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An OM that I've had on and off the bench for quite some time while I worked on some other instruments now is finally getting close to the finishing stage. It has a curly Spanish Cedar body with Bloodwood bindings and accents.

I had first considered shell or Zipflex for the purflings but decided to match the Spalted Maple burl that I used in the rosette and see how it would look when used as radial purfling. Cutting, sizing and sanding the matchsticks proved to be a bit of a challenge especially when the burl piece had a significant quantity of spalting; it had a tendency to crumble before it could be shaped.



The soft nature of the burl does allow the pieces to be tightly fit with little or no indication of the joints. and it complements the rosette nicely.

It really has a nice appearance and I continued the theme with the end-wedge and... some inlay and matching purfling binding the headstock:

I really do like the burl as purfling and I've got a nice chunk of Amboyna burl that I'm looking to match with something for an upcoming build and do much the same.

I'm about to start finishing this one with the Fuji 3 HVLP system I just got from Michael Payne, using EM6000. It will be a learning experience for me I'm sure.

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Peter

Love that headstock!

that looks awesome!! What a great alternative to the usual shell purflings
I might have to steal that idea

Peter,
I really love that purfling. Very special and very beautiful.
Absolute top job
Mat

Peter, this is a fantastic idea. I love the look. Very inovative. Love how you tied it to the rosette and headstock. Thanks for the pictures.

Very creative and original!
Another idea to put in the 'gotta steal this' column....
Thanks
John

Pretty pretty pretty,
Peter makes it look pretty.

thinks me gonna go gets some of that there burly stuff n makes me a build that looks pretty too.


blessings
the
Padma

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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NICE!!
You know we're all going to steal your idea?
So we'll give ya credit by naming it "pete's purfling"

It's a great idea and looks great also !
The Sp.Cedar looks killer !

It's this kind of influence (Sharing)that makes this place a great forum to belong too.

MIke

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Mike Collins

Peter-
It looks like you used the teflon strip method, just as with shell?

Though I find CA to be nasty stuff, it is helpful in stabilizing/strengthening punky burl- but you know this, I'm sure.

Thanks again
John

Super Nice!
I am amazed daily at this forum.
Kent Bailey

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Wood Creations by Kent A. Bailey
EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

http://www.kabart.com

Wow! That perfling sure dresses up that guitar nice Peter.And i think the matching inlayed headstock puts the iceing on it as well.I like the tasteful use of wood as you did.Real nice!

Very nice. How exactly do you get it to go around the curves though? Cut pieces with that same curvature?

Wonderful design on the headstock Peter.
That shot got saved to the "Inspiration" folder.
Many thanks.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Peter, very nice work. I especially love the headstock. Actually I have been using burl for purfling for awhile now. An easier way to do it than sanding a shaping each stick is to take a slice of a burl block and thickness on the drum sander to the width that you want the purfling to be, 1/16" for example. Then just cut strips with the bandsaw. All the pieces will be exactly the right width and you just have to be careful to make the ends meet up nice and tight. Here's a picture of one with birdseye maple burl purfling.

Mike, I also had one at the Woodstock show. Sorry you missed it.

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Randy Muth
RS Muth Guitars Website
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Thanks all for the comments and advice. I really did want to share this one as it seems a likely and aesthetically appealing substitute for shell when the situation calls for it.


John - Yes I did use the teflon strips between the B/W/B lines and filled w/ CA. Apparently I'm developing a sensitivity to CA and have to be very careful when I use it to stay away from any fumes or contact.


Ed, All of the burl pieces were cut on the bandsaw to the same width as the teflon strip. The straight pieces are then fit into the channel (made by the teflon strip originally) and they will break into segments to fit the curvature of the guitar body. Then a bit of CA glue will hold the pieces in place.


Randy the Birdseye Maple radial burl on your guitar looks great and I suspected that using it wasn't an original idea... I'm sure that much of what we consider to be "original thinking" has been done countless times before. I did process the burl sticks as you describe but the channel made by the teflon strip wasn't exactly uniform in places and the strips had to be hand fit.


Todd, I have used radial slices on backstrips and headstock inlays before ( I especially like the way Tulipwood looks in these cases) but never before for purfling. I remember a guitar you shared with us that had some spectacular Cocobolo radial purfling. It was a knockout!!

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Peter

What an idea ! Congratulations, it is very nice. Usually I don't like too sophisticated bindings (And I hate shell...) but that could make me change...

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Pete, I realize that you didn't claim it as original and I'm sure someone else out there has done it before me as well. Being honest, it did bug me a bit to hear it called "Pete's Purfling", not your comment but Mike's. I'm sure Mike will understand why I might feel that way.

With that out of the way, in your comment to Ed, you mentioned that you cut the strips to the same width as the teflon strips with the bandsaw. If this is the case, then I can see that you would have a lot of fitting to do. But in the comment to me, you state that you thicknessed the width on the sander. This of course would give a very consistent width for inlaying. I guess I'm not sure how you proceeded. You also mentioned that the channel wasn't consistent. This shouldn't be the case, otherwise you would have to sand all the shell pieces if you were inlaying shell. Teflon can be problematic if used several times since it stretches a bit. This would give an inconsistent width. I've gone to using polypropylene strips, which don't stretch at all. I bought a 1/16" thick sheet from McMaster's and cut strips on the bandsaw, again using the thickness of the sheet for the width of the channel.

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Randy Muth
RS Muth Guitars Website
RS Muth Guitars Blog
Facebook Fan Page

Great idea these spalted maple purfling, and gorgeous guitar... congratulations...