in small increments with the circle cutter, checking carefully as you go, and a really good fit is achieved relatively easily. I always bed my rosettes with epoxy, which will fill any small gaps you may have left. With BWB purfling, you can use ebony dust to colour the epoxy for almost invisible gap filling. I don't worry too much about the butt joints in the purfling, since my fingerboard extends to the soundhole.
P1070438.jpg
 
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I'm looking to add a very simple rosette or inlay (similar to stewmac build) to my soundboards.
I am UK based and would 'prefer' to buy locally rather than import if I can.

OK. So it looks as though I got my wording wrong about what I was after, sorry for the mistake.
As a new builder, I am not sure what I want/need; where to purchase or how to make. or how to install the chosen option.

I have obviously seen pre-made rosettes available for guitars but clearly these are too large.
Stemwac builds have some kind of plastic ‘purling strips’ which are stacked into a carved out channel?

I really am not sure ‘what’ I need or how to produce such items.. This is what I need help with”

I already have a sound hole cutter (channel cutter), and Im aware how to use it! I just didn’t know what to fill the channel with! (or how to do it!)

WILDESTCAT: You have given me the information I was actually asking for. PERFECT, THANK YOU (also your picture says a 1000 words)

I will continue learn ‘how’ to ask the questions!
 
The simplest circular rosettes can be made from wood veneers. There are lots of small mixed veneer packs for sale on Ebay. Veneers are approx 0.6 mm thick. So if you cut a circular slot 6 mm wide, you would need 9 or 10 veneer strips 2 -3 mm wide to fill the slot. By using several different coloured woods, eg maple, walnut, beech, an interesting design can be made. The rosette can be scraped flush with the soundboard on completion. Its a bit fiddly (the strips want to spring out of the slot) so practice with scrap wood first: tape or pins may help as 2 hands may seem insufficient!

Its also possible to make the rosette first using a scrap piece of wood with a circular slot. The slot is waxed so the veneer strips dont stick to it. Proceed as above and when the CA has dried, the rosette is prised out of the slot. I tried this but subsequently decided it was easier to build the rosette directly on the soundboard.

I find it easiest to wind the strips into the slot and then flood with instant (CA) glue rather than use Titebond. This is only for hardwood soundboards as CA bleeds into softwoods. Remember too that the fretboard covers part of the rosette so it does not need to be a full circle: the gaps are under the fretboard.

The photos show the rosettes on my 3rd and 4th builds made as described and a rosette made off instrument.


DSCF3553.jpgDSCF3575.jpgDSCF3589.jpg
 
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Bought this one from dukeluthier.com (in the States):

20140125_144447.jpg
 
I make mine from 1/2mm black and white styrene strips ... 5 strips fit a 2.5mm slot nicely....sometimes I use other methods with the use of the milling machine and a rotary table but I appreciate that everybody don't have that stuff.
Alan in Oz land has some great designs that I admire..I believe he uses the milling machine on these but I may be wrong.
 
Hi Kev. Here is another idea you might like to try sometime:
P1070461.jpgP1070462.jpg

I start by gluing lining paper to the backing board, then mark out the rosette ID & OD and colour in the space with wax crayon (doesn't have to be orange - feel free to exercise your own design flair). Next I glue on a piece of soft maple veneer (eBay) using cheap PVA. The veneer provides a backing for the rosette. Next glue on the random pieces of whatever woods / purflings you have to hand - just make sure the adjoining edges are square and straight. I use black superglue for this stage. I add a few bits of wood in the middle to give the dremel circle cutter something to rest on, and then run the whole thing through the drum sander. Easy enough to use a block plane and sandpaper board instead.
Finally set up the dremel (triple check your set up, as it is too easy to screw up the inside & outside diameters to take account of the cutter .... don't ask me how I know) and cut inside & outside diameters through to the lining paper. Your rosette should release cleanly from the backing board, courtesy of the wax crayon which prevents the glue sticking.
There are doubtless other approaches, but this works for me.
 
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