Adding fretboard side dots

Kayak Jim

Kayak Jim

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My new Mainland concert disappointingly came without fretboard side dots and want to add them. I've got some very fine brushes (think head of a pin fine) and could just put dots of white paint at the appropriate location (this is what my Kala has). But I'm wondering about alternate methods- like drill a shallow small (3/32-1/8) hole and inset a piece of aluminum wire (or contrasting wood), then carefully file flush.

The paint dots are certainly easier but the inlayed dots have more class and I'm pretty sure I could do it without screwing it up (bradpoint drill bit in a manual drill)

Any ideas or opinions?

Thanks
Jim B
 
Plastic rod is the way to go. Glue it in then cut it off flush. Where you have to be careful is tearing up the lacquer finish with the drill bit and/or by getting glue residue on the finish.
 
thistle3585 said:
Plastic rod is the way to go. Glue it in then cut it off flush. Where you have to be careful is tearing up the lacquer finish with the drill bit and/or by getting glue residue on the finish.
Click to expand...
I don't bother gluing I just make the hole the same size as the rod, scrape a bit of a taper on the rod end then knock it in, and cut it off.
 
thistle3585 said:
Plastic rod is the way to go. Glue it in then cut it off flush. Where you have to be careful is tearing up the lacquer finish with the drill bit and/or by getting glue residue on the finish.
Click to expand...

Rather than risking damage, after I masked the area with tape and drilled the hole (brad point and pin vise) , I polished the end of the rod while it was still a rod instead of a dot, then cut off a thin slice to make a dot with one end already polished. Carefully inserting it flush (polished side out) with a dab of titebond was all I needed to finish the job.
 
Timbuck said:
I don't bother gluing I just make the hole the same size as the rod, scrape a bit of a taper on the rod end then knock it in, and cut it off.
Click to expand...

Actually, I dip the rod in acetone which softens the rod and then put it in the hole and it self glues. Kind of like using dissolved binding as adhesive.
 
I've done two ukes with the plastic rod and I just did a 3rd one but I did it different. I used a sharp awl to mark my spot. Then I used a 1/16 drill bit in a pin vise to drill down just enough to make a hole . Then I got some latex paint and filled the hole with a small brush. I used a damp paper towel to remove the excess paint. It came out great . Those plastic rods are nice but they are pure white. I used an eggshell latex paint and it matches the uke just great. I wouldnt use an electric drill , use a pin vise and turn the drill by hand and keep the hole shallow . Hope this helps.
 
I just use my wife's white nailpolish and put a tiny white dot on the 7th fret on most instruments.

my calssical guitar has had the same dot for almost 5 years. no problem and it took all of 30 seconds.
 
Thanks for all the input. I might try Pete's approach of a paint filled drill hole. I like the idea of being able to control the colour of the dot and it will be perfectly round. Good idea to mask before drilling- protects the finish and makes layout easier than on the dark wood. I think a cardboard box with a notch cut out for the neck should support the uke on its side to let me drill the holes.

Jim B
 
I used the "drill a shallow indentation" technique on my Fleas. However, I used a drill press - I'd never try this freehand. Some off-white Testor's model paint, applied by allowing it to run off the tip of a toothpick, finished the job. I like to play w/o wearing my reading glasses so I made the dots large. Here's my soprano...
 

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I used 1/16 " brass rod. Cut a 1/16 hole using the drill press, inserted the rod and clipped it off. When they were all done, I sanded them down carefully on my belt sander.

Tom
 
I use 2mm white or gold mother of pearl dots. I have used pau abalone dots but no longer do as sometimes when you sand them down you hit a dead spot in the shell. If i make my own abalone side dots I use the red abalone we have around here. I don't have that problem if I chose the piece carefully. I have found a core bit that cuts a 2mm dot. I like the iridescence of shell.

I have also used contrasting wood that I have sharpened with a pencil sharpener and gently glued in a hole of my desired size and sawed off. That works well, you can use any material you can sharpen in a pencil sharpener.

To drill I use a piece of 3/4" thick wood about 1 foot long and 4 inches tall in a drill press vise so I can hold the fretboard up against it. Lock the vise down and drill my holes using the wood as a fence. Make sure you get the first hole right. Can be done with frets on or off.
 
I don't know anything about 'inlay stickers' for fretboards, but are there also 'fretboard marker stickers' that could work for those of us who are hesitant to drill/sand/etc? This newbie thanks you all....
 
I know this sounds dumb, bit I use tiny (they make small ones) Avery or Saunders sticky discs, (Office Depot, Staples, etc.) that are about the size of a fret marker, on y uke. I sometimes use them on the fretboard when learning a new tune that involves wide range slides, etc., and you could use it on the side board KJ< at least until you see if you need permanent markers there over time..
 
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