Saber Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 Here is my first inlay project. I started out with a scalloped Ibanez S-Series neck so I needed inlays that would pretty much cover the old "S" inlays. I basically used Brian's 3D Inlay Tutorial with the following additions. I cut them out of 3/32" acrylic mirror. I painted the edges flat silver since the edges can be seen through the transparent acrylic. Then I added a coat of brown so the silver could not be seen through the transparent epoxy where there might be small gaps in the less-than-perfect routing. I could have avoided the brown paint if I had added brown pigment to the epoxy instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowser Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 man that is cool looking! nice scallop job too, it looks really even. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nordic Gawd Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 nice job bro! Love the silver rims!~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluespresence Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 What was wrong with the S inlay?? Just Kidding!!!! Great Job Saber - looks 110% beautiful!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryeisnotcool2 Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 good job ! looks cool! and you can now see if yo have anything stuck in your teeth at gigs! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 and burn the eyes of any hecklers.....looks great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clavin Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 Nicely done Saber. For a first I would say extremely nice work!! Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted December 23, 2003 Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 Whoa excellent job for a first and I never would have thought anyone would do that to a scalloped fret board You really have a one of a kind looker bro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlexVDL Posted December 23, 2003 Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 Man you've done an excellent job!!! I like it and it looks so pro!!!! Where did you get the acrylic mirror material, and how did you cut it so it wouldn't tear the chrome foil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www Posted December 23, 2003 Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saber Posted December 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 Whoah, I'm sort of overwhelmed by these compliments! Thanks. I guess patience pays off. The acrylic sheet comes from the hardware store (Reno-Depot near where I live) in the same section as the plexi-glass and other similar sheet products. They come in 4' x 8' sheets but my brother had bought a smaller scrap piece from the store's cutting center for his own hobby. Since my inlays are a simple geometric shape, I cut far enough outside the line and then held the piece above a belt sander to wear it down almost to the line, always holding it so that the belt drags the reflective surface slightly toward the acrylic. Then I filed each edge smooth. I didn't polish the edges though, so the paint could grab on. BTW, this type of mirror doesn't use a foil backing but is rather some type of coating so it doesn't tear, so that may make it a bit easier to work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJohn Posted December 23, 2003 Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 Are you serious that that is your first inlay job?I wish my first inlay looked that good.Great Job!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wylde1919 Posted December 23, 2003 Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 Looks really good, question for you though, are the inlays curved to match the scallop of like a flat surface at the bottom of the scallop (does that make sense). And if so how did you get the mirror to bend like that. BTW I like the "name on the inlay" touch makes it seem that much more pro, IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ovation22 Posted December 23, 2003 Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 WOW!!! Nice job... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saber Posted December 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 Looks really good, question for you though, are the inlays curved to match the scallop of like a flat surface at the bottom of the scallop (does that make sense). And if so how did you get the mirror to bend like that. BTW I like the "name on the inlay" touch makes it seem that much more pro, IMO Thanks. The bottoms of the inlay cavities were routed flat by placing a board on each side of the neck and riding the router attachment on them. Then the inlays were glued flat and then filed, sanded, and buffed to the shape of the scallops. The inlays are thick enough and the scallops not so deep, making it possible to do it this way. However, even though the reflective surface remains flat, even that looks curved because of optical distortion caused by the curvature of the other surface. In fact the flat reflective surface appears convex, or opposite of the concave scalloped surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jem7RB UK Posted December 23, 2003 Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 great job dude,Fantastical in fact,merry xmas Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SprocketBoy Posted December 23, 2003 Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 TOTALY AWESOME!!!!!! sheeesh and your first time too,.........as my band teacher back in jr. high said............."THE NATURAL!!!!!" thats really sweet looking i can only imagine what you'll be turning out down the road.........very inspiring to me........keep it up!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted December 24, 2003 Report Share Posted December 24, 2003 Awesome work! How did you cut the stuff to begin with? I've never worked with acrylic, so, is it possible to use a jeweler's saw like for MOP? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saber Posted December 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2003 How did you cut the stuff to begin with? I've never worked with acrylic, so, is it possible to use a jeweler's saw like for MOP? I used a coping saw similar to this: http://www.zonatool.com/coping.html I think a jeweler's saw would be even better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney Posted January 14, 2004 Report Share Posted January 14, 2004 Really nice work! Now that you've had it a while do you find that the acrylic scratches easily? I considered trying something similar, but the acrylic mirrors i've seen are usually prone to scratching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Brown Posted January 14, 2004 Report Share Posted January 14, 2004 Whoa Saber, Awesome job!!! Would you consider doing my fretboard!!? I'm over in Pointe-Claire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saber Posted January 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2004 Really nice work! Now that you've had it a while do you find that the acrylic scratches easily? I considered trying something similar, but the acrylic mirrors i've seen are usually prone to scratching. I don't have any problem with scratches but that's simply because my fretboard is scalloped so the strings never come in contact with the inlays. Only the pads of my fingers occasionally rub against them a bit when I do large bends since the scalloping is not very deep, so they only get a bit dirty. If there were small scratches, they wouldn't be very noticeable with the strings passing over but it's hard to say how a non-scalloped fretboard would end up. Whoa Saber, Awesome job!!! Would you consider doing my fretboard!!? I'm over in Pointe-Claire The request is flattering but since this is my only experience with inlaying, I wouldn't feel too confident about not screwing up at this point in time... especially on someone else's guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Brown Posted January 15, 2004 Report Share Posted January 15, 2004 Hey, I totally understand... I would have answered in the same way... I don't mind screwing up my gear, but ya... Just the thought of someone elses makes me cringe. Salut! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gw_guitars Posted January 16, 2004 Report Share Posted January 16, 2004 I really love this inlay! The idea of mirror inlay is great too! Fine job. Wish I could do that! Gerard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pour bleeding me Posted January 17, 2004 Report Share Posted January 17, 2004 when u sand the inlay level with the fretboard doesnt it scratch the hell out of the inlay or the fretboard? what grits of sandpaper do you use to get it level and then finish it out? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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