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Here's the inlay I just finished up for my latest build. It was my first attempt at cutting MOP by hand. Really wasn't as bad as I was thinking. Just wanted to share my excitement. Oh, the skull and cross bones is from Andy Depaul. Thanks Andy.

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Rob

Looks good Rob. Is this just a test piece? It looks a bit right of center to me...

Cheers,
Dave F.

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Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"

Yeah It's abit right of center. Plenty of room to correct for that wthi my headstock shape. But..... After careful alignment during gluing, the headplate slipped to the right, now its off center on the guitar too.....

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Rob

You did a great job of channeling at the femur bones, the skull looks like it kind of got away from you and you had a large dust fill are off to the left side. Did you scribe the shape before channeling or just trace with a marker? I know the skull is pretty small and hard to hold in place to scribe. I glue pieces in place with a small drop of CA and allow it to cure, scribe with shape a razor knife. I then trace the scribe marks with a white wax pencil and lightly scrape with a razor. This leaves white wax in the scribe marks that makes it easier to follow when channeling.

I make the scribe lines as tight to the inlay as possible and as deep as possible without applying too mush pressure against the inlay to avoid knocking it loose. The nice thing about a deep scribe is as your bit gets close to the scribe the wood will break away cleanly at the scribe line just before the bit gets tangent to the scribe. This really helps avoid letting the bit get away and helps insure the channel is fit size and not over cut.

It is easy enough to get away with over size channels in ebony and some darker rosewood but with lighter rosewoods and woods with varying color it is critical to have well fitted channels.

Good first attempt

Thanks Michael! I did scribe around like you suggest, but let the dremel get away from me over there on the left

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Rob

it happens

I usually glue it down with a dab of Duco and scribe with #11 exacto and even a pointed scribe if the #11 won't fit in certain areas. Once the pieces are removed I'll scrape on a piece chaulk dusting over it and rub the dust in to fill the scribe lines . Colored chaulk works well maple. Pretty fast and easy method I think. If the pieces won't pop off then a little bit of acetone will loosen it up. Just another way to skin the cat.