Guitar string inlays advice

[Gabericks]

Hello friends, I've been commissioned to create a pen with seven guitar string inlays. I've turned and prepared the wood and cut my grooves. The trouble I'm running into is that the guitar strings, which are about an inch and a quarter long, are incredibly difficult to glue in and settle in my grooves, since the guitar string is stiff, unlike a bendable wire. Before cutting the strings to length, I wraped them around a cylinder for a few days to give it some bend but it's still pretty doggone tough to hold these boys down. Any advice on how to get this done? Thanks so much

 

[jttheclockman]

I am guessing there is something like a 7 string guitar and thus that amount in the pen?? A couple things come to mind and this is just me thinking the way I would have approached it. I would have laid the strings in grooves lengthwise in the blank. You could do this by either adhering to tube and casting in resin, or routing thin grooves in a blank but you would need a way to index.

What you are attempting will be a challenge because you need to get exact length if wrapping around a blank to avoid gaps where they meet. Tough to do neatly. But my suggestion would be to use a good quality epoxy and to use rubber bands to hold strings in place as it dries and turn them off after dry. Good luck and show us the final pen. Not sure I would trust holding up. Hope you have the grooves deep enough so that you can get epoxy on top of them to help adhere.

 

[PatrickR]

it sounds like you are trying to wrap the strings around the blank as 7 separate rings. Guitar strings are either a solid wire or a solid wire wrapped with another thinner wire and are spring steel. The only thing that comes to mind is some type of mechanical means of holding the ends tight while covering the inevitable gaps where the ends meet.

 

[Mr Vic]

Would wrapping around a steel rod similar diameter and heating slowly in an oven, then allow to cool. Might do several times to reshape. Avoid using torch or open flame as they might discolor.

 

[Roly]

Would it be possible to heat them up with a gas torch and the when they have lost their spring to polish and buff them with a brass brush. You'd have to anneal longer lengths and cut to size later. I have never worked with guitar strings.

 

[rherrell]

I like Roly's idea of annealing them but I still think you'll have trouble holding the round shape. What about inlaying them lengthwise, after all that's how they are on a guitar neck. You could even put some dots to act as fret markers.

 

[bsshog40]

My suggestion would be to just look for some silver or copper colored wire that looks like guitar strings. Much more flexible.

 

[Gabericks]

You guys are brilliant. To fill in some of my gaps, yes I was doing seven individual circular inlays around the pen. I'm going to try the heating methods that you mentioned as well. If I did end up playing them out parallel with a length of the pen like they actually are on a guitar, how would you suggest I cut those grooves since I couldn't do that on the lathe?

 

[bsshog40]

I would use a coping saw to cut narrow grooves. It has a very thin blade.

 

[DBDanger]

My $0.02 as a long time guitarist and short time pen maker:


Guitar strings are very difficult to work with, as mentioned. I do know that when I restring my guitar, the ends that wrap around the tuner post retain most of their shape after removed. You might be able to replicate this. One thing to be aware of: where the ends of each ring meet will not look good. There is no way to cut them to make them look like a continuous ring. That being said, most guitar strings come in full sets and one thing some brands use to make it easy to differentiate between the different gauge strings is by coloring the barrel of each string a different color. I could see using this barrel(or similar colored inlays) somehow to help make the ring look clean as well as give another nod to being guitar themed.

If you don't own, or know someone who owns a guitar, I'd be willing to restring one of my guitars and make some of these coils for you. I'd only ask for you to buy the strings and pay for shipping. Basically I would take my old strings off, put the new strings on and tune it up to tension and stretch the strings. Then I'd remove and replace with my own set.

-Danger

 

[greenacres2]

Some good "old school" guitar/music shops still have individual strings in bulk for single purchase. Couple of guys from my wife's old band use the ones from our local shop almost exclusively--but they also change strings about daily. I keep old acoustic strings handy--wicked stiff and SHARP, great for cleaning small nozzles (windshield washers), CA glue tips, lancing boils, and so much more!! Danger is right about the coils, but the tension it takes to make them is more than you'd think as well. Acoustic 6-string is probably loaded to near 200 pounds at standard pitch.
earl

 

[bsshog40]

I keep my old strings and tie them into 1" dowel rods to use them to burn lines in my turnings.

