Milling a rosette channel

mwaller

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I'm looking to build a second StewMac Soprao Uke kit, but I'd like to replace the soundboard with englemann spruce. This will require that I mill my own channel for the rosette inlay.
How should I go about milling the channel? I see that StewMac has a nice dremel router base, but the hole-cutting jig they sell only goes down to a 3" circle. I need something closer to 2"
????
Thanks,
Mika
 
I use a tank cutter ground for the purpose. I have never been able to get a clean edge with the router setup even using spiral bits there is still ragging against the grain. Others do tho...
 
I tried tungsten carbide fishtail spiral bit's used for PCB cutting and they were very good but the groove needed a clean up afterwards.
But when I used 4 flute upwards spiral milling cutters designed for intricate metal machining I got the results I was after..I use a turntable set up in a milling machine running at top speed...Here a link showning a few ideas both Tank cutters and Dremel.
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103500
 
I find that dremmels don't work well for this. I tried two dremmel router bases and both allowed a tiny bit of wiggle.....just enough to create a gap to curse at.
So....I made my own circle cutting base for my laminate trimmer.
Its just two 1/4" thick poplar boards that slide over each other. The top board replaces the trimmer base, the bottom board has the pivot pin. It slides from 1" to 10" diameters no problem. The laminate trimmer is much more solid than a dremmel
 
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