Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

I got back into the workshop last night and tried again to bend some damn ebony. I was now armed with a bit more good advice and with some justification for thinking that if it didn't work I could blame the evil black twigs that I was trying to work with - and then go buy some plastic. What do you k...

I cannot tell you how much better you have all made me feel! I do like the look of a black-as-the-ace-of-spades set of bindings on the right guitar. And I would prefer to use "real wood" instead of plastic. However, all of this discussion gives me some perspective. I'll try with the pieces of ebony ...

I am having lots of grief bending ebony bindings for my number 3 build. I am using a Ibex bending iron and I have had no problems in the past with maple, cocobolo and mahogany. These ebony strips are 2mm thick by 6mm wide (came from StewMac or LMI, can't remember which). I have tried thinning them d...

That is a very classy OM Tim. I bet you will remember how to do it for the next one. The combination of timbers is lovely.

I don't know about a supplier in NZ, but Gerard Gilet in Sydney has quite a bit of Fijiian plantation mahogany available.

I like the whole thing, but you definitely need to tell us how you did that end graft (please) - it is very classy!

Craig's method seems like a great idea. But if you have already cut out the soundhole, here is a video tute from Nigel Forster that I found helpful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f_t-wGo30o&feature=related If you want to clamp it in the hole look for something conical to jam in there and apply exp...

Like everyone else, I really missed the forum during the downtime. Thanks Bob for all of the work to get it up again. If there is $ cost involved I am very happy to kick in.
cheers
Mark

liam_fnq wrote: i'm surprised that with all that work that there's only one empty corona box on the bench though.

There's a case of red wine on the shelf too - so no worries there. With that, plus a nice tonewood stash, you are going to be a happy man Alan. It is looking great. Nice guitar too.
Mark

Allen, that is the kind of jig that I love the most. Simple, ugly, totally effective and cheaper than chips. Perfect. Thanks.
Mark

$50 from me. Nick already outbid me on the other one. All in a good cause of course.
Mark

$50 from me
cheers
Mark

That's a fine looking archtop Rod. I like the way the colour looks in the photo - kind of like a pink lady apple (my favourite). Did you do another leftie recently, or am I remembering an earlier photo of the same one (or imagining it entirely)? Anyway - nice one!
Mark

Yeah, 20 seconds into it I was thinking "clever", but by the end I was standing and applauding. Thanks Rick

Mark

Who would have thought that a picture of a teaspoon would suddenly have people thinking about drugs!! Doesn't anyone drink tea any more? Micheal, that is a good point about strings wearing away the nut as you wind them through. It makes sense - but do we really see nuts wearing out from that cause? ...

Here is my teaspoon for bridge pin removal. A quick nick on the bench grinder gives you an end that gets better contact with the round pin. If you pinch an old one out of the kitchen she will probably never notice. http://www.anzlf.com/phpBB2/userpix/90_bridge_pin_spoon_1.jpg The technique on the Ta...

I know what you are talking about Hip. My first built guitar has a WRC top. In the last couple of weeks I have had it back in the workshop doing some neck adjustment. While I had the neck off I got a bit carried away and thought I might refinish the top because I have never been happy with how my at...

Craig Having just done a neck alignment and reset in the last week I can instantly see how much easier it would have been with one of these jigs. And bridge placement in a snap also - that is a very nifty device! I've got a couple of questions: 1. How did you mark or etch the centre line on the pers...

Hank
Check out the 3-piece back on Taffy's beautiful "Madeleine" guitar in the Gallery section of the forum.
Mark

Taffy
From a distance that is a nice looking blue rosette in that cedar top. Can you give us a closer look of how it is made up?

Mark

Will I have to grow one of those beards?

Thanks Jeff - just what I needed to know. I'll start with those specs and then play around with it.

Alan, that is very generous - and I will take you up on the offer of the tutorials. I'll send you an email today.

cheers

Mark

Thanks Paul
I am going to give this a go for my next top.
cheers
Mark

OK, I think I get it. So when you cut it out you remove those BWB rings - since they are not glued in - and you end up with a donut which is the segmented timber ring and the abalone in the middle of it - but no BWB rings. You check it in the MDF for depth. And then when you inlay it in the guitar s...

I have a D-18 copy made in the 70's by Terada. It is a nice solid back/sides mahogany and sitka guitar that I found in a pawn shop for a good price. I would like to set it up for playing slide (I have never played slide before - but keen to learn). I am thinking that I will probably play with it in ...

Paul, That is really cool. The end result looks great. You glue it up with the inner and outer BWB rings, and then you need to cut it full thickness exactly at the outer/inner limit of those rings. Is that hard to achieve? Did it need any cleanup of the surfaces before you glued it into the top? Mark