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I've been buying shell rosettes but they come in standard diameters. Is there an easy way to make a shell rosette of different diameters?

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

Cumpiano's book shows his jig. Basically, a disk cut to the correct inside diameter with sandpaper attached and a bolt through the center for the drill press. For the OD a small clamping pivot which is then rotated into the disc.

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Gabriel Regalbuto
Carlsbad, California
Freedom 35!

I use the pivot clamp to do the outside of shell, but instead of the disc to do the inner radius, I use a grind stone mounted horizontally in the drill press ....

If you are using 1/16 shell though, you can snap it into a trough anywhere from about 4 inches to almost 6 in diameter without much worry ... BTDT (been there, done that)

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Tony, is it possible to buy the curved pieces (LMI) and shape them? I need a rosette for a hole size 2.75".

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

With abalone is is possible to use standard radius and break them in place to make larger diameter and smaller diameter rosettes. I have done this many times. years ago most abalone rosettes and purflings were made by breaking in place straights of abalone by most of the manufactures as the loss in material was far less.

Rich, you can bend them into shape.
Oh, yes you can.
I make my rosette off the guitar on a circular form.
If you use the 1/16" width shell, you can force those
pieces into the diameter you want.
They may go ahead and snap on you, but it's like
Michael describes, with the bonus of having near invisible joints.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

True.. I snap them in, never done one that small though ....

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

I filed and snapped and fit the individual pieces on my most recent guitar - the diameter's a little smaller than the outer ring, little bigger than the inner, no troubles:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~mvalente/guitarpi ... ette06.jpg

Finding the perfect pieces for an even colour match (I wanted predominant greens with a touch of blue - it's Paua, so it can be all over the map in terms of colour)

I use Cumpiano's methods for the inside and outside diameter- they work great.

After I grind the inside diameter I cut a rough but very close outside diameter using a scroll saw with a simple jig that holds the shell at the inside diameter and then pivots with a slightly larger radius than I want for the outside diameter. Then I clean the outside diameter up with Cumpiano's method. I use a spiral bit on the scroll saw.

To miter the edge of the shell I use a disk sander and a jig that holds the shell at the right angle.

I took some pictures the last time I did one. I could post them if there's interest.

Mattia, very nice!

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

Yes, some pictures would be helpful...Thanks,

Ben

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- Ben Pak
North Wales, Pa.

I follow Campianos method. I do a mock up rosette using channels routered into a UHMW chopping board. Once everything fits I use the channels in the mock up to set up the router for cutting the actual top.

I start by grinding the inside diameter.



Here’s the jig I use for holding the shell.




This is the only shell cutting operation that I find a scroll saw really good for. Here’s the basic setup.



Here’s the shell locked and loaded ready to go I cut a bit wide and clean-up on the sander.



Halfway through the cut.



Done. With a larger shell it cuts pretty clean all the way through. This one needs more than the usual amount of cleanup



Here’s the setup for cleanup on the outside diameter.



Halfway through.



Done.



I used to go through a lot of saws mitering the ends. Now I use this jig and some sandpaper on an old wet saw. It makes short work of this job.




All done.



Inlaid and all decked out with glitter ready to party!



John