Build Updates - Rosettes

[DJ Parker]

Hello Everyone,

Well, guitar building is like golf I think. You can't get decent at building guitars unless you practice and every turn brings on a new challenge. Rosettes! After joining, planing and sanding one of my two precious tops I am right in the middle of the fairway and not quite certain at what club to grab. Setting up a symetrical soundhole and routing apparatus took a few days of thought and shopping and more thought. I had considered the Dremel on a small router base which seemed controlable due to its size and I'm sure it is but I chose to use my variable speed PC router and simply drilled small holes in the clear base at different points which uses a pin (nail) in the soundboard (thru into an MDF substrate) and allows me to cut clean radius lines. I must admit, I was nervous to put a big ol' chunky tool on a soundboard but it worked very smooth and having variable speed really helps.

The bigger thing is design. I chose a simple set of circles with the wider one being the same material as the guitar body, in this case Mahogany. The lines are, yep you guessed it, little strips of Walnut/Maple/Mahogany laminate. Again, waste not want not and this is real wood and they look nice plus it was already paid for. So, my very first rosette and there is a lot to learn here. The design is one part. Clean edges are another. I plan on putting a shape of sorts at the 12 o-clock position. That is one thing I like about the oval holed gypsy rosettes. Those odd shapes will be yet another lesson.

As always, input (critique and other) is welcome.

Regards,

DJ Parker

[Mark Swanson]

Yeah, that's a good job. Better than my first one!

[DJ Parker]

Thank you Mark. That means a lot coming from you. You always have excellent posts, builds , and great info for us newbies.

Regards,

DJ

[Barry Daniels]

A downcut bit would cut cleaner and not give you the fuzzies.

[Bob Menzel]

Lookin' good DJ.

Would a wash coat of shellac help lessen 'fuzzies' if not using a downcut bit? Scoring with a popsicle cutter before routing?

[DJ Parker]

Thank you all for your advice on the bits and the encouragement. Well, here is the final product for my very first ever rosette. This will go onto a Mahogany L-00 style body, again the guitar I have chose to complete first out of the the bunch of bodies hanging around. My goal is strumming by Christmas...hopefully on my first full build

Regards,

DJ Parker

[Rodger Knox]

That's a nice touch with the diamond at 12...
I guess you're going to end the fretboard before the rosette, an L-00 typically has the fretboard almost to the soundhole.