Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Perhaps this is a question for Trevor, but if anyone has some experience please chime in. I have some back and top panels that aren't rectangular and due to the odd knot or tree shape etc, the panels can't be made rectangular before joining and so on. I'm attaching an example, but I'm sure everyone ...

Hey Mark,

I can't say I have ever been a fan of the "Lap Steel" genre, but your efforts here are superb!! What a gorgeous piece of work!! If it sounds half as good as it looks it is a masterpiece! Well done sir.

Brian.

Hi Trevor, I used the wood dyes from u Beaut. Basically followed their recommendations. Used a mixture of the Black Green dye and the Red dye, it penetrated very well. They recommend wetting the surface a couple of times to raise the grain and sand smooth before applying the dye to minimise the amou...

Hi Greg, I built my rig on the same principles as yours, just a lot simpler. Only one string at a time and I only really intended it as a single use for this 12 string. I want to set one up where the measurements allow string stiffness to be calculated and thus allow intonation to be calculated for ...

Hi Greg, I used a method similar to that described in Trevor Gore and Gerard Gilet's design book. In this instance I made a quick rig of the same scale length (25") with frets at 1 and 12 and an adjustable nut and saddle. I measured each of the strings and measured the amount of compensation for eac...

This is my second 12 string build and it took a long time from start to finish with the day job interfering more than I had hoped. I bent the sides on this with my new sidebender and following the recommended temperatures and times managed to scorch the waist area of the sides. I've scorched sides b...

Well, it was a long time to getting finished, but I decided to "dye" the sides black to hide the scorched area but still allow the grain and figure to show through. The end result didn't turn out too bad I thought. I'll post some more in the gallery soon, but my photographic skills are severely lack...

All the best for 2015 guys! Love reading your posts, been very quiet for the last week

Brian.

Thanks Paul,

Looks like just what I needed, and at the right price too.

Regards,
Brian.

I'm interested in trying my hand at a Mandolin or two and thought I would best start with a flat top model. Can anyone point me in the right direction to obtain some decent plans. I'm particularly interested in bracing schemes etc for the top and back, so if anyone could steer me true on that I woul...

Hi Alan, I have also had similar concerns since moving part of my building activities to my partners garage. When the sun hits the roller doors in the afternoon the RH plummets! I have taken to keep my builds, in various stages of completion, in large space bags I got from Costco. I only bring them ...

the end result is excellent Jim, but I have not come across black CA before!! Is this something you create yourself or source "pre-blacked"?


Brian

gotta be a market for that!!

Hello all, What, I at first, thought was just a little surface scorching on some blackwood sides after bending in my machine has turned out to be virtually all the way through, The scorching is only at the waist area of both sides. I have made a decent bit of progress on this build and don't want to...

What would be a ready source to obtain said Potassium Carbonate from?

Brian.

Just a quick response to Frank, my first build over 2 years ago was a 12 string with a QLD Cedar neck, and it has been rock solid.

Brian.

Hey Trevor,

My better half has pointed out that when these "blokey" things are organised there doesn't seem to be an issue scheduling them over Mother's Day but they pointedly seem to "just" avoid Father's Day.

Not a criticism mind....Just an observation.

Thanks Trev,

I take it that you regard Lattice bracing as being more stable than more traditional X bracing then?

Brian

Hi, Building a 12 string and it occurred to me that the result for calculating the target thickness of the soundboard for a 12 string may need to be modified slightly. Perhaps the vibrational stiffness figure? If anyone has some experience applying the equations for a 12 string I would appreciate yo...

And,

Brian = bdunne (me)

Brian.

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http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/index.cfm