DIY "Damascus Micarta" Guitar Fingerboard

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Tim

[@aniquinstark4347]

This is a really interesting material. Fabric micarta has long been used by pocket knife companies for handles because it has a sort of woody texture that grips well and stays grippy when wet.

[@navaho5430]

Well that's different material, interesting to see how it wears cheers.

[@zeroman614]

This is basically “Richlite” which Martin has used for years on lower-end models.

[@1993wethebest]

Micarta is very common on pocket knives so you can get an idea of wear

[@NarwhalLabs]

Was awesome working with you as always! Can't wait to see the instruments they find their way onto.

[@Sun-ut9gr]

That fingerboard for your client gave me Ween vibes. Love it. 💚

[@timsway]

cool :)

[@cygneturevids9774]

5am, well time for bed... Wait.. Micarta finger board? Sleep can wait haha Edit: well worth it! Nice!

[@timsway]

cheers :)

[@tobins6800]

Goodwill, Salvation Army, or local indie thrift shops would be a good source of material.

[@frontmanguitars8276]

Really enjoyed the song at the end!!

[@dieterjosef]

Wow, I am impressed. That will look great on a guitar, and I can imagine it to become a trend in some circles.

[@Emily_M81]

Other manufacturers: have a spalted or flamed maple fretboard. Isn't it fancy? This guy: hold my beer.

[@keeperofthegood]

You could incorporate (or even use all) wood veneer as well following the same process. It's just a special case of ply wood realistically speaking.

[@timsway]

yes! I made some DIY 3/4" plywood last year from 1/8" hollow core doors, but with dyed veneers you could get the interesting color changes.

[@JohnnyArtPavlou]

Ply wool?

[@shackman9566]

Thanks again Tim. Can't wait to see the finished projects.

[@villyvanwesel664]

This is the exact process of making baklava. Well, perhaps not exact unless you have an incredibly adventurous pallet. Great video as always!

[@timsway]

yes! and spanakopita! I used to cook and haven't thought of that in years!

[@calmistheway]

Yeah but you cant make a Baklava fingerboard... right?

[@timsway]

@@calmistheway now I'm hungry... for guitar!

[@foujj]

Baklava is the dessert of my people .

[@pileofstuff]

Those turned out pretty cool looking. Can't wait to see how they play.

[@samaker4]

Awesome build Tim. I like the blocking of the two speakers. It makes the distance really interesting

[@timsway]

LOL. Good on you for finding some positive in our covid-era necessities :)

[@andybungert]

Finally getting to this series. This is so cool!

[@Patmclean232]

I had no no idea you could a fretboard out of micarta! Looks awesome!

[@jralanmorgan]

Cool song Tim!!!

[@spungeegoodness1144]

Super cool!!! Cant wait to see the finished product!!!!

[@GregsGarage]

That looks pretty amazing Tim. I'm excited to see the instruments that will use those boards.

[@rw9495]

This has given me lots of ideas, thanks for this Tim!

[@thomasbaker9787]

Wow! That turned out great!

[@rodrigocastro7651]

Wow the fingerboard looks so good !!!!

[@TotalBoat]

Love love love how this turned out!! Awesome job Tim and Jeff!! So cool!

[@ZOOTSUITBEATNICK1]

Inspiring vid...as is usual here...launching more ideas than I can keep track of. Thanks, Tim!

[@ashleywilson5312]

Wow! I was trying so hard to understand how the different colors would end up in some sort of pattern, then immediately when I saw it come from the planer I understood! Oh and love the squid inlay!

[@timsway]

cheers. if the radius were steeper it would get even more wild.

[@jamesnorton7601]

That is totally fricken wicked!

[@ronferrell6674]

Great music

[@JohnnyArtPavlou]

Love the song!

[@timsway]

thanks. you can download it for 99 cents at newperspectivesmusic.com :)

[@ettumama]

so cool

[@KrisMonegro]

I'm sort of more of a knife makers side but I've never seen micart used for such purposes. But it looks amazing.

[@TommyWashow]

Here before Jeff stealsel copyrights this sick idea

[@zeroman614]

Rad comment

[@SzonSer]

Very cool, interested to hear how it plays

[@annie4971]

Loved it but I want to see some petty colours........pinks, orange, blue 💃🎶💃🎶

[@SinnGread]

very cool ! .. beautiful patterns

[@owenl5899]

AHH A fellow New Englander

[@MRmadman1978]

I need the file for that 3D print boards! lol

[@graemelliott3942]

That’s really unique!

