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Instead of using pearl dots, I would like to inlay the position dots with maple from wood dowels. It seems that the maple dowels that are available at my local hardware stores are made from end grain. and doesn't sand too smooth. Also, I'm concerned about the wood dowel inlays shrinking. I should mention that i would like to inlay the maple position dots in a fingerboard for a Weissenborn Style guitar.

Your thought regarding this approach is welcomed, and appreciated.

Ron M.

The end grain of the doweling isn't to hard to sand smooth however it does tend to pick up the dark dust from an ebony, rosewood fb (or any other dark wood too) and it's nearly impossible to get out and make look good. My father in law did that on his guitar and honestly it didn't turn out to great. He's considering pulling them out and installing pearl.

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I think your thoughts echo mine.

While maple might make great inlay dots, the end grain will prove to be a real booger.

If it is maple you like, you might try getting some maple veneer (even hobby shops have this) and a plug cutter. If you can't bring yourself to buy "ANOTHER" tool, use a short piece of pipe with an inside diameter equal to or close to the dot size you are after. Rough up the end of the pipe and chuck it in a drill.

good luck.

Dave

You could also buy stabilized maple from Lee Valley or similar and cut into sheets/dots. The stabilization process means it won't suck up the ebony/rosewood dust.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Hi Ron;

I use maple and other woods for fret markers and find that a plug cutter if decent quality works great. They cut a slight taper in the plug and can be pressed or tapped in tight with glue. Several sizes avilable. Actually I have never bought any ready-made fret markers, if you cut slow you can make nice ones in shell and pearl too. I find a nice variety of colors and patterns in ink pen acrylic blanks from places like Woodcraft inc. Again plug cutting them out, one $3 blank will make about 40 markers.
HTH-- nehemiah

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Nehemiah Covey
www.coveysacoustics.com

The other thing you can do is cut a piece of maple so you can chuck it in your drill and run it med fast and make your own doweling by holding a file or course grit sandpaper against it while it spins. Maybe make a steady rest somehow. Also cut the wood so that the end grain is being turned. You could make some reall nice curly maple markers that way, or maybe some koa ones or....

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

I knew there had to be a better way other than using dowels. I found three different kinds of plug cutters. Which plug cutter would be best for the job? (link below)
http://www.ostartools.com/products/forw ... cutter.htm



Is stabalized wood only available in Burl? I would like curly maple to match the other parts of the guitar. Thanks Bob & thanks to everyone for your great suggestions.

Ron M.

Ron;

I use titanium coated tapered in 1/4" and 3/8" but I also have several different types, the round or barrel cutters in 1/8" and 4mm. Places like HomeDepot ,Lowe's and hardware stores in general should have a pretty good selection. I have dulled some of them cutting shell and hard materials, but it's rather easy to re-sharpen. Leave them in your drill press and hold a wet stone or diamond hone at the correct angle and turn it at a slow speed.
I always test them in a scrap piece of the same wood to make sure the hole drilled is correct for the plug size. After installing, I use a fine tooth (no set in the teeth hardly) Japanese pull saw to saw them off flush to the board, this is after fret slots are cut, but before radiusing and installing the frets.

HTH
--nehemiah

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Nehemiah Covey
www.coveysacoustics.com

Thanks Nehemiah for the information.

Ron M.

Look up 'stabilized curly maple' or 'curly maple knife scales' (or pen blanks) on Google or eBay and you can come across some natural maple blanks as well as ones to match any colours you might use. A lot of knife places carry all kinds of stabilized wood for knife scales and they're pretty much the perfect size to cut little guitar stuff out of.

You can also contact Larry Davis at Gallery Hardwoods, as I'm sure he'd know where to go.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Thanks Bob, i will.

Hi Ron.

I use maple dots on all my guitars. I don't use maple dowel though because of the end grain. I just use a 1/4" plug cutter to make the dots out of boards I cut myself. I glue them in with CA and add a coat of thin CA when everything is leveled to avoid durt to get into them.

Works for me!

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

I was going to suggest sealing it with CA too. Larry Robinson seals all his wood inlays in fretboards with a coat of CA to keep the dirt out and he also seal over his engraving's ink with CA on fretboards since he uses liquid water colors for his engravings.

Thanks Alain and Chris for the additional information.

Do any suppliers sell pre cut maple dots?

Ron M.