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| Brass side dots http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=54459 |
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| Author: | jfmckenna [ Wed Oct 06, 2021 1:02 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Brass side dots |
I'd love to find some precut dots but cannot seem to find them online. Has anyone done brass dots before? Looks like I can buy some brass rod at my local hardware store but how would you go about cutting it? Seems to me like it would want to deform and would be difficult to use a hack saw to cut tiny dots out. |
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| Author: | bcombs510 [ Wed Oct 06, 2021 1:19 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
I just checked, the dot driller from Elevate doesn't do metal, but you might ping Chris to double check about brass. It doesn't solve your problem, but if you aren't totally set on solid brass I like to use metal spacer beads from ebay and then find the corresponding plastic dot rod that fits in the inside hole of the bead to make a halo dot. I get the plastic a little oversized and persuade it in for a tight fit. |
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| Author: | Barry Daniels [ Wed Oct 06, 2021 1:23 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
I drill deeper holes, like about 1/4" into the side of the fretboard. Glue in a short length of rod. Once dry, cut it off with nippers or a jewelers saw then file it flush. Easy peasy. |
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| Author: | jfmckenna [ Wed Oct 06, 2021 1:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
Clinet wants brass so that's what it is... Barry, THAT is a good idea, thank you. Do you simply use thin CA? |
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| Author: | Barry Daniels [ Wed Oct 06, 2021 1:47 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
Medium CA works fine. |
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| Author: | Bryan Bear [ Wed Oct 06, 2021 1:49 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
Yep, what Barry said. I have used hobby shop rods and tubes. I have done aluminum tube with the appropriate brass rod inside and various other combinations. Just drill in deep enough that it is supported then nip off far enough away from the edge that you don't have crimped edges by the time you file down. I had the most trouble with that the times I have tried to use tube filled with sawdust and glue to give the illusion of a metal circle inlayed into the FB. For some reason, I get more crimping than I expect to. I started sawing those off close to flush with a little exacto hobby saw instead of using the nippers (which are faster and more convenient). |
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| Author: | bluescreek [ Wed Oct 06, 2021 3:29 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
I have use copper wire looks pretty good ca finishes them well |
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| Author: | Bryan Bear [ Wed Oct 06, 2021 3:46 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
bluescreek wrote: I have use copper wire looks pretty good ca finishes them well Copper wire! I'm kicing myself for not having thought of this. It is readily available and a new metallic color alternative to aluminum and brass. Now that you say it, it seems so obvious. |
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| Author: | ballbanjos [ Wed Oct 06, 2021 4:54 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
I've done brass rods, as well as brass and aluminum tubing with colored epoxy in the center. I'd use red epoxy to match the red veneer under the fingerboard, etc. Always looked pretty cool. Dave |
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| Author: | James Orr [ Wed Oct 06, 2021 5:01 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
I did a tutorial on this in the tutorial section about five years ago using copper rod and black side dot material to fill. Most recently I simply filled with medium black CA. I trim them with a cutoff wheel in the dremel. I'd love to nip them flush, but I'm paranoid about pinching them and ruining the whole thing. |
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| Author: | ballbanjos [ Wed Oct 06, 2021 5:24 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
I saw mine thin with a jewelers saw before inlaying and then level it to the side of the board with a file/sandpaper. I'm paranoid too. I use the colored epoxy to inlay the tube--it's still a tube when I put it in the fingerboard. It's a tight fit, so the epoxy only shows up in the center. Dave |
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| Author: | jfmckenna [ Wed Oct 06, 2021 6:52 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
bluescreek wrote: I have use copper wire looks pretty good ca finishes them well Oh! Man that does sound like it would be nice. I may have to run this by my buyer. I've got several gauges of the stuff too. |
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| Author: | Patrick B Wilson [ Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:05 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
When you are getting the wire/rod/tube close to the edge of the fretboard, don't switch to sandpaper too soon. File it as flush as you can and use sandpaper only to remove the file marks. I've made a number of knife scales using hobby shop rods and found out the hard way that a sanding pad isn't nearly firm enough to not deform over the hard metal and leave it a bit proud. BTW, love the filled tube look. Really sharp with the red veneer! |
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| Author: | Chris Pile [ Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:15 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
Quote: I'd use red epoxy to match the red veneer under the fingerboard, etc. Dave, I keep coming back to look at that red veneer under the fingerboard because it looks SO GOOD. Are you using dyed maple or holly, or something like redheart or paduak? Are you using it the wide of the neck, or is it inlaid like purfling? |
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| Author: | Pegasusguitars [ Wed Oct 13, 2021 5:20 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
I used brass rod for side dots back in the 80's. In time the lacquer blistered off the dots and then many of them corroded to a green color. I stopped using brass and went back to pearl.-Bob |
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| Author: | James Orr [ Wed Oct 13, 2021 6:23 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
Pegasusguitars wrote: I used brass rod for side dots back in the 80's. In time the lacquer blistered off the dots and then many of them corroded to a green color. I stopped using brass and went back to pearl.-Bob That was definitely a concern of mine as well, particularly since I prefer the red of copper. I dipped one in lacquer and literally left it outside for close to two years to see if there'd be discoloration. Thankfully there wasn't. |
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| Author: | ballbanjos [ Wed Oct 13, 2021 8:27 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
Chris Pile wrote: Quote: I'd use red epoxy to match the red veneer under the fingerboard, etc. Dave, I keep coming back to look at that red veneer under the fingerboard because it looks SO GOOD. Are you using dyed maple or holly, or something like redheart or paduak? Are you using it the wide of the neck, or is it inlaid like purfling? Thanks! That was the red dyed maple that Constantines sold (and might still sell). I got a bunch of it back in the nineties and still have a bunch left today. I used it for fingerboard veneers, backstraps, etc. It was full width of the neck--just like on a backstrap. My banjo necks were all french polished, and I never had the problems others have reported with the finish letting go around the brass. Might be a nitro issue there, I don't know. Dave |
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| Author: | Chris Pile [ Wed Oct 13, 2021 11:20 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
Ah, thanks. I haven't ordered from Constantines since the 90's. Guess I better check out their website! |
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| Author: | ballbanjos [ Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:11 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
https://www.constantines.com/dyedveneer.aspx Dave |
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| Author: | jfmckenna [ Thu Oct 14, 2021 8:03 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brass side dots |
Wouldn't copper also turn green if exposed to air long enough? |
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