Official Luthiers Forum!

Here I go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qSyNu0JLBI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIjMUzuSqjw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-t-8k7nf8I

Cool videos, Chris

This is an operation I've wondered about. When I build my tiger myrtle OM, I'd love to have abalone purflings. So you're just laying in straight pieces and butting the ends together? It looks much simpler than I've imagined. Thanks!

Chris...nice videos! Thanks for posting. I was touched by the dedication on CA flooding!

I like the slider idea!

BTW...Since you first began your videos I recognized a strong western PA accent...when I saw the Monongahela shirt I said Bingo!... New Castle, here.

Go Steelers!

_________________
JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

I figured you would like that. Yeah, grew up in Monongahela and moved here in Tampa in 80. Got that sweat shirt about 6 years ago when I was up there working half the year and watching my Mom until she passed. Cold there now and chilly here too. I don't get all that much chance to wear a sweat shirt here to often.

Very nicely done Chris - thanks a million for doing these videos for us!!!!

Great videos Chris. Seeing that done really takes some of the mystery out of it. I have read how people do it, and you even described your process to me, but the idea of cracking the shell hits home in the video.

Thanks and stay warm.

John

James O., Yep just butt them together. When making the strips wider then 1/16" it becomes more difficult to break the shell and the wider the pieces also make the little straight segment pieces noticable as they won't form a smooth curve because the distance between the bends(breaks) gets longer. It's like you can break a 1/16" wide piece into a 1/4" segment. It would be hard to break say a 1/8" wide piece into 1/4" segment . I suppose you could make curved pieces and that might help. But I can't say for sure because I haven't made my side purf over 1/16" but once tried to break a wide piece and it just doesn't seem to work for me. When I do a rosette ring I cut the radius out with my jig so it's the exact inside and outside radius.
I'm kind of surprised that people haven't seem to take alot of interest in that jig as I see it as being a real handy tool for cutting shell.
Thanks guys. I'm glad you found them of interest and of some help. It's not hard to do just a little fussy at times. It is easier with plastic purfs. The .012" black line toward the shell has a tendency to get pinched and folded under the shell when placing the shell sometimes. Something to keep an eye out for. Like I said this was the first time I used wood purfs. It might be easier to glue up the purfs together first instead of having single lines. I don't know how the wood purfs glued up would behave in this case as far as bending but those of you who work with wood purfs may have some thoughts on that. But it works as singles just a bit more fussy that's all.