Right tool for the job, help please

[Mike OMelia]

This bar of purfling stock has about $200 invested in it. Its about 27" long, 1.75" wide and 7/8" thick.

I intend to bond black fiber to the 7/8" side before cutting (all of my intended uses have black fiber (at least) on one side and I am hoping that it will help stabilize it.

Question is, what is the best tool for the job? What kind of blade? Given the expense of the bar, I want to getit right the first time.

I'm thinking bandsaw (small) with one of those diamond studded blades. Do they make "wire" blades?

Thanks for your help!

Mike

[Ray McCullie]

I'd advise (if possible) to test any methods on a piece of scrap first. I know it's cliche but its true.

[Rick Lizek]

I'm curious and not sure of several things. By black fiber do you mean carbon fiber? What is the purfling for and why do you need the "fiber"? Not sure about the cutting. A bandsaw for curved shapes? Minimal kerf loss of material. Just seems like so much info is lacking. I do know about purfling from instrument maker friends.

There are thin saws blades out there...thin as a dime. The diamond wire bandsaw blades are for tile and stone.

[Tom Rick]

How large is the stock you have made up and how many pieces do you need to get out of it?

[Stephen Cherry]

one idea may be using a scroll saw, using a piece of wood as a fence.

I just tried taking a slice off the end grain of a 7/8" thick piece of cherry (the cutoff from a table top). Once I accounted for the blade drift (freehand cutting strait without a fence, then setting the fence at that angle), it gave a very nice, very thin slice.

Maybe a bandsaw though. I can't help to think that the set in a bandsaw blade would add up to a much thicker cut though. Of course, you'll want to experiment on some scrap though. Or table saw, with a really thin blade.

How do the inlay people do this, I can't think that this problem has already been worked out.

[Rick Markham]

Mike, I'd personally probably try PM'ing Jameel Abraham, he seems to be exceptionally knowledgeable about traditional stringed instrument making and inlay. From what I have seen of his inlay he has demonstrated on here he is very creative and masterful at it. I know when he slices the laminations that he makes for inlay he uses a bandsaw, (that's all i remember, specifics I don't remember offhand)

I learned something today, I know what Purfling is now. Pretty cool stuff! Did you make that board yourself? Or did you buy it? It's really very spectacular, I can see why ya don't want to botch it up. If ya bought it, it was definitely not cheap, and if ya made it, it certainly wasn't cheap in cost and time!

[Tom Walz]

Wood is fibrous but the fibers are locked together so it cuts a lot like a solid (unless you compare it to a true solid such as metal or plastic.)

Fiber, such as carbon fiber, cuts differently depending on whether it is just fiber, felted fiber or woven fiber and whether it is impregnated with something or not.

Quite often the substrate is cut to size with a saw then the fiber is cut to size with a shearing action and applied. Then the fiber is finished with a razor or similar.

Do you have a specification for “fiber”? Will the fiber be resin impregnated? If you could furnish better details I would be happy to help.

Tom

[Mike OMelia]

Yes, I made the bar from many laminations of maple veneer (dyed and undyed). I wish I had been able to dye them, but not quite there in my ability.

The "black fiber" is a paper-like material, very stiff, but not at all brittle. Just call it paper.

The reason for the question is to find some way to cut this without creating lateral forces that could break the purfling at a glue joint. Many bandsaw blades have teeth that vary from side to side... not good!

I have had some friends recommend the 7 1/4", 40 TPI Diablo finsihing blade. Now all I have to do is find a zero clearance insert for my Jet JWSS-10LFR table saw (or make one). No luck so far.

Mike

[Scott Pearson]

.... Many bandsaw blades have teeth that vary from side to side... not good!.....

Mike

You might look into bandsaw blades further. I believe that the Cabide blades like the Laguna Kerf king do not have any set to them. They would leave a very small kerf and a clean surface.

Scott