The life of a luthier is never dull nor predictable. First Stu Fuchs wanted a Yin/Yang on his fret board, then Tony Winter asked for a beaver - but who would have ever expected a Dung Beetle. Well P.J. in Edmonton Alberta is apparently a Coleopterist (beetle student) and she wanted a Dung Beetle on her Concert Pinecone that I am building.
It was off to Bay Engraving and my friend Kurt DenAdel.
It was off to Bay Engraving and my friend Kurt DenAdel.
Kurt has never failed me. I delivered the image of a Dung Beetle and with his remarkable laser skills he produced this remarkable incision of the beetle.
We decided that rather than trying to cut an ebony piece to inlay, it would best be done with black tinted epoxy. to determine the best epoxy to use I tried three products.
carefully weighing the two parts of each to get an accurate and effective one to one mix.
and here is the result. This epoxy will take 24 hours to harden completely but when it does I will sand it to the radius curve of the fretboard and the delicate feather edges of the legs should be defined. P.J will have her Dung Beetle.
This will be a unique ukulele.
This will be a unique ukulele.