Inlay Leveling Opinions?

[mikhailgtrski]

Hi all, new to the board...

I'm doing my first ever inlay project - a vine inlay on a pre-slotted, compound radius brazilian rosewood fretboard.

Am I better off buying three or four radius sanding blocks to do the leveling or can I do a good job with a leveling file?

Thanks for your input.

[egdeltar]

Hi all, new to the board...

I'm doing my first ever inlay project - a vine inlay on a pre-slotted, compound radius brazilian rosewood fretboard.

Am I better off buying three or four radius sanding blocks to do the leveling or can I do a good job with a leveling file?

Thanks for your input.

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I would think you might want to get a radius blocks so the inlay has the same radius as the fretboard.

[Marzocchi705]

He's using a compound radius board, i think it would be VERY hard to do a good job with a radius block. What is the compound radius on the board?

A search may yeald some good results, i think this has been discused befor.

[mikhailgtrski]

It's a Warmoth, 10" to 16".

Stew-Mac recommends switching to different radius blocks as you work your way up the board. Makes sense, but that's a $65 investment, plus the 3M Stik-It sandpaper isn't cheap. But I suppose they would be handy for leveling the frets, too.

I have Larry Robinson's book, and he uses a flat sanding block. But he's a pro...

[Devon Headen]

Just level along the string paths when you get close to finished. That should alter the compound radius very little if at all. You shouldn't be taking out much wood anyway.

[Setch]

Seconded.

Use a long sanding block (actually an 18" carpenters level) with 80 grit on oneside and 150 on the other to level my fretboards, then switch to a 6" level with 220, 400, and 600 paper to smooth it. If the mood strikes me I take it to 800 then buff with by hand with the back of a sheet of sandpaper.

[rocksolid]

you're doing your first ever inlay project on brazillian rosewood??

[mikhailgtrski]

you're doing your first ever inlay project on brazillian rosewood??

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Yup. Call me adventurous.

I'll be taking my time on this one.

Any tips on laying out the joints on a vine inlay? I'm using paua abalone.

Thanks.

[marksound]

What's that saying about where angels fear to tread?

Seriously, I say go for it. I've seen some people around here do amazing things on their first try.