What's On Your Workbench?

[ctmullins]

Nice!

It makes me wonder about other textile professions, and whether they have something similar.

For instance, does the bespoke fitting segment have something called a Tailor Swift?

 

[Beej]

Nice!

It makes me wonder about other textile professions, and whether they have something similar.

For instance, does the bespoke fitting segment have something called a Tailor Swift?

 

[TerribleTim68]

I built a "bench pin" to clamp in the leg vice on my bench, so I can get comfortable using a jewelers saw. I need to cut an inlay, so I need to learn how to do this.
Practice....practice....practice.

 

[TerribleTim68]

What I've learned so far is, I'm not super good at keeping the saw heading "straight". Probably doesn't help that I put one of those spiral blades in it that can cut in any direction, but whatever. I need to make sharp turns.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

What I've learned so far is, I'm not super good at keeping the saw heading "straight". Probably doesn't help that I put one of those spiral blades in it that can cut in any direction, but whatever. I need to make sharp turns.

Sounds like a man in need of a CNC!

 

[TerribleTim68]

Sounds like a man in need of a CNC!

You have no idea. But also a man in need of money.

 

[Gary_M]

I built a "bench pin" to clamp in the leg vice on my bench, so I can get comfortable using a jewelers saw. I need to cut an inlay, so I need to learn how to do this.
Practice....practice....practice.
View attachment 5157749

What I've learned so far is, I'm not super good at keeping the saw heading "straight". Probably doesn't help that I put one of those spiral blades in it that can cut in any direction, but whatever. I need to make sharp turns.

Keep at it, Tim, it does get easier. I'd recommend getting rid of the spiral blades in favor of a med-fine jeweler's blade. I like to tension them fairly tight. Don't get hung up on turning on a dime, learn to back up slightly, turn a bit, cut, back up slightly, turn a bit, cut... you'll eventually make the tight turn. There are no bonus points for making perfectly beautiful cut lines in the waste area, it doesn't matter if it is a little ugly.

The other factor is to embrace getting "close enough" to the line. Again, perfection does not need to be the goal. Concentrate on keeping the blade vertical and getting pretty close to the line. Spend more of your time finessing the final shape with needle files, using the same bird's beak platform. You can position your inlay right at the edge and keep the files perfectly vertical while perfecting the outline.

 

[TerribleTim68]

Those are awesome Gary!

 

[Gary_M]

Those are awesome Gary!

Thanks! I need to incorporate some inlay on another build soon. It's tedious, but very rewarding.

 

[TerribleTim68]

I tried to find someone with a CNC to do it for me, but that was a total bust.

 

[Beej]

I tried to find someone with a CNC to do it for me, but that was a total bust.

What did you offer for payment - exposure on your channel?

 

[Rôckhewer]

What I've learned so far is, I'm not super good at keeping the saw heading "straight". Probably doesn't help that I put one of those spiral blades in it that can cut in any direction, but whatever. I need to make sharp turns.

Spiral omnidirectional blades suck
That's all I gotta say.
But then... I'm major laser.
It's a crutch

 

[TerribleTim68]

What did you offer for payment - exposure on your channel?

No, I offered actual money as compensation. But with the current state of the US dollar.....
The problem I had was, nobody was willing to give it a go because they all said my lettering was too fragile and they couldn't guarantee success. I had 3 different people tell me that. Seemed weird to me, because people seem to be doing it all over the world with much more fragile stuff than these chunky Fender style letters, but whatever man. I'm not gonna argue with the guy that owns the machine, if he doesn't wanna do it, fine.
I've kind of been stuck on this step for so long that my client is getting impatient, so something has to give here real soon.

 

[BishopJP]

No, I offered actual money as compensation. But with the current state of the US dollar.....
The problem I had was, nobody was willing to give it a go because they all said my lettering was too fragile and they couldn't guarantee success. I had 3 different people tell me that. Seemed weird to me, because people seem to be doing it all over the world with much more fragile stuff than these chunky Fender style letters, but whatever man. I'm not gonna argue with the guy that owns the machine, if he doesn't wanna do it, fine.
I've kind of been stuck on this step for so long that my client is getting impatient, so something has to give here real soon.

