MOP/Abalone inlays in light figured maple

[Xavier Baron]

Hello everybody,
Almost new here (I posted on the old MIMF forum in 2005 for my F5 mandolin built and you were really helpfull as I had no experience, and still don't)

i'm building a 8 strings lapsteel, top wood is flamed maple for body and headstock
The finish I want to do is a yellow/orange burst with water dyes, and2 parts automotive PU varnish as finish.

At first I wanted to dye the headstock veener in black, but it looks great and finally would like to keep it visible under the same burst as the body will:



The inlays are these ones:(without the truss rod cover)



How to do the inlay job in such a light wood as this maple? In ebony it's easy with black CA, but here...?

Is it a good idea to:
-Rout the inlays cavities a little deeper than the inlays thickness
-Dye inside the cavities
-Lightly glue the inlays with clear CA or epoxy
Cover the whole with clear epoxy (how to avoid small air bubbles?)
-Sand flush
-And then dye the wood?

Thank you for your help

Xavier

[Dale Gulick]

I just inlayed a black MOP sickle moon with a blue abalone lightning bolt, outlined with copper wire in unstained quilted maple. I very carefully outlined each piece with a knife, then routed to 1/32” of the line, then carefully carved up to the line. I cut everything slightly deeper than the thickness of the shell, used clear epoxy, and clamped it using wax paper and a dead-flat caul. Good results, although I must admit it is far more tedious than working with a brown or black background.

Another option is to use a laser to create the outline.

[Xavier Baron]

Thanks for your answer Dave

here's the finished routing job:




Do you think it's accurate enough (I dont think so, there's a problem at the top of the "B") to try to do a natural finish, or sould I dye the wood black?

Both options are good for me

Thanks,

Xavier

[Mark Swanson]

No matter what you do, you'll see the fill. You didn't do that bad of a job, but it is all but impossible to get a fit good enough to work in a light colored wood like that. I think you'd be better off coloring the wood, even a little bit would help. use a fill that will take a stain, or at least take color in the same way the wood will and then it'll cover pretty good.

[Dale Gulick]

I agree with Mark. The problem is with the light inlay because the fill will come out darker no matter what you do.

[Xavier Baron]

Thank you for your advice guys

I think I'm gonna dye black inside the cavities then glue, sand and then dye the wood black.

[Xavier Baron]

Hello,
I finally got that after a black tint:



Xavier

[Romeo Suave]

What kind of laser would you use to outline and what process?

[Xavier Baron]

Hi Romeo,

What do you mean by "laser"? Everything was done with a dremel motortool, microchisels and a small scraper grinded in a razor blade.

[Chuck Tweedy]

Hate to say, but I liked it better white.

[Xavier Baron]

Hate to say, but I liked it better white.

For sure, without any glue...

[Chuck Tweedy]

The white pearl looks great, but the abalone is too dark to show good contrast.
Too bad you didn't just dye half the headstock.

The wood looks awesome - like black satin.

[Xavier Baron]

Chuck,
I dont master the dying process, I'm a new bee at it

Next one will be better

Anyway I'm not so disappointed:

[Mark Swanson]

I think it looks ok, After it's shiny the abalone will pop out just fine.

[Dave Stewart]

I agree with Mark. I think it looks great (subtle......lizard climbing over rough ground). Actually, I thought the white background was a bit stark ... to each his own.

[Chuck Tweedy]

It is certainly not bad, I just liked it better white.

[Eric Baack]

could sand it back and add a color dye for a 3d figure effect

[Xavier Baron]

Eric,
There is a 3D figure effect.

Anyhow the guitar is finished (just for Christmas ):
















So I wont sand back anything now

Happy new year everybody,

Xavier

[David King]

Beautiful guitar Xavier. I don't know how you get any work done with such a nice view outside though.

[Dave Ross]

That has got to be one of the prettiest lap steels I've seen. Great work!