Clavin Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Hi Guys, I have been very very busy, but I just finished this one. Hope you like it. The idea is a Celtic wedding cross, with a wedding knot, set in stone corian. A wedding set in stone. It's more of a theme than at first site. By the time you get done counting all the little hole filling pieces of corian, inside and outside the loops, it's a 47 piece inlay in under 2.5 inches. Materials are stone corian, gold pearl, pink mussel shell. Techinically this is a work in progress so because the guitar isn't finished yet..... Please leave it in inlay!!!!! This is where people look for inlay! (I'm begging you guys!) More soon! Thanks for looking Craig Lavin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 That is so good! Wonderful, really. Craig, how many hours do you suppose went into that? Are the central wood pieces also laid in? Or routed-around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clavin Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Thanks erikbojerik.. Well, this is actually a re-do inlay. The first one was quite different. I spent at least 15-20 hours on it (the first one) with the design, research, etc.. just coming up with the pattern. It took hours to cut, and used up materials, etc.. engraving.. basically I was totally unhappy with the quality of it after it was completed. It now sits in my shop as a reminder of what sub-par work looks like, so I never do that again! This one is the result of the edits. It's half the size, It most likely only took around 10 hours. Quicker than the first, but the basic ideas were already in place. Most of my time these days is spent drawing and researching, then re-drawing. The inner wood holes are routed, not cut. There was plenty of room for routing. All the corian is cut. It's not gold pearl inset into deep corian. It's all cut pieces, some as small as 1mm ( the side knot centers). Thanks for looking! Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ooten2 Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Wow, that looks great! So much detail in such a small space. How do you keep a steady hand to do that??!! I drink way too much coffee to ever be that steady. I visited your website the other day, and your inlay work is jaw-dropping. Excellent stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clavin Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Thanks ooten2. I love coffee! Actually I think the coffee keeps me focused more. It's hard to understand.. Most people think I am probably this low key guy thats can sit still in a chair for days.. In actuality I am pretty high energy. Somehow or another I manage to stay focused, and relatively patient! It's the end results that I hope to achieve that keep me going. It's wierd.. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ooten2 Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Craig, Forgot to ask in my other post; how is that Lowden guitar? The only one I ever played was at a MARS music store a few years back. It was one of the best acoustic guitars I've ever played or heard. I played it along with a Taylor and a Gibson in the acoustic room at the store. The Lowden blew away the Taylor, and IMHO was better than the Gibson. All were in the same price range, just under 2K, so I thought it was a fair comparison. That's the only one I've ever seen, and would like to try more of them. I can be somewhat steady-handed if I don't think about it. But if I try to be still, I shake like crazy. Good thing I didn't get a career doing brain surgery... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clavin Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 I don't ever normally get to see the finished guitars. Just the pieces, fretboards, headstock overlays.. etc.. This was a custom commission from a client of George's new company. This was done FOR Lowden guitars. It's not store purchased. It's still market, not aftermarket. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Craig, I am familiar with corian in the context of countertops, but where do you get thin pieces for inlay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clavin Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Masecraft supply sells pieces that are about 1.5" by 4" for use in knife handle making. I still have to take the time to thickness it down to .06 or so before it's useable for inlay. C. Lavin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 What method do you use to thickness corian? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mledbetter Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 That is beautiful! I played a friends lowden once.. It is very nice.. nicer than my taylor definitely.. Was curious though, is this a refinish or something? Lowden changed their name to Avalon Guitars.. unless someone is still building under the lowden name. They are amazing instruments though, and deserving of an amazing inlay such as that.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myka Guitars Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Awesome work as usual Craig! The details are so fine and intricate. You website is always an inspiration. I am glad to see you are still bsy with this work! ~David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clavin Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Hi Dave! No, it's me that's glad to see you getting around still. I saw your heading to a few shows soon. Great! Your guitars are beautiful. As for Lowden guitars, The original "Lowden guitars" that was factory run has become Avalon, and a new Lowden guitars "factory" * (but still relatively hand made I believe, under George's direction) has recently begun. I did this inlay for that division, so at least the inlay was entirely hand made! George also builds completely by hand (his own) in his own personal shop as well, but I would believe those cost a litle more. I have done things for both divisions of George's companies. My apologies if any details company related are wrong. I do believe this is accurate though. The Lowden site has been down a bit, but George's site does work. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Troll around some kitchen countertop stores, and you can pick up a lot of scrap Corian in a wide variety of colors for free. Corian makes a pretty good nut too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clavin Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 For thicknessing anything I use a small PREAC ship-model building sander. Of course now Stew-Mac sells a special adapter kit for your drill press, but I don't have one of those. Just a small model, specifically for thicknessing small pieces like recon stone, plastics, and corians, woods, etc.. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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