Inlay Filler

[johnsilver]

I was recently filling some small gaps after gluing in block inlays into an ebony fretboard. This time, I used a black gap-filling CA called Loctite 410 I got from Grizzly. I used it both by itself (worked ok but seemed to take multiple passes to get the gap filled, but very black when done) and with some ebony dust (worked ok but somewhat more difficult as the CA wanted to gum up quickly).

Got me to thinking. What's your favorite recipe for filling gaps in ebony?

[Batfink]

The best recipe is not to leave any gaps in the first place Hahahahaha.... I'm using ZapGap at the moment as the viscosity is such that you can fill 'em up in only one or two goes and also as i've only been inlaying for around a 18 months and i'm still a bit crap at it i'm sticking to ebony which is much easier to get away with gap wise.

Jem

Edited January 10, 2005 by Batfink

[Clavin]

Very fine ebony dust and water thickness CA glue. Thats all I ever use.

The thing is to make sure your dust is fine enough, and that the gap is fully filled before adding the glue. It will pull down on the dust, then you may need to add more after it dries. You want to make sure wood is at the surface, not just glue.

Also- I don't polish out the fretboard to 600 or higher grit. I leave it at 320 or so. That will blend the glue in more. Anyting higher will only highlight the glue VS. the wood, by leaving the glue less shiny then the wood. The goal is a match.

Craig Lavin

[johnsilver]

Craig, in your technique, are you saying you fill the gap with ebony dust by itself, then apply some CA that will wick itself down into the gap?

If so, I'll try that. When I have used some thin black CA before, I mixed it with ebony dust then attempted to squeegee it into the gap. That worked but was difficult because the CA's set time wasn't long and it gummed up with the dust.

Do you use that technique with other wood types as well?

Thanks.

[LukeR]

I am sorry, (this is so embarresing) what does CA mean? Is it contact adhesive?

How embarresment.

Luke

[Batfink]

Luke R

CA = Cycrolacsomething..... industrial Super Glue to me and you !

Jem

[Devon Headen]

Cyanoacrylate. Most superglues fall into this category.

[Batfink]

"Also- I don't polish out the fretboard to 600 or higher grit. I leave it at 320 or so. That will blend the glue in more. Anyting higher will only highlight the glue VS. the wood, by leaving the glue less shiny then the wood."

Thanks Craig, you've inadvertly answered a question to a problem i didn't know i had but in a reverse way.....i've been inlaying some objet d'art and finishing right up to 1000 grade (without laquer, just bare ebony) and the glue's ended up more shiny than the wood. Time to be less zelous with the finishing !?!?!?

Jem

Edited January 11, 2005 by Batfink

[Clavin]

Craig, in your technique, are you saying you fill the gap with ebony dust by itself, then apply some CA that will wick itself down into the gap?

That's the only way to do it. As you found out otherwise the glue dries out the dust, leaving you with a mess.

With other woods I don't use filler at all. It's O.K with rosewood for a little area (rosewood dust), but for others I just take the time to route as perfectly as possible, down to a 1/32" bit.

Craig Lavin

[johnsilver]

Craig, thanks. I'm going to use that technique this weekend. By the way, I did my final routing with a 1/32" bit, but my skill level is basic thus some small gaps. Good news is that the second fretboard went much faster and with a better outcome than the first.

[LukeR]

Thanks for the definition guys- now I finally know

Luke

[frank falbo]

What's inlay filler? HA! Actually I can say that I never use filler for inlays but it's not because I'm so great, its because I've been doing a lot of dots lately If you have to use filler on your dots there's something seriously wrong.

My mother in law used to run a carbide bit sharpening/resale business, and I have some as small as .025"! They break pretty easily at rest, but at high speeds they're pretty durable. For a fancy job with smaller sections I find them invaluable, but for you guys they're $5.00 each.

Seriously I do use the .025's to clean up fret slots too. If anyone wants some let me know.

As for filler I always try to use dust from the board itself. Are you all saving the fretboard ends and sides that you cut off? It's probably implied, but I always fill the gaps before I level the inlay itself. So there's a little wall to butt the dust against before you wick the glue in there. It helps to sort of overfill the gap so you can be sure there's wood dust at the surface and not just glue, like Clavin said.

[Clavin]

Hello Frank.

I could use some of the teeniest carbide bits you have. Can you contact me?

Thanks

clavin@handcraftinlay.com

Craig L

[Batfink]

Hello Frank.

I could use some of the teeniest carbide bits you have. Can you contact me?

Thanks

clavin@handcraftinlay.com

Hey Craig,

Have you ever tried PCB board routing bits ? These are twin fluted plunge bits that go down below 0.8mm and can be had, if you can find a supplier, at a VERY reasonable cost....i've paid around the equivelent of around $7.50 Us for 10pcs and they cut clean and the larger one's, 1.2mm and above, are very robust.

Jem.

[Clavin]

Hey Craig,

Have you ever tried PCB board routing bits ? These are twin fluted plunge bits that go down below 0.8mm and can be had, if you can find a supplier, at a VERY reasonable cost....i've paid around the equivelent of around $7.50 Us for 10pcs and they cut clean and the larger one's, 1.2mm and above, are very robust.

Jem.

Thanks Jem.

I'll do a search for them.

Craig

[Batfink]

Hi Craig,

This is the guy i've got mine from, perhaps you may like them as much as i do ?!?!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...4350964893&rd=1

Jem

Oooh, sorry if i've broken a forum rule by posting this link...doh !

Edited January 19, 2005 by Batfink

[frank falbo]

Mine are all for circuit board work, with an 1/8" shaft. I think the .025's are drills but when you get down to that size it doesn't really matter, because the cutting edge on the flutes are as sharp as the end mill. I find it works better than the mill because it doesn't pull itself into the wood like the end mills do. Circuit board stuff is all CNC, so they want the bit to cut fast and efficiently, since the CNC is "flawless" but with hand tools the drill is more manageble. If you're not careful with the end mill it can draw a squiggly line before you realize you've lost control of it! It will also pull to the left and right when cleaning a fret slot, whereas the drill stays centered.

As for larger bits, the circuit board mills are the best. They are made to high tolerances, and no one is really marketing them to the woodworker.

[johnsilver]

It's probably implied, but I always fill the gaps before I level the inlay itself. So there's a little wall to butt the dust against before you wick the glue in there. It helps to sort of overfill the gap so you can be sure there's wood dust at the surface and not just glue, like Clavin said.

←

The method you describe makes sense to me. I wasn't doing it that way. I leveled first and then filled gaps. This is the method described in a book I bought - Pearl Inlay by James Patterson. I'll try your method next and see what happens. Thanks.

[Clavin]

It's probably implied, but I always fill the gaps before I level the inlay itself. So there's a little wall to butt the dust against before you wick the glue in there. It helps to sort of overfill the gap so you can be sure there's wood dust at the surface and not just glue, like Clavin said.

←

The method you describe makes sense to me. I wasn't doing it that way. I leveled first and then filled gaps. This is the method described in a book I bought - Pearl Inlay by James Patterson. I'll try your method next and see what happens. Thanks.

←

Filling before leveling is the only make-sense way to me. The only thing I do after leveling is pick out any bubbles that may have appened, then re-fill with glue and re-sand again, starting with 220.

Then I engrave. Filling after leveling means having all the odd colored dust and debris in the gaps. Not all of it will come out when cleaning it. That makes NO sense.

Craig

[johnsilver]

Well, I completed my second block inlay fretboard today and used the filler suggestions in this post. The quality of my routing was better than on my first board so fewer/smaller gaps. The filler methods suggested here worked great - much easier than what I first did. Thanks guys.