I’m trying out colored epoxy inside a ring, and hit upon putting some crinkled up aluminum foil in first to reflect light back through the epoxy - like the mirror backing on a rhinestone . It helped the colored epoxy over a dark hole problem.
Another informative video. i was thinking you could add several of the smaller brass rods in the middle of the tube to make a flower pattern and fill with epoxy. I notice the video quality is great on your newer videos.
You can do that. And I learned from another contributor that knife making pins made up in many configurations can be purchased inexpensively for the purpose. I looked some up and there are some very nice patterns available.
Great tip! Thanks! My first ukulele was built during the COVID shutdown. I used my pantograph to make little COVID virus fret markers (circular dot with small dots around it) and filled the recesses with red nail polish sealed with lacquer. As the strings are nylon they wear acceptably.
If you want to make pearl dots, you still might be able to do it with this brass tube. The ancient Egyptians drilled into granite with copper tubes, using sand (?) as the cutting medium. To do this with brass into pearl, leave the cutting end of the tube smooth (no teeth) and use a grit like valve lapping compound between the end of the tube and the pearl surface. The grit might have to be refreshed frequently during the cutting process.
I've found the best way to make pearl dots is to do it on a lathe or even rigged up on a drill press. If you jig the system up, you can make them very consistent in size.
Hi Kevin, Have you thought about using powdered stone (jade and stuff like that). Take a little and mix it into some epoxy and just put a drop into the brass insert. You could even take some of the same material and cure it into a sheet to make matching rosette material. That way your not limited to whats available as pen blanks or other cutoffs.
If you try that, I would make a small pile of sawdust from either the same wood, or a contrasting one if that's the effect you're trying for, and some super glue beforehand. As it would take just one centerpiece splintering to otherwise ruin the effect if you weren't prepared to repair it.
Thanks Kevin !
That's a great idea! Thanks for sharing.
I've since learned about knife making pins. Nice patterns, not too expensive, very attractive.
Thanks again, your video's have pushed my project guitar further ahead than any other source of education that I have used.
That's a great method for changing things up a bit. I did that once a long time ago also with side dots.
👍
I’m trying out colored epoxy inside a ring, and hit upon putting some crinkled up aluminum foil in first to reflect light back through the epoxy - like the mirror backing on a rhinestone . It helped the colored epoxy over a dark hole problem.
What an excellent idea! Thanks for the tip!
Another informative video. i was thinking you could add several of the smaller brass rods in the middle of the tube to make a flower pattern and fill with epoxy. I notice the video quality is great on your newer videos.
You can do that. And I learned from another contributor that knife making pins made up in many configurations can be purchased inexpensively for the purpose. I looked some up and there are some very nice patterns available.
Great tip!
Thanks!
My first ukulele was built during the COVID shutdown. I used my pantograph to make little COVID virus fret markers (circular dot with small dots around it) and filled the recesses with red nail polish sealed with lacquer. As the strings are nylon they wear acceptably.
If you want to make pearl dots, you still might be able to do it with this brass tube. The ancient Egyptians drilled into granite with copper tubes, using sand (?) as the cutting medium. To do this with brass into pearl, leave the cutting end of the tube smooth (no teeth) and use a grit like valve lapping compound between the end of the tube and the pearl surface. The grit might have to be refreshed frequently during the cutting process.
I've found the best way to make pearl dots is to do it on a lathe or even rigged up on a drill press. If you jig the system up, you can make them very consistent in size.
Hi Kevin, Have you thought about using powdered stone (jade and stuff like that). Take a little and mix it into some epoxy and just put a drop into the brass insert. You could even take some of the same material and cure it into a sheet to make matching rosette material. That way your not limited to whats available as pen blanks or other cutoffs.
That's a great suggestion. Thank you!
Another option is to use knife making pins...they have some beautiful patterns in various sizes.
Thanks for this suggestion! I was totally unaware of knife pins. There some terrific possibilities available with that material.
Mosaic rods sold for knifemaking have geometric patterns. Widely available (Koval Knives)
Mosaic knife pins basically.
Im now thinking, you could file a lot of bits, and just drill them straight into the fingerboard and have just a circle with the wood inside?
If you try that, I would make a small pile of sawdust from either the same wood, or a contrasting one if that's the effect you're trying for, and some super glue beforehand. As it would take just one centerpiece splintering to otherwise ruin the effect if you weren't prepared to repair it.
Will that brass oxidize and turn colour later?
It does some, but a little cleaning is easy.