Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

I am an about to be retired electronics engineer, which means I am about to be a close to full time musical instrument maker. I am a little late to this topic but, having retired recently, felt I needed to offer a warning. The above excerpt of your original post is a wonderful aspiration. However, ...

Fascinating thread. I've been absent from this forum for quite a while for various reasons - sell house, move to beach town to retire, travel, renovate shack for rental, buy new house, renovate new house, build workshop / garage. Retirement is Hell. After 40 years of making do, I finally have a work...

Note to self: 1. Win Lotto 2. Buy dog's dangly bits

Miguel

OK. This pdf shows what the base will look like. It's on an A3 sheet so I've got no way of knowing if it's to scale or not. However, the dxf file will be completely accurate. Happy to email dxf if you PM me.
Miguel

Mmmm. The PDF file only shows a segment of the template. Will try to rectify

I've been absent for the last 12 months or so - renovating house, sell house, renovate shack, rent shack, try to retire but clients keep calling, move to beach, buy house.............and now about to build a proper workshop. Will advise of progress. Anyway, one of my clients owed me a favour so I as...

Inspirational repair. Have gone out and bought some pyjamas to wear in the workshop during my retirement.
Miguel

My next project is how to get timber legally out of New Zealand

I'm happy to babysit any timber until you figure this out.
Miguel

Many thanks. Very helpful
Miguel

Wind the tension rods until the new drum head is taught. Great tutorial, thanks. Just what I needed to know for a couple of projects in the pipeline. However, now come the inevitable questions....... 1. How taut is taut? I know that a skin shrinks as it dries so do you compensate for that in the te...

People are always impressed to learn that you make musical instruments, but the truth is that it is not especially hard.

True. However, it seems making exceptional instruments is exceptionally hard. I'm trying to move from "nice" to "good". "Exceptional" is a long way off.
Miguel

"This old thing? I've had it for ages."
"It looks brand new."
"That's because I look after it well."

Miguel

Some exciting combinations. I look forward to seeing the end results in 2017.

Wishing all forum members and lurkers a Happy New Year
Miguel

You could try one of those renovator multitools https://www.bunnings.co.nz/bosch-professional-multi-function-tool-250w_p00276902 Use the long cutter and work your way under the brace while trying to avoid damaging the soundboard. I pulled apart a wooden frame piano a few years ago. The most useful p...

Thanks for the link. I've downloaded it and had a wee play. Looks good so far and the price is certainly right
Miguel

Check out your local hobby/model shop. They have a plastic glue which smells identical to Weldon and will stick plastic to wood.
Miguel

Excellent to see another Kiwi signed up. We're well on the way to renaming this the New Zealand/Australian Luthiers' Forum.
Miguel

f I overlay them against one another, they won't be phase aligned. So there's a phase smearing across the time constant, compounded by the smearing of the box reflections.

Mmmmmmmmm. Think I'll take up knitting.
Miguel

You could also try Trevor Binford http://www.binfordluthiery.com/ who normally deals with guitars but has made a few ukes and does a fine job with repairs.
Miguel

That thing is so ugly that it's almost beautiful. My opinion, apologies if it gives offence. Framus (also German) used to do super-laminated necks as well back in the 60's. They work very effectively. I have a 12 string Framus banjo from about that era and the neck is still straight as a die. Miguel

run of the mill customer.

Miguel

I'm in the same boat as Richard (above) plus undertaking renovations so no chance to get to the workshop for anything that approximates fun. Also, as Richard's post indicates, this could be a "how long is a piece of string" repair which just keeps on getting more complicated. Sorry
Miguel

Sorry I don't have a solution but it's not something I've experienced with NZ Kauri
Miguel

Lovely instrument Allen. Can't see why Trevor would want to stop after this one.
Regards

Exactly the same experience as Richard (seeaxe)
Also the V belt to the motor caused the motor to bounce a bit and transferred the vibrations to the sawbench. Swapped it out for a linked belt and the problem disappeared.
Miguel