It's funny because my father-in-law got me a headlamp for Christmas and I thought "that's an odd gift, dunno if I'll ever use that".
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First Commission Build - Is A Super-Tele A Thing?
- Thread starter TerribleTim68
- Start date
I should have known to just check the StewMac website. Thanks!
I know this is gonna be one of those "buy once, cry once" answers but against my better judgement I'm gonna ask -
Has anyone had any experience with the carbide bits from Amazon? StewMac is $32 for a single bit and Amazon has an assortment size pack for $20. If my chances of breaking these tiny bits is rather high anyways, I'd hate to be closing in on $100 by the time I'm done.
Edit To Add -
This is the set I'm looking at :
https://a.co/d/2TysPXE
Has anyone had any experience with the carbide bits from Amazon? StewMac is $32 for a single bit and Amazon has an assortment size pack for $20. If my chances of breaking these tiny bits is rather high anyways, I'd hate to be closing in on $100 by the time I'm done.
Edit To Add -
This is the set I'm looking at :
https://a.co/d/2TysPXE
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I know this is gonna be one of those "buy once, cry once" answers but against my better judgement I'm gonna ask -
Has anyone had any experience with the carbide bits from Amazon? StewMac is $32 for a single bit and Amazon has an assortment size pack for $20. If my chances of breaking these tiny bits is rather high anyways, I'd hate to be closing in on $100 by the time I'm done.
Edit To Add -
This is the set I'm looking at :
https://a.co/d/2TysPXE
I haven't used them, but I just want to point out that it says they are drill bits. The inlay bits make a flat bottom cavity and cut on the edges and bottom. I think the ones you linked to are meant for drilling straight down.
I will say that I haven't broken any of my Dremel bits yet (StewMac or the one that came with the kit), but also I don't think the bits were as expensive as they are now at the time I bought them and I'm sure there are good alternatives out there.
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I checked toolstoday.com, I usually use them for router bits and they are about the same price as StewMac unfortunately, but there are a couple of them around $25.
https://www.toolstoday.com/search?q...Shank","1/8"]]&disable_semantics=1&page_num=2
Maybe someone will have a better source for bits...?
https://www.toolstoday.com/search?q...Shank","1/8"]]&disable_semantics=1&page_num=2
Maybe someone will have a better source for bits...?
Thanks @lbridenstine , appreciate the input. And thanks for catching the drill bit part, I overlooked that. The description was kind of vague - "...for Print Circuit Board Stone Dremel Jewelry CNC Engraving..." almost like "They do everything...or nothing...."
I think we're just in that world where everything costs more, inlay bits included.
I think we're just in that world where everything costs more, inlay bits included.
Funny, looking on Amazon and they have the exact same StewMac branded bits that StewMac has on their website...but for $10 more than just buying them straight from StewMac.
Looks like LMII is a bit cheaper, but out of stock (of course).
Looks like LMII is a bit cheaper, but out of stock (of course).
Funny, looking on Amazon and they have the exact same StewMac branded bits that StewMac has on their website...but for $10 more than just buying them straight from StewMac.
Looks like LMII is a bit cheaper, but out of stock (of course).
Yeah but StewMac will charge $15 for the shipping from their website soooo….
Just an update on this, since it's been like 4 months since I actually did anything. If I'm being honest, it's been closer to 6 since I actually worked on the guitar, the other 2 months was me trying to practice and not really getting anywhere. Life has been chaotic to say the least, and time to spend on this has been pretty low due to it. That's no excuse, I know.
To update the inlay situation, I'm just not happy with it. I can't get this "easy inlay" crap to actually work the way I want it to. inevitably, no matter what I do it has voids down inside of it and you end up sanding through to open up those voids. I got some advice to crush the flakes up smaller, but then it loses the chatoyance in the shell material and just looks like colored dust. Also, if you don't crush it up more, you get some shell pieces standing up and when you sand it smooth...it's not smooth at all. You can feel the "layers" of shell standing up, like you're running your finger across a brush or something.
So...the TL : DR is I'm not happy. So I've reached out to my local maker group on the book of faces (groups are about the only thing FB is good for) to see about hiring someone with a CNC to cut the inlay material and the fretboard recess for me. I'm willing to spend a bit to build this part right, it's literally the single biggest feature of this build and needs to be spot on.
