I'm converting an old mandolin to a trichordo bouzouki. The body has really ornate inlay on the pickguard. I'd like to copy the center portion and somehow "inlay" it on the fretboard  to kind of make them match. Anyone have ideas on how I might go about that with modest tools and skills? See the pic attached, the original inlay is ivory colored, although I think it is plastic.Also missing some pieces of the marquetry around the soundhole that I'd like to also fill/fake.

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  • Another possible method would be to scan it if your capable or shoot a close-up, print it out, cut & shape to please then a simple tracing of the outline with an exacto or what-have-you, and then clean out the center...a lot easier than doing all that intricate carving, but putting 'faking it' at a whole new level ;)

  • Cool, that is kind of how I was thinking. I don't know how well I can carve it with my dremell. Only one way to find out I guess.

    • I've had a router bit/dremel bit catch, and get away from me, before.

      happens pretty quick!  8-O

      I think I would try setting that mandolin on a copy machine or perhaps tracing it onto some frisket paper.

      then, make a cut along the lines you wish to follow, to delineate them, with an exacto knife blade.

      Perhaps you could even make a bit of a bevel on the inside of the line with that same very sharp, precise blade...

      Then, using a small, inexpensive artist brush, apply a few coats of acrylic, from the crafts store???

      They have many different qualities, colors, and properties, starting at 99cents for a small bottle which would be more than sufficient for such a project.

      Actually, that is not quite so intricate of a pattern... it could be used as a model and duplicated by tracing a coin or some sort of bottle cap, a quickly made french curve made from card stock, and  a nice sharp pencil.

      You can also make a simple compass using cardstock and the pencil, with some tape...

      Have fun!

      rc

  • I'm no pro, but personally, if I was not preferring to actually inlay it, I would trace the pattern, transfer it to the zouki and using a small router bit in my laminate trimmer, route it in & then fill it with some epoxy matched in color...matching the epoxy would be trial & error, with more error in my case{lol}

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