'caue everyone loves some inlay...progress on the viol

[Douglas Ingram]

Tad-ah! Inlay for the viol fingerboard and tailpiece done and cleaned up! Now, I just need to do the borders...

Oh, and over the summer I had a real setback. My shop is not humidity controlled and there were some really high, overnight, humidity spikes which caused some glue compromises. Anyway, a few steps back which can be dealt with, but the time that it takes...well, it must be taken.

These inlays are a match for the relief carving on the scroll. Fingerboard and tailpiece are Santos Rosewood/Pau Ferro.

For some reason, the photos are always presented in reverse order to how I select them, so, last one first/first one last.

[Mark Swanson]

Good looking work!
Take all precautions against any dust from the Pau Ferro and don't breathe it in, or even get any on your skin! That wood has some seriously toxic properties. You may not be sensitive to it at first, but the more you work with it, the more you will become, and you can take that to the bank! There are accounts of people going to hospital from breathing it. It bothers the hell out of me, and I break out in a rash just getting it on my skin.

[Patrick Hanna]

Oh, man. That is purely beautiful. I wish I had the chops to do something like that (or the patience to develop my chops). I can cut the pearl pieces just fine and beautifully. Fair curves everywhere! But cutting the inlay routs is altogether another level of challenge for me. I am not there yet. I'm not sure I even want to devote the time to get there. But I sure admire what you have accomplished. I think it's fabulous!
Patrick

[John Kingma]

Looks great Doug.

[Craig Bumgarner]

Good looking work!
Take all precautions against any dust from the Pau Ferro and don't breathe it in, or even get any on your skin!

I'll second that. I've worked with all manner of woods for over 50 years, many of which are considered fairly toxic like cocobolo, cedars, oaks, teak, etc., and the only wood that has ever caused me any trouble all is Pau Ferro. For me the symptoms were initially a mild fever and the feeling I'm coming down w/ the flu. Then a significant and rather unique respiratory reaction which is hard to describe but hard to forget. It also screws up my mouth and nose chemistry for a week quite noticeably, can't taste anything. Eyes burn and water for a week. First time I thought it was just the flu. Second time, I figured out it was the wood (sanding dust) and decided not to use it anymore. Recently, however, I used a piece for a fingerboard to get a color match and darn if it didn't bite me again. Nice wood for guitars, but Pau Ferro is poison to me.

Very nice inlay work by the way!

[Mark Swanson]

True Craig! It is nasty stuff.

[Michael Lewis]

Reported to be a relative of poison oak. Just another wonder drug from the South American forest.

[Douglas Ingram]

Thanks for the heads up regarding the wood. I haven't noticed a single issue from using it. So far its as innocuous as
Cherry or Maple, but I will remain alert.

I did take a shortcut with cutting the inlay. I really couldn't face cutting all of those itty-bitty channels, so I cut them as part of the inlay, hollowed out a single large area, and glued it all in as a piece, except for the few outliers.

I may be crazy but I'm not insane.

[Mark Swanson]

That's how it works, Douglas. It sensitizes you as you keep getting exposed, and then all of a sudden you will develop a reaction. At first it won't really have much effect but after a bit, it can hit you and that's what happened to me.

[Douglas Ingram]

At long last I have the borders for the fingerboard and tailpiece for the viola da gamba done!

Time, now, for the next step, which is to get the inlay on the front and back repaired. I had some serious setbacks last summer due to exceptionally high humidity overnight for a few too many nights.

[Timotej Kovačič]

This is some really wonderful stuff. I don't have a humidity controlled environment in my shop-to-be either, so seeing intricate inlay like this work despite the fluctuations is inspiring (and a testament to your skill, most of all).

[Bob Francis]

That's just outstanding!

[Beth Mayer]

Beautiful, Doug! Any updates?

[Douglas Ingram]

Beautiful, Doug! Any updates?

Oh, yes! Stay tuned.

I'm detailing the surfaces now in preparation for finish.

[Carl Curi]

very nice work.
I just finished a treble viol and it does not have inlays or purflings because I think I'm terrified of trying to do it.
Im afraid I will ruin the instrument.
Im currently making a bass viola da gamba, maybe I'll get the guts to do some inlay in it. Ill see.