Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

It would be interesting to hear of projects I agree. I wonder if you could build a jig including a reusable body and a neck, onto which you could place different sound boards. I sure as hell wouldn’t want to go to all the effort and months required to build something with low quality materials, just...

At this stage I don't know much. I would expect that an American customer would need to pay the tariff when the instrument arrives at US customs before they will release it. But isn't the big orange baby saying that the exporting countries will pay the tariffs???? I notice Australia has copped a 10...

That sounds like a great project. Lots of photos would be appreciated.

Good luck

I could stare at your photos all day Taff. My latest silliness is now to route out a channel which will hold a light strip, so I can joint back and sound boards more accurately. At present I hold them up to the window. I'm over thinking now! Screenshot 2025-03-06 at 13.07.38.png I notice you use car...

Hi Alan, that’s a very nice looking bench, sturdy too. But I think it would be too small for the way I work. I have too many benches some would say. That looks remarkably like my bench! Thank you very much gentlemen. I have taken two ideas from your photos and merged them into something that suits ...

Taffy First of all thanks for sharing, I have been super zooming in on your photos for ideas. Ten workbenches with an optional two islands, and double-ups of your tools!!!!! You know that if you were talking about booze or cocaine here they'd be a therapy group for your addiction, "Hi, my name is Ta...

That's really interesting what you say regarding the twin vice Trevor. I had two vices in mind for the front fixing, the twin vice and a quick release single screw model. I went for the latter in the end as it just seemed more convenient to bring the vice out to different depths 100mm for the body h...

In fact here it is, the timber arrives tomorrow.

So Excited!!!!

What a great “lost and found” thread. Thanks for the book recommendation 16 years ago, I’ve just gone and bought my own Scott Landis copy, it’s wonderful. I’ve set out to design and build the ultimate luthier’s workbench as a result. I started off by listing all of the operations that we undertake f...

For what it’s worth This is your first guitar, if you’re anything like us, it won’t be your last. The thrill of stringing up and hearing it for the first time will never leave you. You’ll never build another first guitar again! So with that in mind don’t spend a kings ransom but do buy materials tha...

The words ‘false economy’ spring to mind.

If there truly is lots to consider then there of a greater chance of structural incompatibility, an over or under build. Building a guitar is a long, emotional journey, perhaps it’s better to start it on a solid foundation of tired and tested measurements?

Regarding the scarf joint. I’m sure it’ll be just fine. The thickness of the headstock at 13mm isn’t really a factor, the maximum most machine heads will let you get to is less that 16mm, so you’re not that far off. The 15° scarf angle is usually quite strong. I always favour the 10°joint as you get...

Been a member for yonks.

Hello to the twenty new sign ups. I hope you find this resource as fantasticalss as we all do.

I was using a 1/4" with a collet reducer in a Makita 1/2" but seconds after I started the router this happened. BTW The cutter was fully seated and tightened and the collet was also a 6.35 Carbitool ie a snug fit. IMG_5086.jpeg It became airborne and gave me quite a moment! After the smoke cleared ...

Thanks for all the replies.

The consensus seems to be that we don’t do this for aesthetic reason and not one of practicality.

I’ve taken to laminating my braces with 3 ply and then shaping using small planes and chisels. I quite enjoy the process of shaping to be fair and wouldn’t enjoy the advantages that machining would give.

This is a rubbish answer I know.

If you have a bobbin sander that may be less vicious?!

Hi Steve

Is this still a thing?

If so what are the dates and times please?

Alan

Why don't we lacquer bridges? Is there a musical reason why we don't, as a rule, apply finish to our bridges? I've always followed the crowd and simply used lemon oil or similar. I've just made a laminated bridge out of maple and ziricote for a steel string that would really pop under a lacquer and ...

Here's a little tute on using a Laser Printer to shortcut some of the more tedious work building guitars. I use an xTool D1Pro by the way and you should consider buying one! Initially by interest was piqued in using the cutter to make templates. As you can see this one is very useful for marking out...

The only thing I would add is that I start off by make the edges convex by removing content from the middle. Mark the edges with pencil. Then when you go with big plane you can guarantee a straight edge. Should the boards start off concave you’ll only ever be planning on the round. Fine tuning I san...

Hi Peter My advice would be not to worry. You have your .com address, it is part of your brand and it is most likely safe and secure. In the early days of the World Wide Web, high level domain names were such as .com .org , .au, .uk, .cn were few in number. Each country would have a domain name serv...

Hi Trevor

I have a chance to be in Melbourne during 2024 from the uk. Have you got any potential dates for the next class please?

It’s not clear to me what your question or problem is. Could you redraft it at all?

Thanks for your input John. I will be using the CF on my current build. Despite the messiness of epoxy and fibre threads, my main reservation, I’m curious as to its overall effect. Another logical conclusion is that the spruce will deteriorate due to cold creep, at which point the CF will take over ...

Thanks for getting back to me Trevor. Despite a degree in Maths and a lifetime of computer coding I have a bent for understanding things holistically rather than technically. So I read that para and got confused at the point where you wrote "virtually eliminates Cold Creep" If CC is caused by consta...