 

[sorcerertd]

With no experience, but just reading through the responses, I very much like @rherrell's idea of just using them lengthwise. No fighting to keep them round and no need to hide the ends.

What @DBDanger said about used string coils around the tuning posts sounds like a great way to at least get something part way to being round. It would certainly work better on a larger pen barrel vs. a slimline. In any case, a local music store/guitar shop would be able to provide you with a few they would be throwing away anyway. How cool would it be to have some used by the person who the pen is being made for?

Another option, and probably difficult to implement, would be to drill a small hole to insert the end into to hold it in place.

 

[duncsuss]

Have you thought of trying wire-wrapped nylon strings? The type classical guitarists use - usually bass E, A and D are wire wrapped around strands of nylon (not solid core like the top 2 or 3 strings.)

I'd expect them to be much easier than steel core strings.

 

[jttheclockman]

You guys are brilliant. To fill in some of my gaps, yes I was doing seven individual circular inlays around the pen. I'm going to try the heating methods that you mentioned as well. If I did end up playing them out parallel with a length of the pen like they actually are on a guitar, how would you suggest I cut those grooves since I couldn't do that on the lathe?

It can be done on a lathe but will require jigs. I have done this using a router. There is a thread I started many years ago called "My Jig" you can look for it. I also believe there are other methods shown here. The person that does all the plastic building jigs for various methods of doing this I believe has one for making lines. I think also a couple people shown jigs here that can be done on a tablesaw. Need to do some searching for these threads but they are there. Good luck.

 

[tomas]

I am guessing there is something like a 7 string guitar and thus that amount in the pen?? A couple things come to mind and this is just me thinking the way I would have approached it. I would have laid the strings in grooves lengthwise in the blank. You could do this by either adhering to tube and casting in resin, or routing thin grooves in a blank but you would need a way to index.

What you are attempting will be a challenge because you need to get exact length if wrapping around a blank to avoid gaps where they meet. Tough to do neatly. But my suggestion would be to use a good quality epoxy and to use rubber bands to hold strings in place as it dries and turn them off after dry. Good luck and show us the final pen. Not sure I would trust holding up. Hope you have the grooves deep enough so that you can get epoxy on top of them to help adhere.

For no apparent reason, I know the answer to your question about the 7 string guitar. It is called a septo and is used in Cuban traditional music. I have trouble with 6 strings much less 7. Compay Segundo in the Buenavista Social Club played one.
Tomas

 

[rherrell]

Quite a few modern guitarists play 7 string guitars, 8 string guitars also. John Petrucci of Dream Theater plays both as does Mattias Eklundh, check out his You Tube channel if you want to see some wild guitar playing.

 

[leehljp]

If done lengthwise, get a small pack of "O" rings of different size from Harbor Freight and get the smallest ones and roll them up to keep the lengthwise strings in place while glueing them in. You can turn the rings off after glueing them in. That "Might" work for the circular idea. Use two small ones per string. They may help keep them in place long enough for epoxy to cure (12-24 hours). Turn them off after the curing.

 

[bsshog40]

Quite a few modern guitarists play 7 string guitars, 8 string guitars also. John Petrucci of Dream Theater plays both as does Mattias Eklundh, check out his You Tube channel if you want to see some wild guitar playing.

I have 4 guitars and a mandolin I haven't learned to play yet. I'm mostly country genre. Junior Brown is another awesome picker.

 

[greenacres2]

That's a good thought Lee. Kallenshaan kits include small rubber bands which work surprisingly well also. I still don't see real steel strings staying in place going around a blank though.

I'll show my age by suggesting Leo Kottke (especially "6 and 12 String Guitar") and Al Dimeola ("Casino" is my favorite there) as players who are other-worldly!! Every now and then i'll put on some old Chet Atkins as well. I own guitars--but was not blessed with the gift of rhythm or flexible fingers!!
earl

 

[rherrell]

I have 4 guitars and a mandolin I haven't learned to play yet. I'm mostly country genre. Junior Brown is another awesome picker.