[@stevesstrings5243]

That’s too cool! I love the squid!!!

[@davebauerart]

That pattern is wild!

[@jamesh5460]

Micarta looks like some very cool material. Would like to see future videos with it being used.

[@petedazer3381]

That’s beautiful, very cool!

[@joseislanio8910]

Man I have to try that. I don't have access to a 3D printer, but I'm thinking those knock-off Lego sets, one of those bigger than standard, will mimic it good enough. Gotta try on a smaller scale, maybe for a control plate, then if it works I'll upscale it. By the way, great fingerboard. I was kinda hoping that you used no inlays at all, as to showcase more of the pattern. As always, great content!

[@timsway]

DUPLO blocks are the big ones. great idea.

[@RJDCR]

kool , been overhau;in' my Strats here.....thats some nice work there , Rock onnn T S RJ

[@jarredusedtodostuff9524]

What about using micarta for the whole neck

[@johnlemus7921]

Tim, hope all is well. This was cool. It may have been a joke edit, but I think a Leopard or Tiger Print Micarta Fingerboard would looks awesome!

[@timsway]

That would be fun, in a kitschy way.

[@sgsax]

These look so freaking cool! I also watched the Narwhal Labs video of the micarta project they made. It's a pretty simple principle and the pattern possibilities are endless. Not your usual jam, but it does make one think. The squid inlay is pretty sweet on the guitar fingerboard. When does the mando build series start? 😁 Thanks for sharing!

[@timsway]

more to come on that mando :)

[@MilesMcNallyLuthierie]

The little one looks like a mando or uke fretboard. Being a fan of blacksmithing I love the damascus look of those boards and now want to try this myself😅

[@johngrant5749]

Looks terrific Tim. Something I’ve been wanting to try for years. Great idea using 3D printed blocks. With a thicker piece you could machine it at an angle of 30* to get a more Damascus pattern. Minds buzzing at the possibilities of 3D patterns! Snakeskin, crocodile.......

[@timsway]

Right! If we made it a "log" we could even just slice it on a bias on the bandsaw and make multiple, thinner blanks.

[@johngrant5749]

Definitely. And all different colours. Gold leaf between layers.

[@johngrant5749]

Black and gold leaf 😍

[@stubrakon9683]

Looks stellar!!!

[@B.McAllister]

Funkadelic.

[@rw9495]

What did he call those texturized plastic blocks you used to squish it down? Google doesn't seem to know lmao

[@timsway]

they were molds we made to create the pattern

[@lexhuffington2215]

Is there I place I can buy the top and bottom pieces that give you the pattern?

[@timsway]

you could contact Jeff (@ideal_grain on instagram) for the 3d model plans

[@smac3662]

Although the final product I beautiful; I have a question as I don't work with resin. What happens to all the unusable resin that is milled off of the main piece? I hope it doesn't end up in the landfills. Is there a way to prevent it from further adding to to our plastic crisis? Thanks so much for your time.

[@timsway]

Resin ain't good, which is why I rarely use it and only in small quantities (guitar inlays, small repairs, etc). This was an art experiment I wanted to try but is not sustainable and does not fit in to my work ethos. I won't do it again. Every time you see someone carving a bowl or making a guitar out of colored pencils or whatever, what you are really seeing is someone making something out of resin with stuff in it (this fingerboard included) and that is not a sustainable way to do things or good for the environment and landfills

[@matthewcornelison4786]

Can you share the Specifics on printing a mold like that. I have a friend Willing print one but he needs Dimensions on it. Please and thank you

[@timsway]

here's Narwhal's video about it. They have a file share link in the description. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3-caKdthLVqmJo

[@SonofTheMorningStar666]

Cool!

[@johnhartley3596]

Berry cool. I like the squid.

[@JoePalumbo221]

Very interesting! How does it machine?

[@timsway]

Like epoxy:)

[@sog6289]

Yoooo that look crazy badass :)

[@fishwithsj]

Liked the song. And the squid!

[@James_Dawes]

So it's like extreme paper mache!

[@decomputerleraarable]

From a distance TOP! But close not so. Rob

[@timothymiller737]

Looks great ✌️

[@ZethKeeper]

5:37 fabric fretboard lasagna.

[@timsway]

Lol!

[@nixternal]

Interesting, always made micarta for knifes, but for a fingerboard, I like that design. Wait, isn't it micarta or is it richlite? Almost the same thing :)

[@dieterjosef]

As far as I know Richlite has paper in it, not cotton. But I don't know if it makes a difference in the properties (sound, strength, elasticity, ...).

