Zipflex

Vespa Bob

Vespa Bob

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Has anyone tried this stuff? It's ridiculously expensive to begin with, but depth wise, I don't see how one can actually use it, since it measures only 1/6", that being mostly the rubber base. One swipe of a sanding block and it will disappear!
I have two strips, each 15"long, going free to anyone who sends me a PM.
Bob
 

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Bob, I've used it once. The actual Paua is thicker than you think, although I agree the rubber backing makes it look that way. It is expensive but I would use it again if I could buy it in the UK . Stewmac won't send it here and if they did, there's the added duty and taxes etc.
P1120521.jpg
 
Wow I see it can be done, and nicely too! Send me a PM with your address and I'll mail my two pieces to you.
Bob
 
I believe the zipflex was a Kevin Waldron invention and was sold on his website. He used to occasionally post on the underground but I see on his site that he is no longer in business and has retired. Whether zipflex will be available anymore I don't know. Perhaps another supplier picked it up.
 
sequoia said:
I believe the zipflex was a Kevin Waldron invention and was sold on his website. He used to occasionally post on the underground but I see on his site that he is no longer in business and has retired. Whether zipflex will be available anymore I don't know. Perhaps another supplier picked it up.
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I believe Kevin Ryan was the the master mind behind Zipflex.
 
sequoia said:
I believe the zipflex was a Kevin Waldron invention and was sold on his website. He used to occasionally post on the underground but I see on his site that he is no longer in business and has retired. Whether zipflex will be available anymore I don't know. Perhaps another supplier picked it up.
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Yes, it's now sold by LMI.
Bob
 
Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:
I believe Kevin Ryan was the the master mind behind Zipflex.
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You are correct Chuck. I got it wrong. Was developed Kevin Ryan:

ZipFlex is the world’s first and only flexible purfling strip made from genuine abalone or pearl. It was created in the demanding, real-world environment of Kevin Ryan Guitars as an answer to the technical challenges posed by inlaying shell into the trim of guitars and other musical instruments. It's produced by AST - Advanced Shell Technology in the USA.
 
Pete Howlett said:
I think the idea is brilliant - I just don't like the chunky look of it. But there again, I use Ablam which is anathema to some.
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I've also used ablam which I got through a supplier that had access to good stuff. Looked really good too if you ask me, but I didn't emphasize that it was ablam to buyers. However the supply dried up and the guy went out of business so I went to using whole shell. I liked the stuff that DePaul put out, really high quality paua but didn't like that it came in too big diameter. Just didn't look right for a tenor sized sound hole. Here is a few pics using ablam:

ablam1.jpg ablam.jpg
 
Pete Howlett said:
I think the idea is brilliant - I just don't like the chunky look of it. But there again, I use Ablam which is anathema to some.
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It’s not chunky at all. Been using it for 15 years or so since Kevin created it. He is a good friend of mine and neighbor and I’ve seen it on countless instruments. I use the .047” which is perfect for ukulele.
 
Pete Howlett said:
I think the idea is brilliant - I just don't like the chunky look of it. But there again, I use Ablam which is anathema to some.
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Look at the picture I posted above, Pete. It's not exactly chunky is it? And coincidentally, that Koa is from the scraps I got from you.
Mike
 
Pete Howlett said:
That thick black line.... I like to see a b/w/b 10 thou fibre lines to the edge.
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That thick black line is a separate piece of black purfling, which was my choice, and maybe not to your taste but the actual Zipflex has a very fine black line as can be seen between the Zipflex and the Koa.
 
Long time since I've seen the product. However I don't want a solid black line which I understand has to be there for structural reasons.

As I said, I like Ablam because I can buy direct from the manufacturer in China (and you can to - they market through Facebook)at under half the cost elsewhere and the quality is as good as any I get from my retail sources for MOP blanks. I cut the Ablam on my CNC to the perimeter of the instrument so the parts exactly fit and require no 'snapping' into place. I could go on forever about the joys of CNC technology but I'd just be bragging. Also, I would not have been apprised of the versatility of CNC technology were it not for the continuing deterioration of fine motor skills - the effect of having Parkinson's disease- forcing me to find other ways of doing things I formerly did by hand. If you can justify the expense, buy one. For the cost of a third of the first year's salary I have a hard working 'craftsman' that never tires, doesn't need a break or holidays and most important, always does what I say even when I am wrong!
 
Thanks for the heads up on ablam Pete. I don't enjoy the luxury of owning a cnc machine and most likely I never will. As you are aware, I am only a hobby builder that churns out a couple of instruments per year, so the cost couldn't be justified but the main obstacle to me at my age would be the steep learning curve. I've watched you with Boris and wouldn't know where to start.
 
Pete Howlett said:
Long time since I've seen the product. However I don't want a solid black line which I understand has to be there for structural reasons.

As I said, I like Ablam because I can buy direct from the manufacturer in China (and you can to - they market through Facebook)at under half the cost elsewhere and the quality is as good as any I get from my retail sources for MOP blanks. I cut the Ablam on my CNC to the perimeter of the instrument so the parts exactly fit and require no 'snapping' into place. I could go on forever about the joys of CNC technology but I'd just be bragging. Also, I would not have been apprised of the versatility of CNC technology were it not for the continuing deterioration of fine motor skills - the effect of having Parkinson's disease- forcing me to find other ways of doing things I formerly did by hand. If you can justify the expense, buy one. For the cost of a third of the first year's salary I have a hard working 'craftsman' that never tires, doesn't need a break or holidays and most important, always does what I say even when I am wrong!
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Pete, to each their own. I have used zipflex for years and the black line that is there for structural reasons as you rightly say is only 5thou. I too use CNC and with a 55k rpm spindle I am lucky I can cut abalam fairly fast and easy but nowhere as fast or easy as installing zipflex. I do have to say, I have seen Chinese ablam and I have to disagree with you on 2 points. First, abalam or Ablam is a patented material that is not made in China. My buddy Chuck Erickson created and patented it years ago. The Chinese stuff you see on alibaba is nowhere the quality of true Ablam (and yes, I’ve seen both). I doubt Chuck has a patent in China so I guess their are free to sell there but can’t market it here. If you have stayed away due to price I highly recommend you’d try real Ablam. It’s more solid, better color and deeper and does not delaminate.
 
Hi. I have been using ZipFlex forever as well. It is fantastic stuff. The webbing makes a BARELY visible black line and unless you are inlaying it directly against spruce / maple or another very lightly colored wood I'd challenge anyone to notice it. You can "see" it against koa, but if you didn't know it was there you'd never notice it.

The one "negative" I'd say about Zipflex... and this is a VERY VERY small one is the pieces of shell are cut into uniform segments and if you go around a tight curve you will be able to see little gaps between the pieces, even under finish. Again, this is something so small that I am sure nobody but a builder would ever notice, but on tight radius curves I prefer to cut solid pieces of abalam to get rid of that effect.

I also completely agree with Peter. Abalam from Chuck Erickson and "Abalam" from China are not the same. The way this material is made is by laminating wafers of shell (sort of like plywood) on a backing substrate. The "real" stuff has more layers of the highly figured top layers so it is harder to sand through the color. You can sand through the import versions a lot faster.
 
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