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Fretboard Neurons Inlay
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=47090		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Pat Hawley [ Mon Jan 18, 2016 9:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Fretboard Neurons Inlay
Hi All,

Last week I posted a question about how to do an inlay representative of neurons. This is just an update. I settled on using a casting resin called Alumilite. I routed out the pockets and just poured it in and it cured to a hard, white plastic. I used four different router bits, the smallest being 0.02" diameter to get the tapering of the axons. Here is the result:

Image

I think it looks pretty good and my son (for whom I'm making this Terz guitar) is happy. Incidentally, with reference to the other post about whether or not to bind fretboards, I usually do. However this is one fretbooard I did not bind as my son felt it was more important, and I agree, that the neurons extend right to the edges of the board.

Thanks for looking,
Pat
Author:  Johny [ Mon Jan 18, 2016 9:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
Impressive work and nice creativity.
Author:  DennisK [ Mon Jan 18, 2016 9:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
Awesome! I agree, binding would be a distraction on this one. Gotta know when to make exceptions like that :)
Author:  alan stassforth [ Mon Jan 18, 2016 9:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
Awesome looking, Pat!
Author:  MetalOne72 [ Mon Jan 18, 2016 10:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
Very cool!
Author:  J De Rocher [ Mon Jan 18, 2016 11:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
That is way cool. Well done!
Author:  tysam [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
Good job, Pat. I'm glad you found the product that worked for you. Looks great.
Author:  Colin North [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 3:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
That has turned out really well. Agreed about the binding too.
Author:  Pat Hawley [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 8:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
Thanks for the nice comments folks.
Cheers,
Pat
Author:  jfmckenna [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 9:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
I really like that a lot. So why neurons? What's the story behind that?

Personally I don't like binding in most cases anyway. I like to see the fret tang nice and smooth on the side of the fretboard but then i like functional design.
Author:  George L [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 11:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
Yeah, that is cool! My partners and I do some work for the Allen Institute for Brain Science. That group would love this!
Author:  Joe Beaver [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
Great looking guitar, well done!!!
Author:  Pat Hawley [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
Thanks again. The back story is that my son does stem cell research at the Sick Children's Hospital in Toronto. He knows a lot about neurons. He likes them and thinks everyone should have them.

Although I do bind most fret boards, I also do like the look of fret tangs fitting perfectly into the side of the fret board. I think it's kind of the same as open gear tuners. Mostly I use the enclosed Gotoh tuners but I do like the look of, and occasionally use open gear tuners.

Pat
Author:  SteveSmith [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
That does look really good.
Author:  bcombs510 [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
That looks really great, Pat. Did you route the inlay by hand using a template or just freehand? I'm curious about the process.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Author:  Quine [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
Sweet...it turned out really well.
Author:  Alain Desforges [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
Whoa! As my chidren would say, "Sick!"
Author:  jfmckenna [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 2:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
Pat Hawley wrote:
Thanks again. The back story is that my son does stem cell research at the Sick Children's Hospital in Toronto. He knows a lot about neurons. He likes them and thinks everyone should have them.

Although I do bind most fret boards, I also do like the look of fret tangs fitting perfectly into the side of the fret board. I think it's kind of the same as open gear tuners. Mostly I use the enclosed Gotoh tuners but I do like the look of, and occasionally use open gear tuners.

Pat


Ah ok pretty cool. I know what you mean about open tuners, it's that functional design steam punk kind of thing.
Author:  Alex Kleon [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 3:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
I think the inlays look great, Pat! To stray a little, what kind wood is the top made of? Almost looks like a little blue or ambrosia staining in the swirl.

Alex
Author:  DannyV [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 4:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
What Alex said. [:Y:] [:Y:]
Author:  Pat Hawley [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 5:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
The process was that I sent my son a pdf of the fret board and he sent it back with the neurons artwork. I'm not sure where he got that or how he arranged it. I do my inlays with a pantograph so I enlarged what my son sent me to three times actual size and traced that with the follower on the pantograph which made the dremel cut the pockets at actual size into the fret board. Using a pantograph to accurately replicate the artwork really wasn't necessary since the "inlay" was just a resin that was going to fill any pocket shape I made. I mainly used it just because I have it all set up and ready to go all the time so that was just the easiest thing to do. I started with a relatively large 3/32" router bit for the "bodies" of the neurons and worked my way down to a 1/50" router bit for the finest axons. Once the pockets were cut I just mixed up the resin, poured it in and there you go. It's actually a pretty easy way to do inlays.

The top is curly redwood, Alex. My son picked the set specifically because he love the black streaks in the wood. That's also the reason he opted for no rosette - he didn't want the black streaks going around the sound hole to be interrupted. Here's a picture of the whole top:
Image

Cheers,
Pat
Author:  sdsollod [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 5:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
What a cool idea! ...and you pulled it off!
Author:  Elman Concepcion [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 6:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
Love it !!!

Art and Science getting along again.
Can I grow some new neurons if I eat some Alumilite pills ?
Just Kidding ;-)
Author:  Alex Kleon [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 6:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
Thanks Pat! Keep us updated on this build - it looks like it's going to be a really interesting one!
I have some curly Sitka tops with similar grain and a bit of colour in the really curly parts. Maybe I shouldn't be afraid to use them.

Alex
Author:  dzsmith [ Tue Jan 19, 2016 7:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fretboard Neurons Inlay
Sweet!
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