[@timsway]

Yes, Richlite is a micarta made of recycled paper. Same process (but more efficient and automated, for sure! lol)

[@lisentzudir1087]

Hey tim been watching you for quite some time now Love what you are doing Keep on rocking Oh and how flexible is that board Is it brittle? ? And how would someone glue it on a wooden neck ( use epoxy or the good old tite bond)

[@timsway]

Cheers. It's stiffer than I expected. I used epoxy to glue it to wood. Wood glue would not stick to it.

[@lisentzudir1087]

Cool One last thing Can we plane that without power tools I doubt it's workabilities

[@timsway]

@@lisentzudir1087 yes. You can work it with hand tools

[@SrbijaDoRakija]

.."rip orange". cool kid :)

[@BogdanBacila301]

Hi Tim, this is some amazing work! I'm very curious how did you go about finishing them, I saw you put a final layer of epoxy of I'm not mistaken? Does it sand and polish easily? Also, how was the fretting experience, did you notice anything out usual when doing that?

[@timsway]

It was horrible to fret! lol. I put a finish coat of waterbased polyurethane.

[@andrewvitale7128]

Just curious what's the density of this material in comparison to say a wood fingerboard?..love the channel!

[@timsway]

The cloth handmade one is a little softer, but traditional paper micarta made properly is much denser and better than wood

[@James_Dawes]

Could you still use hand tools for cutting the frets?

[@timsway]

Yes

[@mathewwhite1302]

Can i have stl four the 3d printed moulds press

[@timsway]

i think what you need is here: github.com/narwhallabs/DamascusMicarta

[@vockski3173]

What endmill do you use for micarta? Mine keeps gumming up.

[@timsway]

try slowing it down so it doesn't heat up and melt as much

[@brucebaldy]

I would like a couple. Very nice, how do they sound or play?

[@timsway]

Dunno yet!

[@theothertonydutch]

Neat! How does the material feel to touch?

[@timsway]

cutting it was interesting as the chips were a mix of fiber and resin, but to the hand it feels pretty "normal adjacent" right now.

[@skewedmaker]

Those are beautiful! I've never worked with epoxy, are respirators a good idea when mixing it up?

[@gEtar87]

Most brands do not require a respirator with mixing, however it is advisable if not in a well ventilated area

[@timsway]

gloves are pretty important as it can absorb in your skin, but this stuff isn't smelly. I mean, don't mix it in your closet, but ...

[@p_mouse8676]

@@timsway unfortunately I can tell from personal experience that very well ventilated room and mask is really mandatory even when it doesn't smell. My GF used to work a lot with it and we both got pretty sick from it multiple times. Like really nasty on the lungs and the throat. (Yes, your typical covid scenario I know, made it even more scary). At this point we are both even very sensitive to it. It's more the hardener or when you mix both.

[@NarwhalLabs]

It depends on the epoxy system, but the system we used - TotalBoat High Performance - is low VOC and a respirator is only required working without sufficient air space or ventilation.

[@euronymous93]

tim shaw

[@thedanksavatron7782]

Nissssssssssssssssssce 🥞

[@gregmonk9037]

That won't age well, cool idea, but eventually that will rough up real good.

[@F_I_J_I_W_A_T_E_R]

What's the song at the end during the montage?

[@zhiracs]

11:38 it says it's called "Out There" evidently by Tim Sway himself

[@timsway]

yes, I used to write and record a lot of stuff 10-20 years ago. Sometimes I toss some of these songs into my vids. I record new music for my vids, too, but not "songs," more just like background music. I also sell some of these recordings at www.newperspectivesmusic.com for $0.99 as an inexpensive means for people to support my work. I'll put this one up there. - F--- iTunes, et al :)

[@djsfunhouse.]

Your boy is growing like a wild weed! Lol

[@timsway]

I think we have to stop feeding him :)

[@lutobe]

Cuuute!

[@thomasr7959]

Beechcraft Bonanza in Applebees parking lot.

[@timsway]

I have no idea what you're trying to say, but I actually have a large part of the fuselage of a Beechcraft Bonanza in my storage area. leftover from this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lWaQnHWVZbSDjM0

[@thomasr7959]

@@timsway LOL… sorry Tim… don’t blame you at all. I thought I had posted this comment to an entirely other vid on another channel, but somehow wrote it here. Sorry about that! Anyway, very cool fingerboard… and that’s totally wild you’ve got history with the Bonanza too! Take care! ✌️

[@sapelesteve]

Not a fan but it is an interesting fingerboard. How about just taking 1/2" to 3/4" plexiglass and attaching a an interesting decal design to the underside surface? Same effect without all of that epoxy hassle. Just a thought.... 🤔🤔👍👍

[@DrewKane]

Great song, weird drum mix.

