Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Hi Bob, wow, that back sure is fancy, I like it. I started a 000 yesterday and put an inlay strip in the back. I won't show it as the New Guinee Rosewood I'm using is so lacking in figure after seeing your back. :lol: What finish do you use Bob? Cheers Taff Thanks Taffy - I was certainly pleased wh...

Thanks Allan. I agree Tim always provides a great product and he was very patient with an absolute beginner. I always check his store ( https://australiantonewoods.com/) first when I need timber!

Thanks Alan - I was very pleased with the sassafras and the bunya pine, from Tim at Australian Tonewoods, now in Tasmania. The side I chose to face inward has some issues with the transitions between shades, which while more symmetrical are less distinct - a bit blurry - than on the side facing outw...

Howdy Just thought I would share by current project, which is starting to take shape. This is build number 14. It all started with a StewMac ukulele kit at the outset of the first Covid lockdown, in March 2020 :) This will be Triple O steel string acoustic, with a 25.34 inch scale length. Bunya Pine...

Thanks Martin

A lovely looking instrument - inspirational

Another flat top mandolin, based on Graham McDonald's book but with a 14.75 inch scale length. Blackwood and spruce, with ebony binding, a tiger myrtle rosette and a bound ebony fingerboard. African mahogany neck with carbon fibre reinforcement, black heart sugar maple headstock and Rubner tuners. H...

Also, what's the shelf life of that Hard Shellac stuff? I asked Shines this question the other day - this is their response: "Shellac varnish by itself has a shelf life of min 24 months. Hardener by itself will be fine for years together. However, shellac varnish + hardener is a bit tricky. Most of...

Thanks Trent. Graham McDonald’s book is a great resource for the aspiring mandolin maker

Both look great Bob. I really love the look of the timber combination in the mandolin. The camphor B&S are lovely, but the headstock veneer is the real star. I also like a zero fret. David Linton at Australian Guitar Timbers provides a nice range of interesting headstock veneers - I have a few tuck...

Why the longer scale length for the mandolin? Before I settled upon dimensions I had a look at publicly available information of the designs employed by number of makers, including yourself, Graeme McDonald, Nigel Forster and Roger Bucknall and others, and in the end based the scale length and widt...

Edi wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 25, 2023 2:11 am

Nice instruments, Bob. Did You apply the hardened shellac with a brush or polish it with a bale?

The hardened shellac was just wiped on with a cloth.

Two projects that I have strung up over the course of the last week: 1. Martin Mini Grand Symphony sized short-scale, v-braced guitar 23.5 inch scale length, mortise and tenon bolt on neck. Englemann Spruce & Tasmanian Blackwood, ebony binding. Queensland maple neck, Doral fretboard, lacy she-oak he...

I have finished up and strung up with some D'Addario Phosphor Bronze EJ17 (13-56). I am pleased with the action and the sound - it does present as pretty bright and forward, but not unpleasantly so. It is a very comfortable size for playing (based on Taylor GS Mini). I will try to make up some sound...

WJ Guitars wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 28, 2023 11:19 am

Great result. I like The blackwood back and sides plus the finish.

Wayne

Thanks Wayne

I am also interested to know what you thought of the Taylor style V-bracing. I think this is the first build I have seen where someone tried it. Thanks Mark. The V-bracing is pretty easy to work with, but we will have to wait to see what the guitar sounds like. It's the first time I have used it. I...

kiwigeo wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 27, 2023 4:53 pm

Nice work from The Barossa Valley

Must make the effort to get up your way for a visit sometime.

You would certainly be welcome - give me a shout if your in the neighbourhood

I have reached the point of setting aside my latest project, my second guitar, to let the finish harden a little before attaching bridge and final set up. It has a 23.5 inch scale length, 14 fret to the body in Blackwood and Engelmann Spruce, with v bracing. Is is based on the Taylor GS Mini. Timber...

... so the Hardener makes the shellac more sustainable? More durable? Or is this a benefit for the shellac itself? The Shines website claims that when the hardener is added, the final finish is "much harder than an ordinary shellac finish. This coating withstands heat, water and alcohol". It takes ...

They are a great vice, extraordinarily useful.

Thanks Trent - that's the sort of "hands on" feedback I was hoping for

Hi I am looking for advice on the correct ratios for mixing denatured alcohol, shellac, and Shines shellac hardener. The Shines product website https://www.shellac.net.au/shop/shellac/shellac-hardener-french-polish/ states that that hardener is calibrated for shellac solution mixed at a 4:1 ratio (D...

I live in Canberra - I reached out to the local woodworkers guild but I have yet to meet a luthier here. Hi Jorge - it could worthwhile following up further with the Woodworkers Guild. I left the ACT 12 months ago, but at that time the Guild had an instrument maker's "special interest group" that m...

A very worthwhile piece of work! Hope you find a keen (and well heeled) buyer!

Hi Peter - you might want to look at spring steel - it shouldn't hold the shape. You can pick it up fairly cheaply through Aliexpress, or even possibly LMI in the USA. I recently asked a few local steel suppliers but it couldn't find a local provider that came close to matching international prices ...