Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm doing some inlay on a Maple fretboard, using Black pearl (Tahiti)...and looking for any tips as to a filler / method to work with this combination. Would like it to be as effective as the black CA glue in ebony, if I can. A good tint for superglue with Maple?

Thanks......Michael

I use epoxy with a bit of lampblack, but I have never inlaid into maple.

_________________
Kevin Mason
Mason Guitars and Ukuleles on Facebook
http://masonguitars.net

Don't mess up

Really, there is no filler that will look good on light colored woods. Black is probably your best bet, to match more with the pearl than the wood. But then it will look more like an uneven outline than something that was supposed to be there.

Hide glue is another option. It's what I use for inlays, because it doesn't fill gaps entirely. Fills it most of the way up so it's not so shadowy, but leaves a dip that shows it for what it is, and is a nice natural looking amber color that doesn't draw attention.

I've never found a good filler for maple. If you can get the inlay close then just fill the gaps with clear CA.
Sometimes a plane shaving will fill a gap and be reasonably hard to see, but you can't get away with much slop in maple.

What design are you inlaying? If dots, it will look good with clear epoxy.If it's a random design, you won't get a tight looking inlay unless it's cnc'ed in there.

Actually you want the filler to be the color of the background so the inlay shape is as well defined as possible.

_________________
Old growth, shmold growth!

+1 on the "Don't mess up!"
It can be done without CNC...

_________________
A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

Thanks for all the replies......I'm gonna rely on close registration....careful work, but, it would be nice to have a bullet in my pocket.

yours..michael

Lacquer burn in sticks are one option. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Finishing_supplies/Repair_and_touchup/Lacquer_Sticks.htmlTry mixing the white and light walnut sticks. Blend them together on a scrap piece until you get a good color match. Maple dust in white glue can work too. The only way I've found of keeping dark abrasive particles out of the dust is to use a clean file on end grain. You may want to add a little cornstarch to overcome the darkening that the glue causes, but if you make a dry mixture, and stick to white glue, it will come close. Here's hoping you don't get to try any of these.

Nice work, Rodger!

_________________
Tim Allen
"Never hurry, never rest."