What material are cutting the inlay from? I didn't see if you mentioned that...

What lettering are you using that is too delicate to CNC?

 

[TerribleTim68]

What material are cutting the inlay from? I didn't see if you mentioned that...

It's fake MoP.
I ordered this stuff from Philly Luthier Supply -
Pearloid Celluloid Sheet 4" x 8 " for custom inlays

...What lettering are you using that is too delicate to CNC?

I don't know that it is too fragile, I just think they didn't wanna do it and it made for a good excuse.
I'm basically using the Fender font for the customer's name, so it'll look like this -

I contacted a few people here locally, I'm in this FB group for local woodworkers/makers and I just fired off a post asking if anyone had a small CNC that they'd be interested in cutting this for me and the 3 people who actually contacted me eventually decided it was too fragile for them to do. I had one friend of a friend who said "I can do it on my laser!" So I sent him the files he asked for. He sent back a test image that looked nothing like what I asked for. I sent him the correct font and then he went awol for the last 4 months. So i gave up on him.

 

[TerribleTim68]

What material are cutting the inlay from? I didn't see if you mentioned that...

What lettering are you using that is too delicate to CNC?

OH! Also! Where in North Carolina are you? I'm literally coming there Saturday thru next week. Well, sort of. I'm going to visit my son in Clover, SC. Might be cool to meet up with a fellow TB'er if at all close.

 

[BishopJP]

It's fake MoP.
I ordered this stuff from Philly Luthier Supply -
Pearloid Celluloid Sheet 4" x 8 " for custom inlays

I don't know that it is too fragile, I just think they didn't wanna do it and it made for a good excuse.
I'm basically using the Fender font for the customer's name, so it'll look like this -
View attachment 5160534
I contacted a few people here locally, I'm in this FB group for local woodworkers/makers and I just fired off a post asking if anyone had a small CNC that they'd be interested in cutting this for me and the 3 people who actually contacted me eventually decided it was too fragile for them to do. I had one friend of a friend who said "I can do it on my laser!" So I sent him the files he asked for. He sent back a test image that looked nothing like what I asked for. I sent him the correct font and then he went awol for the last 4 months. So i gave up on him.

Oh, yeah... I can see that inlay being a bit of a PITA. Definitely sounds like someone didn't want to do the work. Have you checked with a service like SendCutSend? Maybe more expensive, but I'm sure you could get good results.
Are you planning to do the negative inlay in the fretboard yourself or out-sourcing that as well?

OH! Also! Where in North Carolina are you? I'm literally coming there Saturday thru next week. Well, sort of. I'm going to visit my son in Clover, SC. Might be cool to meet up with a fellow TB'er if at all close.

I'm a bit further west near Raleigh. If you're gonna be in the neighborhood, gimme a shout!

 

[TerribleTim68]

...Are you planning to do the negative inlay in the fretboard yourself or out-sourcing that as well?

Yeah, I don't think I have much choice here. I'm gonna just have to learn how to do the whole thing myself. Pray for me!

 

[Lo-E]

These were sitting on the curb in my neighborhood for a couple of weeks:

With the dark stain it was hard to determine what they were but they looked lonely so I figured I’d spin the lumber roulette wheel and bring them home.

A quick couple of swipes with a hand plane revealed them to be nothing more than pine. Oh, well…. Not exotic but still handy to have around the shop. 7/8 x 3 and pretty straight. I’ll use them for something.

 

[ctmullins]

These were sitting on the curb in my neighborhood for a couple of weeks:
View attachment 5161365
With the dark stain it was hard to determine what they were but they looked lonely so I figured I’d spin the lumber roulette wheel and bring them home.

View attachment 5161366
A quick couple of swipes with a hand plane revealed them to be nothing more than pine. Oh, well…. Not exotic but still handy to have around the shop. 7/8 x 3 and pretty straight. I’ll use them for something.

Guitar-heads pay big bucks for pinecasters apparently....