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I'm trying to get a stack of veneer for this type of rosette (from my #1)...

Bit rustic I know, but in return for using the local school's tools, I'm giving a talk on guitar-making to a bunch of 13-14 year olds. [I'm going to keep it light on guitar-making theory and just try to demonstrate some of the tricks I've learned for general woodworking of the sort they'll do in school: planing straight lines using a shooting board, carving curves in facets, gluing and clamping, different types of joint, planning carefully, that sort of thing.]

The teacher asked if there was any sort of practical part they could do, I could have a whole 90 minutes with them, so they certainly won't want to hear me talk for that long. So I thought of a cigar box guitar but that'd be several lessons and rather expensive for a whole class. Now I'm thinking it would be quite cool for them to make a rosette, I wouldn't even have to be there if they had to finish it at home or in another lesson. I'm sure the school has enough knives, compasses, tape and card for all of them, it's just a matter of supplying a stack of contrasting veneer for them to choose from.



(If anyone can remind me exactly how I did this I'd be obliged... Marked concentric circles, drew segmented design, cut out one segment at a time, taped cut out section over veneer, cut veneer using cutout section as guide... Then, eventually, each piece is taped in place one by one, leaving the rosette and the card held together entirely by tape... Then what? Glue it to a backing board of some type (more card?), let it dry, and peel tape off? Does that sound right, I'm having a mental blank! Or I am a mental blank?!



I bent a practice side when making Rosie's guitar and I'm thinking of bending the other one and putting the box together with practice khaya all round. Maybe with a narrow kids neck, maybe a wider one. Anyway, diameter of a rosette for that sized guitar is only 85mm, so small enough to be more manageable for them in a short space of time. I may tell them that I'll use the best one on that. And I would. It's only made of practice wood and I hate making rosettes

So, yeah, cheap stack of contrasting veneers... I found a lot of 55 for £8 on eBay... Plus £18 for shipping from the states!!! Over here, everything seems that bit more pricey. Anyone have any ideas for me?

Feel free to comment about the class too and if the rosette is a good idea...

Thanks in advance!
Nick

I've found you can get packs of assorted veneer offcuts on ebay fairly cheap. Not as cheap as that though. They're good because you get a range of different colours and grain. Search for model or dolls house making veneer...

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

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I didn't search eBay hard enough, there are some quite nice packs in the auctions. Will keep an eye on them.
Cheers Peter!

Does it need to be veneer? How about different coloured card from the local art shop?

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Trevor Gore, Luthier. Australian hand made acoustic guitars, classical guitars; custom guitar design and build; guitar design instruction.

http://www.goreguitars.com.au

Nick, when I lived in Leeds I went to a local company who made specialise veneered boards. They had a skip full of off-cut veneer strips. I'm sure with a few phone calls explaining that you're working in a school, you could get a stack of veneer for free.

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We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at guitars.

That's a very good point, Trevor, thanks! I'll certainly do that if I can't find cheap veneer. I hope it will be quite a good practical for them either way. How much marquetry gets done in schools these days?

And, Joe, thanks, that's a great idea. I'll do some research and get some phone numbers!

At the moment, it seems like £8 for 50 pieces in the states... or £30 for about the same from here?!