So here's where I'm coming to the hive mind for input. Masecraft sells these ALVS sheets -
ALVS Acrylic laminated shell veneer sheets
Anyone ever used these?
To update the inlay situation, I'm just not happy with it. I can't get this "easy inlay" crap to actually work the way I want it to. inevitably, no matter what I do it has voids down inside of it and you end up sanding through to open up those voids. I got some advice to crush the flakes up smaller, but then it loses the chatoyance in the shell material and just looks like colored dust. Also, if you don't crush it up more, you get some shell pieces standing up and when you sand it smooth...it's not smooth at all. You can feel the "layers" of shell standing up, like you're running your finger across a brush or something.
So...the TL : DR is I'm not happy. So I've reached out to my local maker group on the book of faces (groups are about the only thing FB is good for) to see about hiring someone with a CNC to cut the inlay material and the fretboard recess for me. I'm willing to spend a bit to build this part right, it's literally the single biggest feature of this build and needs to be spot on.
So here's where I'm coming to the hive mind for input. Masecraft sells these ALVS sheets -
ALVS Acrylic laminated shell veneer sheets
Anyone ever used these?
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I might be wrong, but I think @Rôckhewer has?Just an update on this, since it's been like 4 months since I actually did anything. If I'm being honest, it's been closer to 6 since I actually worked on the guitar, the other 2 months was me trying to practice and not really getting anywhere. Life has been chaotic to say the least, and time to spend on this has been pretty low due to it. That's no excuse, I know.
To update the inlay situation, I'm just not happy with it. I can't get this "easy inlay" crap to actually work the way I want it to. inevitably, no matter what I do it has voids down inside of it and you end up sanding through to open up those voids. I got some advice to crush the flakes up smaller, but then it loses the chatoyance in the shell material and just looks like colored dust. Also, if you don't crush it up more, you get some shell pieces standing up and when you sand it smooth...it's not smooth at all. You can feel the "layers" of shell standing up, like you're running your finger across a brush or something.
So...the TLR is I'm not happy. So I've reached out to my local maker group on the book of faces (groups are about the only thing FB is good for) to see about hiring someone with a CNC to cut the inlay material and the fretboard recess for me. I'm willing to spend a bit to build this part right, it's literally the single biggest feature of this build and needs to be spot on.
So here's where I'm coming to the hive mind for input. Masecraft sells these ALVS sheets -
ALVS Acrylic laminated shell veneer sheets
Anyone ever used these?
I spoke to him offline a while back about abalam, which is kind of different but similar.
My big fear here is getting the inlay thick enough that I don't sand through the outer edges when radiusing the board. The client asked for a 9.5 inch radius and in my mind, that's fairly tight. So far I've only done stuff a lot flatter, which leaves a lot more "space" for error on things like inlays. Know what I'm sayin'?
I should probably just draw a real quick, down and dirty section in AutoCAD to check myself.
A bit late, but: Depending on how much you do or don't think milling cutters are fundamentally different than router bits, 3/64 and 3/32 and many other sizes are available at prices ranging from $12 to north of $60 (those ones have diamondlike coating and there's diamond coated for $87) at metalworking suppliers.
I've been tolerably happy with the wood performance of solid carbide end mills in a router. Sure, wood ain't aluminum, but I'm not sure the cutter really cares, even if it might (allegedly) not be the most optimal shape, assuming your router bit maker actually does a better job at optimization for cutting wood.
However, downshear is not likely in milling cutters. That does make a difference for some wood stuff.
Edit to add: if you are having the recesses CNC-milled, they could be CNC-milled to 9.5" - thickness of inlay radius, if the inlay material is not so thick/rigid it would crack doing that. Which I'm not clear on for your inlay material...
I've been tolerably happy with the wood performance of solid carbide end mills in a router. Sure, wood ain't aluminum, but I'm not sure the cutter really cares, even if it might (allegedly) not be the most optimal shape, assuming your router bit maker actually does a better job at optimization for cutting wood.
However, downshear is not likely in milling cutters. That does make a difference for some wood stuff.
Edit to add: if you are having the recesses CNC-milled, they could be CNC-milled to 9.5" - thickness of inlay radius, if the inlay material is not so thick/rigid it would crack doing that. Which I'm not clear on for your inlay material...
