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Gold coloured fill
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Author:  Trevor Gore [ Sun Jan 13, 2013 5:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Gold coloured fill

I have some detailed engraving directly into a fretboard that is rather fine to inlay into with the usual solid materials, so I was thinking pigmented epoxy. It needs to come out looking as close to metallic gold as possible. Anyone have any suggestions as to how best to achieve this? How do the dentists do it??

Thanks in anticipation.

Author:  runamuck [ Sun Jan 13, 2013 5:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Gold coloured fill

I used dentist's silver amagam years ago for an inlay. I would assume gold is done the same way
but. at least back then, the metal was held in with a mechanical joint. Think of a three dimensional dovetail.

I've used epoxy and various colored powders over the years for inlay as well.
Sometimes it will work beautifully and sometimes not: It depends on the power.

I think the only way you can answer your question is to experiment.

Author:  Colin North [ Sun Jan 13, 2013 6:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Gold coloured fill

Maybe Inlace http://www.inlaceonline.com/text/products/metallic-dusts.html
or something like you can find (in Oz) here in
http://www.amcsupplies.com.au/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=9&zenid=36uve5meod1cn35su1mk5qgbo5
Mix with clear resin? But they would more be a metalflake

Author:  jason c [ Sun Jan 13, 2013 7:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Gold coloured fill

Hey Trevor, you might check out the metallic powders from crescentbronze.com they have several different shades of gold.

Author:  B. Howard [ Sun Jan 13, 2013 7:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Gold coloured fill

I have had some good results using powdered pearlesent pigments from the local craft store to color epoxies.

And there is this http://www.inlaceonline.com/text/produc ... dusts.html
I haven't used it but some wood turners I know really like their products.

Author:  Jim Watts [ Mon Jan 14, 2013 12:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Gold coloured fill

Trevor, you should be able to buy gold filled epoxy, it's used as a conductive adhesive as is silver epoxy. The gold might be a little harder to find, but I'm pretty sure its available. I used some silver a little while back and found it in 2.5 gram packages, so cost wasn't so bad. Perhaps gold epoxy can be obtained in small quantities too.
Good luck.

Author:  John Sonksen [ Mon Jan 14, 2013 1:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Gold coloured fill

nice thread, this stuff is exactly what I need for my next project! I had been looking at crushed stone for making my own reconstituted stone but this inlace stuff seems way more suited for what I'm looking to do.

Author:  nyazzip [ Mon Jan 14, 2013 1:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Gold coloured fill

what exactly is the "inlace" stuff...? plastic granules? stone? metal? it doesn't seem to say on the website...i'm just wondering how smooth a finish you could get with it, if it was used on unlaquered rosewood/ebony fretboards

Author:  Clay S. [ Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Gold coloured fill

I would use the metallic powders that are used for gold leaf work. They are usually set in a shellac base. You could also do it with real gold leaf, but that would cost more and take a little more technique.

Author:  Trevor Gore [ Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Gold coloured fill

I've sourced some Pearl Ex gold colours and some Pale Gold superfine metallic pigment and have tried polyester and epoxy resins as binders. The Langridge stuff looks by far the best at this stage, (it's essential just very finely powdered bronze), but I'll let you know the final outcome when I level them tomorrow.

Author:  Dave Fifield [ Wed Jan 16, 2013 2:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Gold coloured fill

Bit late to the thread, sorry....

I cut fine grooves in my headplates using a laser engraver, then over-fill them with metallic gold acrylic paint (available from any good art supply store). Once dry, I carefully sand the over-fill back level with the headplate and voila, done. Looks just like inlaid fine gold strips - works particularly well on ebony:

Image

Click on the picture to see it in hi-res. Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Dave F.

Author:  Trevor Gore [ Wed Jan 16, 2013 6:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Gold coloured fill

David F,

Thanks for that tip. Maybe something to try next...

So far I've tried the fine bronze powder and the Pearl Ex pigments in epoxy, polyester (I'd forgotten how I hated the smell...), CA, and even straight into melted shellac with a variety of techniques. Generally the overfilled cavity looks great - nice and shiny, but dulls pathologically on levelling, not to be revived by any form of buffing or over coating. This seems to correspond with the reports of other users in various woodworking blogs/forums, yet there are occasional pics from people who have made it work by seemingly doing nothing different from what I've tried. Success may be very dependant on the various brands of the stuff used. All I can tell so far is that none of the "generic" combinations I've used have worked for me.

Next up may be some coarse ground brass (just filings) which on the trials I've done so far provide some glitter, in a "yellow" ground to give the right basic colour. Or maybe some of the fine bronze powder in PVA glue... (which may be a close approximation to the acrylic paint you're using).

It would be nice to get back to making guitars...

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