A favourite design

One of my favourite rosette designs uses the pearl dot and diamond motif; this design goes way back. You can see it on the famous Stradivari “Hellier” violin, and also the 19th century English guitar maker Louis Panormo (amongst others) was quite fond of it.

 Firstly, the brittle pearl has to be glued on to some veneer for extra support. 

Then it’s cut into narrow strips. There are a few mandolins in the order book that will use this rosette design so I thought that whilst I was in the zone, I’d cut a few extra strips! This rosette is for David’s walnut and cedar Standard Plus.

A simple mitre-box style jig is used to cut the individual diamonds.

The recess for the rosette is routed into the soundboard and the two outer rings of purfling carefully fitted. 

Once the glue has dried, the purfling is taken down flush with the surface and the dots and diamonds are carefully positioned.

Then comes the messy part…………

……..after 24 hours drying time and about two hours of gentle sanding the ugly duckling is transformed!

And finally the sound hole is cut out.