Thread: 'Star of David' Singe cut away Build

I like the first one too, more clarity and definition in the fiddleback.

Originally Posted by peterbrown

Hey guys,

Have sprayed a few coats onto a piece of scrap to test. I was wondering your opinions on the best. they are not much different. The first is with no stain and the second is with stain. I used a tinted grainfiller, so the two pieces turned out a very similar colour, just that the stained is slightly darker.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts (both positive and negative),

Here's the first,



And the second,

The first is better by far!!! In my opinion staining is a sin. If timber is ugly enough to need stain it is too ugly to use with or without.

Rgds

I agree. Unstained is definately better [1]. When you tilt it, it has a 3d effect as ripples appear and disappear up and down the piece. Can't wait to see it on the finished guitar.

Thanks for the input,

Peter

Peter

I love this Guitar it is just too right! Simple, Understated, Beautiful!
If I had any money I would make you an offer for it!

Rgds

Ross

Thanks for the very kind words different. It's about the nicest thing I think anyone has said about any of my builds. Sorry not for sale, my sister will kill me if I sell her guitar on her after she's been waiting for 6 months.

The grainfiller I have used is tinted "intergrain" water based filller over a wiped on coat of weak blonde shellac (about 12%).

I have ingraved the pearl inlay on the headstock and she's almost ready to start laying on the coats,

cheers,

Peter

Exquisite!

Balanced and beautiful

that dragonfly inlay is out of this world!

I think Ross's comments can be echoed by the majority of us also ,Peter.
An extremely tasteful combination really works wonders and this is it.

BTW...........have you got any in progress inlay pics of the dragonfly and your methods with ingraving? This also is a corker !!!

Sorry,

no pics of the ingraving process, however I took a couple pics of the ingraving tools and would gladly describe the process.

The tools below are just an engraving kit from Stewmac, which is money well spent for me.


The pics below are a close up of the ends of the chisels. From left is the scribe, which is alot more usefull than just engraving, however has to be very sharp. It is used to scratch a path for the gouging chissels to follow. for doing symetrical patterns it is advised to use templates to guide the scribe. Before engraving I mark up the patterns I am going to engrave with pencil and mark free hand, as I haven't done anything with straigt of parrallel lines as of yet. Second from the left is a pointed gouge that is good for getting "tear drop" shapes with varrying width, as it gouges deep easily and you contro lthe width of the line by going deeper. Third from the left is a finer pointed gouge and is good for the finer "hair lines". Much more difficult to control as it easily skips accross the surface. the end piece has a flat end ( as apposed to pointed) and is for drawing consistent wide lines and has to be sceibed very carefully with a guide channel.



The pearl has to be prepared by sanding up to 600 minimum as any coarser wil leave scatched as large as some of the engraving.

Once the engraving is done you rub the black stich , which is alot like a crayon which fills the channels, scrape it with a flat piece of plastic, and your done. You want to seal it as quickly as possible.

I have skipped over it very quickly, however really the rest is up to trial and error and the limit is your artistic ability. What I have described to you is basically what is provided as instructions with the kit.

Cheers,

Peter

Originally Posted by peterbrown

Thanks for the very kind words different. It's about the nicest thing I think anyone has said about any of my builds. Sorry not for sale, my sister will kill me if I sell her guitar on her after she's been waiting for 6 months.

The grainfiller I have used is tinted "intergrain" water based filller over a wiped on coat of weak blonde shellac (about 12%).

I have ingraved the pearl inlay on the headstock and she's almost ready to start laying on the coats,

cheers,

Peter

No problem Peter I dont hand out compliments all that often but it is well deserved here good work! Hope my first Guitar is as good.

Rgds

Ross

looking great. i assume it will be left natural after seeing the timber cavity covers.

great looking inlay too.

natural it is.

Have been finishing the guitar over the past few weeks. It has been slow with the cool weather and finishing of the evening time after work. However have some progress pic to present. Unfortunately I have to hold off before putting on the top coats, as I have had to order some more finish. When I first opened the tin, I accidentally punctured the tin. As I result I put the finish into a replacement tin. When I opened the replacement tin to apply the finish, it was a light orange/brown in colour. When I poured part of the contents into a pot, the bottom of the pot was then exposed to show the bottom of the tin had rusted out. Which explains the colour. So for future refference, you cannot put water based lacquer in any old tin.

Pics below are with the base coats finished before level sanding,

Cheers,

Peter

Seriously nice, Peter.

I like how the waterbased gear really shows the timber nuances without
subtly yellowing the finished piece.
It really helps bring that figured blackwood into 3d territory.