[@timsway]

I recorded that in my basement onto my laptop with only 2 DIs to Logic, so I miked the drums like a single instrument, not each piece, and compressed the hell out of it :/

[@DrewKane]

@@timsway I was more startled by the panning of the drums than the actual sound of the drums themselves. It sounds good, just a non-typical presentation. Gives the track a really unique feel. Totally dig it.

[@timsway]

@@DrewKane thanks. I think I was very Beatles inspired back then :)

[@nicolassanchez3099]

Oooh yeaaaaah!!!! It looks stunning! Looks a Lot like damascus steel Really coool, love the squid ❤️🦑 We love you! ❤️❤️❤️ P I C K S

[@chromeboy37000]

horrible lol

[@fickbasterd]

this is good as a cutting board in a kitchen but not for a guitarfretboard?!

[@normalizedaudio2481]

Water content will mess up your day. Nice song at 09:22 . "I Just Hit the Ground." Good hook!

[@timsway]

thanks!

[@gEtar87]

8:50 😂 that was me at his age

[@Bajawildman]

Sweeet!

[@Humongous_Pig_Benis]

3:37 So this ends up being the same technique used to make the stripes that when cut into little mosaic pieces will be assembled in the traditional spanish acoustic guitar roseta, right? (at least the way I've learned it)

[@timsway]

yes, and as someone else pointed out, the same process as making baklava :)

[@jamesthe-doctor8981]

Yes, and if you’re interested in knowing, the word for the technique used in making those traditional Spanish acoustic guitar rosettes is “marquetry.” Pronounced like “market-tree.” It’s a beautiful decorative appointment.

[@Humongous_Pig_Benis]

@@jamesthe-doctor8981 Thanks, James!

[@jamesthe-doctor8981]

@@Humongous_Pig_Benis you bet!

[@foujj]

That's pretty damn beautiful Tim. I'm gonna have to try that resin shit, it looks fun.

[@jbfthree1]

Yankee snow hippies!.. "PETROLEUM" !..." PETROLEUM"! Ohh golly! PETROLEUM! ....it's oil dude.

[@matthewstoner765]

That was kool

[@fishoconnor108]

There is a painters technique like this where brushes are cleaned of excess on a needle board, a board with nails in. Over time it collects years worth of different colours and then its sanded flat. It produces a beautiful whirl pattern similar to your micarta...

[@timsway]

Cool? Have you heard of "Fordite"? Pulled rom the walls of spraybooths at car factories

[@fishoconnor108]

@@timsway I haven't Tim but I am gonna check it out, thanks.

[@fishoconnor108]

@@timsway whoooh, that's the effect of the needle board but jeez, this is the 3D version. That is a beautiful effect Tim

[@gabesluis305]

That song was super cool!

[@timsway]

Thanks. You can download it for 99 cents at www.newperspectivesmusic.com:)

[@reboot110]

Ur in Ct.? Where about? I’m doing builds in BPT

[@timsway]

My studio is in Meriden. Hey neighbor!

[@reboot110]

@@timsway Hey hi how are ya! Always interested to see what others are gettin into!

[@reboot110]

@@timsway I’m pretty interested in ur CNC machine, do u do shop visits?

[@timsway]

@@reboot110 it's been known to happen

[@hurdygurdyguy1]

1:45 ... NO! I jumped with that thinking wtf an ad already?!

[@ryanchapman2636]

I made denim micarta knife handles out of an old pair of jeans, it has a really great feel. I did have plans to completely cover a guitar n denim micarta but it never occurred to me to make a micarta fretboard. good idea :D

[@78dwk]

thats cool, now to make the rest of the guitar in the same way.. Godbless

[@johnlambert8375]

Love both your content, but pleeaassee... stop doing the bad theatre social distance and mask thing just for the shots you don’t have freakin Covid and we all Damon well know that nobody does consistent 6 ft social distance and masks after the cameras goes off.... it’s just phoniness and I lose a ton of respect for this deceptive and. Irtysh signalling behaviour

[@timsway]

Not phony. We keep our masks on when working but take them off, 6 ft apart, to talk to the camera. I'm not looking for your respect.