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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on July 5, 2013 at 9:36am

Jeweller's piercing saw is what you want. You'll need a saw frame, blades..and patience. It's along time since I did any pearl inlay work, but that's what I used.

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Permalink Reply by Gary Merrithew on July 5, 2013 at 9:57am

Thanks john, I'll look around on the net and see what I can find. I can use them as they are now, up to the twelve, but beyond that there a bit too big. This is probably over my skill level, but I like the looks of these and thought they might look cool in a CBG.

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on July 5, 2013 at 7:06pm

If you just want to cut them down into rectangles, you may manage with a  junior hacksaw or a really fine blade in a coping saw, and just finish up the edges with a fine file and wet & dry. The trick is when cutting it to have to have the piece properly supported so that you don't crack it - its tough stuff, but if the saw binds in the kerf and you twist it, it's possible to crack it. I used a scrap of wood with a "Vee" cut into it, clamped to the edge of the bench, something like this - a technique I learned from a jeweller - it really helps.

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Permalink Reply by Gary Merrithew on July 6, 2013 at 9:02am

Thanks for the info, I just got back from the big orange outlet, and as luck would have it, I bought a fine blade jr hacksaw, I needed it for the build I'm trying to finish. I can rig me up something like this in the shop, and I'll give it a shot, not too worried if I break a couple as I have quite a few extras. thanks again John

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Permalink Reply by Gary Merrithew on July 7, 2013 at 4:58am

Made a small jig to hold the piece clamped a piece of thin oak over that to hold it and it worked pretty well, good cut, no crack. I'll make a better one if I have to do a bunch though the jig I made ain't the greatest but,,,, it worked ;).

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Permalink Reply by Skeesix on July 7, 2013 at 8:06am

I do something similar to what the others are saying.

ps. you should wear a mask while cutting. It's not good to breath the dust.

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Permalink Reply by Gary Merrithew on July 7, 2013 at 8:38am

Thanks, I didn't think of wearing a mask.

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Permalink Reply by terry harris on July 8, 2013 at 8:00am

A lot of folks use a fish tank aerator/pump with a little tube that blows the dust away from the cut but you should wear a mask too. You can see better too with the pump blowing the dust away.

Here's a new saw a lot of folks are using that do a lot of inlay. I stick to what I can buy already made up and there are a lot of folks that will do custom stuff. 

saw   http://www.knewconcepts.com/3-inch.php#

I use a lot of inlay from these guys    http://www.luthiersupply.com/productspage.html

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