Fretboard dot inlaying

[woodenfingers]

I read that to inlay fretboard dots you simply drill a hole and pop them in. I bought some 5/16" (8mm) abalone dots from a reputable supplier so you would think that a 5/16" or 8mm brad point bit would be the drill of choice. But, turns out the dots are all around 0.3175 to 0.3180" which won't fit into either a 5/16" (0.3125") or 8mm (0.314") hole.

Is it normal that the dots aren't the size stated?

A 21/64" brad point would work but can't find one. Found a 11/32" brad point in a catalogue but with that bit the dot would fit but the gap is getting kind of big.

I can outline them and inlay them the regular way but I am putting these into woodturning art I make and sell in galleries and art fairs and I can't be spending a bunch of time doing it or it won't be cost effective.

Suggestions anyone?

[J Caldwell]

I'd just carefully sand the dots down until they fit. Shouldn't take very long.

[HoGo]

I read that to inlay fretboard dots you simply drill a hole and pop them in. I bought some 5/16" (8mm) abalone dots from a reputable supplier so you would think that a 5/16" or 8mm brad point bit would be the drill of choice. But, turns out the dots are all around 0.3175 to 0.3180" which won't fit into either a 5/16" (0.3125") or 8mm (0.314") hole.

Is it normal that the dots aren't the size stated?
8mm drill will not leave exact 8mm hole in wood, it's always slightly larger. So just do some test holes and try to chamfer bottom edges of the dots so they get pressed into holes easier. You may moisten the wood if the fit is too snug but very likely it won't be (especially if drilled by hand)

[Timbofood]

Add the time into your art selling price?

[Jim Adwell]

Jamestown Distributors has 21/64" brad point drill bits.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=1374

[woodenfingers]

Thanks for the replies. J Caldwell - I don't know if I could sand them and keep them round enough although I guess I could spin them somehow to sand them. HoGo - i am going to drill them on a lathe so the hole wouldn't be oversized from hand drilling. Timbofood - selling art is probably even less profitable than selling handmade mandolins in terms of making any decent hourly wage or getting people to pay anything for your work so I need to keep the prices down. Jim Adwell - thanks for the tip. That's what I will do. I didn't google the bit size, I just consulted my trusty catalogues, so I guess I should consult the internet instead. Thanks, Bob

[Les Corley]

glue them with CA glue to something the proper size put them in the drill press & sand them down, put a drop of acetone on it to get them off

[woodenfingers]

Les, that's a good tip. I can glue them to a steel/aluminum rod that I have turned to the right size, put that on my lathe and sand/file them down.

Thanks

Bob

[Timbofood]

Wooden fingers, not meaning to lessen the art world, I have been around that pond for many many years. How about a shot of what you are doing? I like Les's tip a lot especially if you have a bag of dots just enough too big! Do be careful about the dust, nasty stuff!
Besides, I agree, you will get more interesting answers here than from any old run of the mill google search, and, it's so much more fun!
Good luck!

[woodenfingers]

Hi Tim, I really enjoy doing my wood art and selling it. I'm retired after 30 some years of pharmaceutical research. I don't try to make too much money doing this, just enough to buy mandolins and more tools for the shop. One item I make is an acorn box. The tops are cherry with the bottoms being ash. Both pieces are hand turned on a lathe and then the top's stem is handcarved, the top is all one piece. I always put a small sign next to them that say's Open Me and people generally open them. I do this so that people will realize they are boxes. However, some people will open them and say, "Well, there's nothing in there." So, I thought I would put a pearl inlay inside the lid as a surprise. The first one I did was a pearl inlay of an acorn. Acorn inside an acorn. It was the first inlay I ever did and it looked pretty darned good but took way too long. So, now I am thinking an abalone dot would be enough of a surprise. Haven't done the dot yet to see how it would look so the jury is still out on it. I only bought 15 dots as a trial so not too heavily invested in dots yet. I attached a picture of some early acorns.

118803

[Timbofood]

Pharmaceutical research, wouldn't happen to be around Kalamazoo by any chance? Used to be lots of that about this neck of the woods.
Nice acorns, by the way. I like the abalone inlay idea or maybe an abalone bead? That would rattle!
I have a bit of a thing for boxes, as does my wife, might make a dandy gift, where are you?

[Les Corley]

Those are amazing I understand the reason for the name woodenfingers. Good luck with your acorns. You might put some of those in the classified & see what happens you never know you may have to hire an apprentice.

[Timbofood]

Big enough for picks?

[mirwa]

Acorns are extremely well done

[woodenfingers]

Thanks for the comments. Nope, not from UpJohn or its successors. Had a number of friends that went through the UpJohn UpHeavels, they weren't pleased... I spent 18 years in NJ with a Swiss company, Sandoz, which became Novartis, 5 years in NC with a small biotech that Eli Lilly bought, and then closed down, and 8 years in Indiana with Lilly until I retired 4 years ago. I'm still in Indiana just outside of Indianapolis. I miss the science but I'm having great fun playing mandolin/guitar in bluegrass jam sessions and in a Trio we formed in the gallery where we have our work and in doing my woodworking. Woodenfingers was part mandolin joke and part my woodworking since I'm always digging splinters out of my fingers... The acorns will hold picks. I never considered that since I always just stick my picks in the strings. In order not to violate Cafe policy, if anyone is interested you could PM me for more details about them. I did order a 21/64" brad point bit. That should give me a snug fit. Putting them into end grain cherry I really don't want to be doing much of any filling.

[DHopkins]

I've always purchased dots for my dulcimers from StewMac and they've always been a perfect fit.

[Timbofood]

Very cool! Wish you were closer but I do get to Indy once in a while.
I would think playing mandolin would be more fun that the "DrugCo" scene but, the science must have been interesting.