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Rôckhewer
Commercial User
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,029
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Rôckhewer
Commercial User
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,029
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
No sir...I have not.
They claim to be a cost effective alternative to Ablam... but call their shell leaf binder Acrylic... I think Ablam is some sort of epoxy... ??
Meh..... 6 of one... half dozen of the other... idk.
The red flag to me is that some of their sheets are dyed.
I've used crap shell veneer I got for cheap... and it kinda sucked. Also some came on a black cardstock backer... which was supposed to make it easier to cut by hand. But that didn't suit my purpose... ..
I only get Ablam from Duke of Pearl
Because... he's the OG
Laminate 3 sheets together... over a caul that is the same radius. (The fingerboard itself covered in plastic).
That's how I did this...
Feel free to call me to bounce ideas Tim.
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Ooooohhhhhhh.......... So you're saying this stuff will "bend" and to just glue another sheet (or two) on top of it after bending to the radius. Well shoot, that makes sense I guess.
What did you use for glue? CA?
Okay, let's update this thread, shall we?
I actually started cutting inlays!
I cut the "ev" part and then went "Oh, crap, I guess I should be filming this for the YouTubes". So I stopped. But at least I verified that I can do this. Seriously, I think I got this. At least this part. I still have no clue about the recess it's gonna go in, but we'll burn that bridge when we get there!
I have a LOT of cutting to do first, so let's just focus on that. I mean, as soon as all this work crap is out of the way. Stupid job.
I actually started cutting inlays!
I cut the "ev" part and then went "Oh, crap, I guess I should be filming this for the YouTubes". So I stopped. But at least I verified that I can do this. Seriously, I think I got this. At least this part. I still have no clue about the recess it's gonna go in, but we'll burn that bridge when we get there!
I have a LOT of cutting to do first, so let's just focus on that. I mean, as soon as all this work crap is out of the way. Stupid job.
Okay, let's update this thread, shall we?
I actually started cutting inlays!
View attachment 5181849
I cut the "ev" part and then went "Oh, crap, I guess I should be filming this for the YouTubes". So I stopped. But at least I verified that I can do this. Seriously, I think I got this. At least this part. I still have no clue about the recess it's gonna go in, but we'll burn that bridge when we get there!
I have a LOT of cutting to do first, so let's just focus on that. I mean, as soon as all this work crap is out of the way. Stupid job.
Yeah, well…. I’ve been off on PTO all week and have barely managed a hour or so to sand so far. Stupid life!
Hey look, I cut a thing....
I don't hate it, it looks okay for my first ever custom inlay. I need to get some needle files this weekend and do a little clean up on this, but I think we're looking decent so far. I mean, after 6 months of agonizing over this, I'm happy this part is done. But really, the scary part is coming up, when I try to cut the recess that this needs to go into. But ... you know ... I did a thing!
Not a lot of pics of the process. It involved a jeweler's saw, a bench pin clamped in my leg vice (I showed a pic of that in this post - What's On Your Workbench? ) and just kind of getting lost in the moment. Yeah man, progress!
I don't hate it, it looks okay for my first ever custom inlay. I need to get some needle files this weekend and do a little clean up on this, but I think we're looking decent so far. I mean, after 6 months of agonizing over this, I'm happy this part is done. But really, the scary part is coming up, when I try to cut the recess that this needs to go into. But ... you know ... I did a thing!
Not a lot of pics of the process. It involved a jeweler's saw, a bench pin clamped in my leg vice (I showed a pic of that in this post - What's On Your Workbench? ) and just kind of getting lost in the moment. Yeah man, progress!
Hey look, I cut a thing....
View attachment 5183578
I don't hate it, it looks okay for my first ever custom inlay. I need to get some needle files this weekend and do a little clean up on this, but I think we're looking decent so far. I mean, after 6 months of agonizing over this, I'm happy this part is done. But really, the scary part is coming up, when I try to cut the recess that this needs to go into. But ... you know ... I did a thing!
Not a lot of pics of the process. It involved a jeweler's saw, a bench pin clamped in my leg vice (I showed a pic of that in this post - What's On Your Workbench? ) and just kind of getting lost in the moment. Yeah man, progress!
That looks great! Who needs a CNC...?! Not you!
