I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS IDEA FOR WEEKS, and today I finally solved it, got the job done and now am ready to finish the three tenors. I got the idea to fancy up the area where the Peghed tuners penetrated the spalted maple plate I attach to my peg heads. I devised a little circle cutter and a way to cut little donuts of decorative wood. It also cuts the circle in the peg head to inlay the donut into, but it was not as easy as it sounded. The tiny exacto blade was so thin that it bent and thus cut inexact circles. The thicker blade that I bought cut too wide an inlay hole so I had to make the donuts and then modify the tool to cut a smaller inlay hole. Today I got it right. Here is the result. All of the tenors have the new tuner hole detail and are waiting only for the final french polishing.
Here is the modified circle cutter with its guide that has been turned down to fit perfectly in the holes of the peg head that is sized just right to accept the tuners. The new cutter has a stiffer Exacto blade attached by a tiny screw and wrapped tightly with thin copper wire to the wooden shank. Worked like a dream. You see a number of the little koa donuts cut by the same cutter in the background. 
carving out the place for the koa donut is easier than it looks, but you must use a tiny chisel like this. My years of wood carving, and the tools I have collected came in handy here. | 
Here is the peg head with inlays glued in with superglue but as yet unsanded. I flooded the edges with super glue and then sanded down flush before the glue had completely set. 
So here is the finished product. When these Peg heads get a few coats of French Polish on them, the tuners installed and strings on the tuners I think these little Koa inlays will be attractive, decorative and nice looking. Job done, Now I only need finish the French Polish, glue on the bridges, drill for the bridge pins and string them up. Have a little more patience Trey, Dave and Doc. They are finally almost ready to sing. |
