Posted on May 15, 2026May 15, 2026 by Dale Phillips It Worked for Me: Pantograph It Worked for Me: Pantograph by Greg Nelson Originally published in American Lutherie #110, 2012 A pantograph has become my solution for dealing with small pieces of shell for inlay work. This simple device has allowed me to upgrade the quality of my inlay work as well as speed up the process. This is especially true with repeat work such as a logo. The pantograph is simply a series of rods connected in such a way that if one end is anchored and the other moved, a point between will move exactly the same but at a set fraction of the original movement. My pantograph is set up for a 50% reduction in size thereby giving me greater control of my cutting tool. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of the Articles Online featured on our website for Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. For details, visit the membership page. MEMBERS: login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on April 16, 2026April 16, 2026 by Dale Phillips It Worked for Me: Bound Fretboard It Worked for Me: Bound Fretboard by Greg Nelson Originally published in American Lutherie #114, 2013 Removing the last little bits of the tang when preparing a fret for a bound fretboard is not all that difficult to do by hand with a fine file, but here is a small jig that powers the operation and removes some of the drudgery. The pictures should prove self-explanatory. I use a Foredom tool, but the idea of the jig can easily be adapted to almost any rotary tool. Almost any bit capable of grinding the fret material will do. My jig is set up to use a diamond wheel. I must stress that this is simply for cleaning up what is left after clipping the bulk of the tang off. Even at that, and at low speed, the tang can get hot quickly. ◆ Both photos by Greg Nelson.