IMO the two best country pickers today are Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, check this out... Hiland and Mason

 

[leehljp]

That's a good thought Lee. Kallenshaan kits include small rubber bands which work surprisingly well also. I still don't see real steel strings staying in place going around a blank though.

I'll show my age by suggesting Leo Kottke (especially "6 and 12 String Guitar") and Al Dimeola ("Casino" is my favorite there) as players who are other-worldly!! Every now and then i'll put on some old Chet Atkins as well. I own guitars--but was not blessed with the gift of rhythm or flexible fingers!!
earl

I use "O" rings for rubber bands when I can. Many times they are easier to roll on and hold tighter too.

 

[dogcatcher]

I use "O" rings for rubber bands when I can. Many times they are easier to roll on and hold tighter too.

Look for the clear silicone O rings, not the standard black rubber ones. The silicone O Rings do not leave any residue on the wood.

 

[Gabericks]

Look for the clear silicone O rings, not the standard black rubber ones. The silicone O Rings do not leave any residue on the wood.

Hello friends, I've been commissioned to create a pen with seven guitar string inlays. I've turned and prepared the wood and cut my grooves. The trouble I'm running into is that the guitar strings, which are about an inch and a quarter long, are incredibly difficult to glue in and settle in my grooves, since the guitar string is stiff, unlike a bendable wire. Before cutting the strings to length, I wraped them around a cylinder for a few days to give it some bend but it's still pretty doggone tough to hold these boys down. Any advice on how to get this done? Thanks so much

Update. Things that are going well:
-7 inlays turned on lathe 1/16 apart at the top. My plan was to have the pen clip cover where the strings butted ends
-String bendability. i baked the string in the oven and then wrapped it around a pencil size cylinder

The problem. - trying to work with CA covered short wire and hold in place for glue to hold. Getting 7 perfect is difficult. My plan was to finish with several layers of CA

Hello friends, I've been commissioned to create a pen with seven guitar string inlays. I've turned and prepared the wood and cut my grooves. The trouble I'm running into is that the guitar strings, which are about an inch and a quarter long, are incredibly difficult to glue in and settle in my grooves, since the guitar string is stiff, unlike a bendable wire. Before cutting the strings to length, I wraped them around a cylinder for a few days to give it some bend but it's still pretty doggone tough to hold these boys down. Any advice on how to get this done? Thanks so much

Ok, new question. How can I cut straight inlays along the length of the pen blank? I do not have a router.

 

[leehljp]

Ok, new question. How can I cut straight inlays along the length of the pen blank? I do not have a router.

I did not use a router, I used a saw with a very fine blade, 1mm carbide kerf. You can find 1mm blades with a search, but they will be 4" to 5" in diameter.
Making consistent groves is something that takes practice. Make a jig that holds the blank perfectly still, use a jig to guide either the blank or guide the saw over/beside the blank at prescribed marks. Precision is the key and that is why I wrote practice - which will tell you what adjustments you need for consistency.

 

[jttheclockman]

Update. Things that are going well:
-7 inlays turned on lathe 1/16 apart at the top. My plan was to have the pen clip cover where the strings butted ends
-String bendability. i baked the string in the oven and then wrapped it around a pencil size cylinder

The problem. - trying to work with CA covered short wire and hold in place for glue to hold. Getting 7 perfect is difficult. My plan was to finish with several layers of CA

Ok, new question. How can I cut straight inlays along the length of the pen blank? I do not have a router.

One of my all time favorite pens shown here. Talk with Patrick. He is doing work in this area these days.

www.penturners.org/threads/clicker-with-brass-wire-and-ebony-burl.171801/

I also believe

KenB259

does work like this on his tablesaw using a jig he made. Check with him.

 

[Curly]

Scratch stock would do it. Basically a little stand riding on the bed with a blade (piece of hacksaw blade etc filed to shape) held on the centreline of the lathe. Lock the spindle with the index pin and draw the scratch stock along the blank. A number of light scrapes should be enough. Then reposition and scrape again. It will allow you to make grooves on barrel shaped or conical shaped pens. Panache for example.