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View Full Version : Custom Inlaid Backgammon Board



Riki Potter
02-19-2012, 8:09 PM
Hi guys, I thought you all might like to see the backgammon board I made for my girlfriend for christmas, we're also toying with the idea of selling them.

The board is made of Mahogany finished with danish oil, with inlaid Paua (NZ Abalone) and Mother of Pearl. The real special thing about it is the patterns are all made with the letter Z, the first letter of her name.

I also have a question. The tips of some of the inlays have started peeling, their real shell sheets with a thin laminate on top, it's the laminate that's peeling. My best guess at how to avoid this would be to finish the board with some sort of clear-coat, although I really like being able to feel the wood and the engraving and would prefer not to lose that. What would you guys recommend for putting a protective layer over it?


edit: sorry for the slightly blurry photos, I can take some better pictures if requested.

vic casware
02-19-2012, 9:19 PM
Hi there Riki,
I am new here and this will be my first post reply.
I have been thinking about getting some of that Paua sheet, did you cut it on the Laser and have you used much of it before?
I always wondered about the quality of it and if it had a clear coating.
I have had problems with other materials peeling on the corners too so I end up cutting them round instead of sharp ends,
although I suppose it's a bit late.
They do look great though..

Riki Potter
02-19-2012, 9:53 PM
I cut it on the laser yes, and I have been using it a fair amount lately. It has a thin clear plastic on the top and a black or white thing plastic on the back, the supplier is Ocean Shell in southland. I fairly quickly regretted making the triangles pointy when I was inlaying them, not easy to make them fit well, next time I'll definately go rounded corners.
I haven't had this issue before, although I havent really used it enough to see how well it lasts. As far as I know these may be the one guys who do shell sheets like this, everywhere else I've seen that sells them (like Gordon & Harris) get's it from Ocean Shell.

Bruce Volden
02-19-2012, 10:05 PM
I cut it on the laser yes, and I have been using it a fair amount lately. It has a thin clear plastic on the top and a black or white thing plastic on the back, the supplier is Ocean Shell in southland. I fairly quickly regretted making the triangles pointy when I was inlaying them, not easy to make them fit well, next time I'll definately go rounded corners.
I haven't had this issue before, although I havent really used it enough to see how well it lasts. As far as I know these may be the one guys who do shell sheets like this, everywhere else I've seen that sells them (like Gordon & Harris) get's it from Ocean Shell.
Riki,

Don't fear the pointed corners when inlaying!! You just have to create the file differently. Imagine a laser cutting the "conventional" triangle--there is a dwell time occurring when the laser changes directions. If you edit the nodes at the areas of direction changes you will resolve the issue. Do this by breaking the "corners" and your laser will essentially cut 3 lines with perfect sharp corners instead of ablating the corners during the direction changes---works for other shapes too!! Yes I had to figure this out the hard way.

Bruce

Riki Potter
02-19-2012, 10:12 PM
Riki,

Don't fear the pointed corners when inlaying!! You just have to create the file differently. Imagine a laser cutting the "conventional" triangle--there is a dwell time occurring when the laser changes directions. If you edit the nodes at the areas of direction changes you will resolve the issue. Do this by breaking the "corners" and your laser will essentially cut 3 lines with perfect sharp corners instead of ablating the corners during the direction changes---works for other shapes too!! Yes I had to figure this out the hard way.

Bruce
Thanks Bruce, I think I understand what your saying, essentially that the laser pauses or atleast slows when it reaches nodes. I can kind of understand how that would cause the peeling to happen but I'm not certain that's the cause of this issue. My theory is that the point has a vastly smaller area where the laminate is stuck to the paua and therefore lifts much more easily. Either way I'll see about running some tests with your method aswell.

Also I forgot in my last post but Welcome to the Creek Vic! Good to see another Kiwi here.

Mike Null
02-20-2012, 3:59 AM
Very ambitious project that turned out very well. I wonder if a drop of super glue might suffice. When dry carefully scraped and polished.

Vic, glad to have you join us.