Inlay adhesive and finish

[Andrew Jerman]

For my headstocks, I use a .006 abalone laminate sheet with a backing. Easy to cut with a laser and cnc. I cut the pocket in the headstock about 3x as deep, install the inlay then flood it with CA. This prevents me from getting in to the inlay when I sand the headstock. So, I just got a quote for $600 to have a fretboard inlaid. Not arguing value of work or price but that's outside my budget. I'm wondering if I could use the same process that I use on the fretboard that I use on my headstock? I'm also wondering if an epoxy would be a better material to flood it with then CA. Do you think one would hold up better than the other? Thoughts on this approach. If I can pull this off, then cost plummets to less than $100.

[Brian Evans]

I think your choice of inlay material is a tad thin for fretboards, unless you bury it under something very tough. Most use material about .060", 1/16th inch, and treat it very carefully. The issue is you typically inlay when the fretboard is flat, and the inlay is laid flat in a flat bottomed recess. Then you sand the fretboard radius. I've used CA to glue in inlay, and I know a lot of people use coloured epoxy, which has the advantage of filling cracks where the recess doesn't quite fit the inlay.

[Barry Daniels]

I think CA holds up a bit better as a fretboard finish than epoxy.

The "thin inlay under a thick resin finish" method is quicker and cheaper than traditional shell inlay techniques but I think you lose a lot in regards to looks. The shell reflects light better when it is thick and right at the surface.