cutting inlays

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cathouse willy

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I'd like to add inlays to my ukulele projects,something a bit fancier than round dots and I have no idea where to start.My fine motor skills aren't up to cutting them by hand so I've thought about a laser engraver. I don't want to just jump in with no plan so I'm looking for advice. How do you cut your inlays?
Thanks in advance
Bill
 
If you go to my website there are some pictures i"The Shop" of how I do my inlays. I can't stand process of carefully routing a perfect channel by hand. Carefully cutting each piece with a saw, filing fitting filing some more etc. I can do it but I hate it. After a few hours of that I want to throw the entire thing at the wall. So I use something I made. I call the poormans CNC. It's a basic reducing pantagraph with a dremel cutter. There is no computer involved except for sizing my drawings. You need a scroll saw that you can control the speed on to make this system work and a dedicated dremel. It's ideal for repeating patterns. Thus I use the rooster as my standard logo. Takes me one hour to do that inlay. I drew a plan of the "Poorman's CNC" It's floating around my desk somewhere. If you are just going to do a uke or two it's not worth getting set up.
 
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A laser is really handy for cutting some things, but it's more or less hopelss for pearl. It also is pretty much hopeless when working with ebony. If either of those things are something you are looking to do, then look elsewhere.

A CNC will do both if you don't want to do it by hand, but the learning curve from design, programming and onto machining strategies is steep indeed.

I use a combination of both the laser and CNC in my work, but honestly you had better be doing this full time and have very deep pockets to get set up in order to justify the expense and time in learning how to use them.
 
cathouse willy said:
How do you cut your inlays?
Thanks in advance
Bill
Click to expand...

I use a StewMac router base and a cheapy dremel tool with down cut bits. I buy my shell precut online. Trace around the shell. Highlight with chalk. Cut out. Place shell. Fill gaps with sawdust and glue. Sand out. Done. Cost in equipment is less than $100. Does take a little practice, but nothing that anybody can't do.

inlay1.jpg inlay2.jpg inlay3.jpg inlay4.jpg inlay5.jpg
 
I finally replied to your question about inlays in my banjolele thread. Unfortunately, I cut mine by hand. But for simple designs I think it's manageable.

Edit: Mine even came out acceptable (certainly not perfect, but good enough to use IMO) on my first ever try. So I encourage you to give it a shot!
 
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I would encourage you to at least try inlay done by hand. The tools are not too expensive and uncomplicated inlays are not too difficult to do. There is lots of instruction on the web, CD's, books, etc. to help you., but simple inlay is extremely easy to do.They can be very nice. People who appreciate handcrafted work will like the fact that you did it manually. Lasers and CNC have all but taken over in our craft, but traditions die hard in some of us.
 
Pegasus Guitars said:
I would encourage you to at least try inlay done by hand. The tools are not too expensive and uncomplicated inlays are not too difficult to do. There is lots of instruction on the web, CD's, books, etc. to help you., but simple inlay is extremely easy to do.They can be very nice. People who appreciate handcrafted work will like the fact that you did it manually. Lasers and CNC have all but taken over in our craft, but traditions die hard in some of us.
Click to expand...

Well said.
 
I have only done inlays by hand. I find the CNC and laser thing fascinating and I would like to have one to play with. I just think that for me the time and effort of buying, learning and doing it digitally would just take all of the fun out of taking a stroke and blowing away the dust. Doing inlays by hand to me is why I like doing inlays.
 
Thankyou for your replies, the laser tool has a steep price and learning curve so for the few ukes that i will build so it seems it's not going to happen.Based on the replies I will try some simple hand cut inlays.I can picture how to cut the inlay part but cutting the cavity? has me baffled. I'd be grateful for any tips on cutting them
Thanks
Bill
 
cathouse willy said:
Thankyou for your replies, the laser tool has a steep price and learning curve so for the few ukes that i will build so it seems it's not going to happen.Based on the replies I will try some simple hand cut inlays.I can picture how to cut the inlay part but cutting the cavity? has me baffled. I'd be grateful for any tips on cutting them
Thanks
Bill
Click to expand...

A dremel with some sort of attachment to keep the tool above the work. I've used the regular Dremel plunge router for a while, but I'll be getting the Stewmac router base soonn. Good downcut inlay bits are kinda expensive. I use 1/32", 1/16, and 1/8". There are many ways of routing the channel. I personally glue each piece to be inlaid down with a tiny drop or two of Elmer's glue and scribe around them with an X-acto blade and scribe tool. Once all the scribing is done I remove the pieces by heating them up with a damp paper towel and solder gun. Then route away to the depth of the inlay pieces. Tight corners sometimes have to be cut with an X-acto blade; undercut, slice, undercut, slice... You'll get the gist once you start doing it.

There are a few videos on Youtube worth watching... very few... Larry Robinson's instructional videos are good.
 
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Just make sure to use the larger bits on large areas and take multiple passes. You don't want to route deeper than the bit is wide or go too quickly. You'll break a bit. And like I said, they're costly.
If you have the money, LMI's "Rotary Tool Plunge Assembly" is the Cadillac.
 
Cutting / Inlay Pearl and Ebony is not impossible with a laser but it requires a very precise lens and considerable more power than the normal consumer laser along with several variation on normal laser techniques........CW2565.jpgCW2567.jpgCW2569.jpgCW2570.jpgCW2582.jpg
 
DPO said:
Wonderfull tech but without soul. No sign of the craftsmans hand
Click to expand...
There was a point in time that I was jealous about the accuracy of inlay being done by machine. After talking to Derek Shimizu years ago when he started offering laser engraving to bring art “to the masses”, I realized the more accessible artwork is on an instrument, the more value there is in custom inlay, read: by hand. Basically, I learned to appreciate those that do inlay by machine, which gives value to those that do it by hand.

No doubt, everytime I see a name on an instrument, my thought is “why isn’t that a signature?” The answer is usually because it was machine done. Note: I like doing signatures. Is it as accurate as a Cnc/laser inlay? Of course not; will never be. But there’s still a market for them.

That said, just ordered another Knew Concepts saw, a Mk IV with the swivel.
 
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Kekani- When you get that Mark IV, do a report back. I have all the lighter aluminum ones and am curious if the frame is sturdier. I tried the birdcage one, luckily when they were cheaper, and just did not like it at all. Hope you're doing great over there.--Bob
 
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