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I've got a fairly different idea about a rosette I'd like to build but I'd rather not destroy the top while I experiment. I've seen pre-made rosettes so obviously they can be constructed and then installed.

My question is, what are some tips and or techniques for constructing a rosette off the guitar top? Does anyone do this on a regular basis?

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Thank You and Best To All

I've not done it but, I just had an idea that you could make a rosette channel in HDPE and do your work in there. Most glues don't stick very well to it so you should be able to pop it out rather easily. Perhaps drill a series of holes as well to help it along.

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http://www.birkonium.com CNC Products for Luthiers
http://banduramaker.blogspot.com

I make my rosettes off of the guitar so here's one way. I build my rosettes on a piece of 1/64" birch plywood then cut the ring out and then glue into a channel cut into the top. After it is installed in the top then I cut the grooves for purfling to get the final tight fit.

The pieces built up on the birch ply


Sanded down and then cut out the ring - the ply stays with it.


Glued into the top


Add the purfling and clean up

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Andy's idea works very well, that's how I've made all of my rosettes. I tend to have a lot of accidents working with tops, and this method protects your top while letting you play around all you want with the rosette with no risk. I tend to get probably too picky about everything being perfect, but this way you can mess with it all you want until it is perfect.

Get a sheet of HDPE (think white plastic cutting board) and cut your trough into it. Before changing the router, Dremel or whatever, then cut your trough in the top wood. Use the HDPE trough to lay up whatever you want for the rosette and then when you're happy with how it looks, use thin CA to fix it in place. Then set the router to cut a trough for your outer border ring around what you just made, making sure to cut slightly into the previously glued up central part. Then again, before changing your router, move over to your top and cut the same circle in it. Reset the router for cutting the inner border, first in your glue up, then into the top. Glue in your border stirips and you're done and no damage to the top wood. You can scrape the surface down flat while it is still in the plastic

Once the complete rosette is glued in the HDPE, slice through the whole thickness with the bandsaw, and you can then catch the edge of your rosette and just pop it out of the plastic. Because all your cuts were made with the exact same settings in both the plastic and in the top, it will fit perfectly. It's a good idea to bevel the deep edges of the rosette a little with some sandpaper or a needle file before you press it into the top.

I then just wick thin CA around the edges, and the glue will suck itself down into the trough around the rosette. No fighting the wood swelling and no longer fitting, etc.

If you use CA to glue the rosette into the top, be sure to paint the inside of the trough in the top with shellac first to prevent the glue from also wicking down the pores of the wood and discoloring the top around your rosette

Thanks so much for the ideas. Was wondering about the 1/64th birch ply? Is that a commercial product or something made up in house?

I really like the idea of routing the plastic and the top with the sane dia. settings. Not sure which way I'll go but very good options. Thank you very much.

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Thank You and Best To All

I've tried it both ways and my preference, at the moment, is the method I've shown above - If forget who had the idea but wasn't mine originally.

The 1/64" birch plywood is not too expensive and is usually available in hobby stores. Here's one online source:

http://www.micromark.com/Birch-Plywood-1and64-Inch-Thick-x-12-Inches-Wide-x-24-Inches-Long,6913.html

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"