Sheffield SD10

[sheffield steel]

Hi all,

Here's an SD10 that I'm building for a guy, it's only got a sealing coat of lacquer on at the moment.

Happy New Year to all.

Dave.

[Farmer]

Atta' boy Dave, it should be a bute knowing your work. Keep the pictures coming.....Mike

[Bent]

Dave it will be drop dead gorgeous like all the others

[richard37066]

I wouldn't have expected anything less than superb craftsmanship.

It would be nice if you'd give us a short crash course on how you do that wonderful inlay work.

Richard

[Gary Patterson]

Not to diminish in any way this beautiful workmanship, but this type of inlay is relatively easy to execute. I've done it on six-string guitars, ala' Martin D-45. The easiest way is to use a teflon filler strip where you want the shell inlay.

Glue up your black & white stripes using plastic banding, and put the teflon strip in place. When everything is dry and set, the teflon will lift out, leaving a suitably sized channel in which to put the shell inlay. The shell can be purchased as pre-dimensioned, uniform pieces which can be glued end-to-end in the channel. You might what to square the ends so they fit tightly, but a transparent glue will nicely fill any gaps. Leave the shell and striping slightly above the surface of the wood cabinet, and then scrape/sand it all flush.

If you're really ambitious, you can cut your own inlay strips from the raw shell, but this would be a big task!

[sheffield steel]

Hi Richard,
Gary beat me to the punch as they say. I use a dremel with a small cutter/router to cut out my groove/shape, then like as been afore said, glue everything in place. I glue all strips in at once, gluing a little at a time and working from one end using a little masking tape to hold everything in place. I do hope this helps.

Dave.

[richard37066]

Sounds like a period of intense concentration, tenaciousness and frazzled nerves. But, I guess, that's what's necessary in order to achieve such marvelous results. The end result is that you have a "finishing touch" not found on many instruments. I truly admire your work.

Richard

[sheffield steel]

Richard my friend, I do appreciate all your kind words they do mean a lot to me. It is VERY fiddly work but the end result is well worth all the effort. Patience is a virtue? Pig headed stupid I call it! Lol.

Dave.

[sheffield steel]

She's beginning to take shape, not a good photo.

Dave.

[richard37066]

Dave -

I just celebrated (?) my 77th birthday on January 9th. Sure would be nice if you'd make me a birthday present of that there machine that you're building!

Dream on, old man - dream on.

Richard