DEALING WITH CHIP-OUT AND/OR GAPS AROUND EDGES OF INLAYS
Woods commonly associated with fingerboards (Ebonies, Rosewoods, and Maples, among others) share two things in common that are inherent to fingerboard wood: first, they are very hard (and usually heavy) woods, and second,
as such they are woods that can be brittle and prone to chip-out. Knowing how to cope with chip-out issues are an essential part of developing your technique as an inlay artist.
Naturally, the ideal goal is to accomplish all inlay excavations without any chip-out at all. However, this ideal is rarely achieved in real life, so it's a good idea to realize up front that errors and chip-out WILL occur, and how to cope with those occurances.
Essentially, there are two kinds of chip-out - major chips of a size and depth that they are retrievable, and minor chips or gaps in borders that may be barely discernable from more than a few feet away. Both issues are relatively easy to correct with a little time and patience.
First, let's deal with major chip out issues, as pictured here:
This photograph shows an area in the 21st fret inlay where two major chips flaked out during chisel work on this recess.
1. The first thing to do in this case is SAVE THOSE CHIPS, and finish perfecting the recess to receive the inlay.
2. Next, trial fit your inlay as discussed previously in this thread. Have everything ready to glue into place as planned.
3. Then, while gluing in the inlay, carefully replace each chip where it belongs and use super glue to re-attach the chips, as shown here:
At this point DO NOT worry about any minor imperfections. Those will be dealt with later on. The important thing here is to get the chips placed back (as closely as possible) into their original positions and securely glued back into place.
As you look at the photo above you can see that this particular inlay has some other issues that need to be addressed. The smaller inlays, particularly at frets 17, 19, 21, and 24 become increasingly difficult to get clean, precise recesses without chips or errors in the outline.
So, how to clean up these "sloppy looking" areas so that they disappear?
First, either by hand-sanding or electric sander, create for yourself a reservoir of (in this case) Ebony dust:
Then, prepare a mixture of 1 hour epoxy and use the Ebony dust as an additive to color the epoxy the same color as the wood. (Note: depending on the wood being used, this can produce varied results for a color match. Ebony is very forgiving in this regard.)
Next, carefully apply your epoxy mixture to any and all areas that you feel need attention. Don't be shy about it. Examine each and every inlay for any sign of any gaps, chips, or imperfections - anything you want to hide, and apply the epoxy mix to those blemishes. THERE MAY EVEN BE IMPERFECTIONS IN THE FINGERBOARD ITSELF THAT YOU CAN ADDRESS WITH THIS EPOXY MIXTURE. IF SO, FILL THOSE IN ALSO.
NOW, LET THE EPOXY CURE TO FULL HARDNESS. DO NOT RUSH THIS STEP. Even tho I used "1 Hour" epoxy on this fingerboard, I let it cure overnight. You want the epoxy to be fully hard and cured for the next step.
Next, after the epoxy is fully cured, prepare a sanding beam with 150 grit paper and uniformly sand the fingerboard, inlays, and epoxy areas down to level radius. TAKE YOUR TIME HERE, BE METHODICAL AND UNIFORM. This stage is where your final fingerboard finished radius will take shape:
Remember, at this point the shell inlays and the epoxy will be in full relief above the level of the fingerboard wood. Thus, the majority of your sanding now will be to bring the shell and epoxy areas "flush" with the wood of your fingerboard.
Now, once you have achieved leveling of the fingerboard and inlays, stop. Get your air hose or vacuum and clean the sanding dust and residue off of the fingerboard. Use mineral spirits and wipe down the fingerboard until it is thoroughly cleaned, and then let dry.
Now inspect the inlays one by one, very carefully, looking for any blemishes you may have missed the first time around. THERE WILL BE SOME, lol. Rarely do I catch every blemish in the first go 'round. REPEAT THE ABOVE STEPS AS NEEDED TO GET TO AN ACCEPTABLE FINAL RESULT.
Once you are satisfied with the final product, you are now ready to move forward into the final finishing stage of your fingerboard . . . remember that nasty looking 21st fret inlay at the top of this post? Here is what it looks like today:
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