Nocturnal Supremacy Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 I'm thinking of using this easy tutorial to do some inlay on my guitar neck. Click. However, won't the solder fall out, or come lose over time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Enamel Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 This method has been discussed here and if my memory serves correct, we've concluded that this is a BAD IDEA. Give it a go on some scrap and see. You never know. I personaly have not tried it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
custom22 Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 I think the person who wrote that tutorial never tried it. It is very diffucult to get the solder to stick in the inlay for one, and if it does stick it will leave burn marks and ultimately fall out. Try it on scrap and this will become apparent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anderekel Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 I'm certainly no expert, but it seems to me that you could make the inlay on scrap and then glue it into the guitar. Just an idear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prauny Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 I tried it on an old fretboard that was broken. I did block inlays with it. I had to build up the solder slowly into the hole and make sure it flows freely everytime you add a bit more. The result was not to bad, but not really what i wanted. The heat did make some oils come out of the wood though, which i dont think is good. As for them falling out, why not glue them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batfink Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 If you really must go this route ie: filling a cavity rather than making one for a cut peice of material, i strongly suggest you use Inlace that woodturners use - Google it, it's readily available worldwide. Basically it's a metallic powder that you mix with epoxy and it'll stand 1000% better chance of giving you the result you're after rather than solder which i personally think would be a waste of time. Jem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJD Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 Solder will tarnish badly (especially with sweat) it also has a high lead content (so don't lick your fingers after playing the guitar and expect them to be black if you’re using it on the fingerboard), plus it is soft - very very soft, if you're an intense player you will wear it down. It seems to be a bit of a poor suggestion in my personal view. That oily stuff is the flux BTW. There is such a thing as lead free solder, but as far as I know that’s copper pipework solder – aka melting with a blowtorch which is even less advisable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batfink Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 That oily stuff is the flux BTW. It is also the oil from the wood - overheat a fret before pulling one out of an ebony board and you'll see what i mean - totally by the by though as i think he's got the message from all involved that it's a pretty useless idea with a myriad of alternatives available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJD Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 That oily stuff is the flux BTW. It is also the oil from the wood - overheat a fret before pulling one out of an ebony board and you'll see what i mean - totally by the by though as i think he's got the message from all involved that it's a pretty useless idea with a myriad of alternatives available. It took me too long to post lol, i was refering to that referenced in the actual tutorial but yes, i think the message is now through loud and clear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spazzyone Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 i also question this a a tutorial....just a bad idea think about that flux....its going to work its way into the board then gluing it in will give bad results as glue wont stick with the flux now in the board and you can avoid lead by using silver solder...but that brings up the durabilty issue again as its also too soft for this apllication....although i have seen it used as well as pure gold (think PRS) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 MODERATORS/ADMIN STAFF, can we PLEASE remove that tutorial. It DOESNT WORK, it promotes dangerous work, and has the potential to destroy someones guitar. We have discussed thos before, but it hasnt ever been acted on. Cheers!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinny Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 This Inlace stuff looks interesting, I found a company that sells supplys as well as kits. -Vinny http://turtlefeathers.com/text/inlace/inlace-dyes.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 I'm going to have to try it before I remove it, as far as danger goes you should always practice on scrap first and what may work for one person doesn't always work for another (but we already knew that right?). Personally I prefer to do the same type of inlay using dental silver (which of course contains Mercury) and it is far more dangerous to handle while in a state of flux. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ledzendrix1128 Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 I tried it, and i couldnt get it to work either, I remember posting the same topic as this after i read that tutorial over and over trying to figure out what i missed, bottom line, solder doesnt just "flow" into wood, im sure if you had a certain method to get this to work its possible, but all that happened to me is i melted it into the cavity and it beaded up into a ball. I cant recall anyone in this forum ever saying "yes i got the solder melting technique to work!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 I tried it a while back just to see if it worked. It doesn't. Solder is made to stick to METAL not wood. It just pulls away from the wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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