Stringing. By hand or router?

[Rob Wong]

I would like to try stringing. How many of you use the router or Dremel and how many by hand? Pros and cons? I'm kind of worried about ruining the wood with a powered tool. Why do most use holly for light color wood and why not maple?

Thanks,
Rob

[Van Huskey]

I have not done much but always did it by hand.

When I use holly for anything it is because it is the whitest wood you can general find, usually much whiter than maple and makes a higher contrast which the higher the better when doing stringing.

[Gary Stamper]

Also the holly will stay white. Maple will yellow and darken giving you lower contrast.

[Chris Parks]

I have never done it but I think it might be one of those things best practised before trying the real thing comparing both methods.

[Craig Thomas White]

Holly maintains a higher contrast. I prefer Maple because it mellows. It's just a choice.

Whether to use hand or power tools really depends on the project. For straight runs along table tops or legs, I almost always use a router with a 1/16" carbide bit. For curves, unless I'm confident I can perfect a jig or template, I'll cut by hand. For the hand work, there are some beautifully designed and specific tools available today but I've never been let down by a compass, sharp knife and a chisel ground to the proper width. I thickness strings with a shop-made tool. It's nothing more than a block of hard Maple, two woods screws and an old card scraper. I'm certain there are plans for something similar online.

More important: Before you lay tools to your project, you should practice. Then practice some more. To this day, when I make a set of table legs, I make five. One for practice (template and jig setups, layout, etc.).


I would like to try stringing. How many of you use the router or Dremel and how many by hand? Pros and cons? I'm kind of worried about ruining the wood with a powered tool. Why do most use holly for light color wood and why not maple?

Thanks,
Rob

[Jeff Monson]

I purchased the tools to do it by hand, it isnt too hard. I would not recemmond to buy the slicer and thickness tool for making the stringing. I found it much easier and more consistent to make the strining by using power tools (especially with ebony).

[Nicholas Lingg]

I do it by hand. I like the thinner lines that you get by hand as opposed to router bit. just my $.02

[Chris Hedges]

How 'bout dese apples?

http://www.microcutusa.com/decimal2flute.php

Chris


I do it by hand. I like the thinner lines that you get by hand as opposed to router bit. just my $.02

[Chris Tsutsui]

I always wondering where I could buy a router bit that can allow me to inlay human hair... That's crazy.