malmsteen Posted October 28, 2004 Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 Im looking for a free Tree of Life inlay pattern. The best i can find is a picture of it that i can try and copy. If you know where i can find a pattern let me know. I've got an old ovation guitar with a broken soundboard that im going to repair and i would like to do a fancy inlay on it while im fixing the rest of it. I have a question regarding the inlay though. Can i leave the frets in when drilling out spots for the inlay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivin Posted October 28, 2004 Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 There is a very good image in the advanced download section? Obviously I cant tell if its the same as the one you already have, but thats all I know. - Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malmsteen Posted October 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 There is a very good image in the advanced download section? Obviously I cant tell if its the same as the one you already have, but thats all I know. - Dan wheres the advanced download section? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowser Posted October 28, 2004 Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 check this out: http://www.projectguitar.com/arc/support.htm you need to donate an amount of money towards keeping Project Guitar online, then you can access it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batfink Posted October 28, 2004 Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 (edited) Hey Malmsteen, In answer to a tree of life design. Try DePaule as his site has a few free cutting patterns that you may be able to mash together via a photocopier to get what you want...i think there may be a link to his site in the reference section, i'm reasonably new here and can't quite remember. Edited to say: There's a short mandolin vine FOC on his site, should have remebered as i've used it to do a sort of vine of life. With regard's to leaving the fret's in, you're just asking for trouble as you will run into problems trying to route the cavity's A...because of the radius of the frets/board you will find the cavity sort of 1.5mm one side and 2mm the other and B...you will not be able to route close enough to the fret to make the line appear to flow and C...you'll probably make a mess of the frets when you try to sand flush the inlay. OK, you could be very carefull and do each inlaid peice with a small file and careful sandpapering but it'll take an age and you may find that the fretboard no longer feels flat along it's whole length in relation to itself. At the end of the day you could do it with the frets in but i think half way through you'll ask yourself: why didn't i just pull the bloody frets out in the first place ! Just my pennies worth, Jem. Edited October 28, 2004 by Batfink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malmsteen Posted October 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 At the end of the day you could do it with the frets in but i think half way through you'll ask yourself: why didn't i just pull the bloody frets out in the first place ! Just my pennies worth, Jem. so how do i take the frets out? wont that wreck the slots that their in? and another question regarding inlay: instead of drilling out cavities for the inlay is it possible to just cut out a piece of the fretboard (drill a hole right through) to make it easier? and if it'll effect the sound couldnt you glue a thin piece of rosewood at the bottom of the hole? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batfink Posted October 29, 2004 Report Share Posted October 29, 2004 (edited) Hi Malmsteen, I'm very new here but i know there are some tutorial's concerning removal and re-fretting necks in the tutorial sections. Basically, how i do it, and please take note i am NO expert, is to heat the fret by laying a soldering iron on one end for a few mins (depending on the iron's power) to loosen the/any glue that's present and using a pair of fret pulling pliars gently ease the fret out....it sometimes helps to give the fret a slight sidewyas tap (and i mean slight) to release it from it's bed. "and another question regarding inlay: instead of drilling out cavities for the inlay is it possible to just cut out a piece of the fretboard (drill a hole right through) to make it easier? and if it'll effect the sound couldnt you glue a thin piece of rosewood at the bottom of the hole?" I think i get the gist of what you're saying here. You must take into account that most pearl / abalone is only generally available in 1mm > 2mm thicknesses and your average fretboard is 5 > 6mm in depth so again i think you'll be making a headache for yourself by trying to fill up the holes to a point that the pearl can be layed flat enough with the fretboard. (mind you, chambered fretboard anybody, now there's an idea !?!?!!?....or not as the case may be!) As with all things like this i suggest getting a scrap peice of hardwood, some loose change (as pennies, no matter where you live, tend to be between 1.5 > 2mm) and try your theory out BUT at the end of the day i suggest that if you take the frets out you'll have a clear run to route the cavities to within .25 > .5mm of what you need quite easily with a Dremel type tool which will leave you minimal sanding to get the pearl flush which in turn will lessen the chance of you losing the fretboards radius due to excessive sanding. Jem PS: I know there's a protocal on P.G. of where you post stuff, if i've posted this in the wrong place i do apologise ! Edited October 29, 2004 by Batfink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.