Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

I build a lot of ziricote guitars (solid NOT laminated). A few things: I leave everything a little thicker ~2.5mm sides, ~3mm backs. Always flood with thin CA on the outside prior to finishing, and i seal off the insides with around 10 coats of brushed on shellac. You'll find if its going to split,...

When using as solid (not laminated) and manage to get the body closed up, most experienced builders will flood the timber with very thin CA that will wick into the cracks you just can't see. I learnt this the hard way the first time using it and applying my first coats of finish that showed them al...

Very interesting - thanks for taking the time to share

Thanks for taking the time to respond Nigel, Martin. Good advice I feel. The ziricote was an opportunity purchase, and not too big an investment in pieces that size, but bought without much knowledge of the challenges it might pose a beginner. I have got a good neck and top already complete, and a c...

Howdy - I have been working on a tenor ukulele with Ziricote B&S and a bunya pine soundboard. The ziricote is causing me grief. The ends of the boards all had some splitting, which I was able to either cut out or stopper with super glue. However, while working with the timber a further small split a...

Really love the jarrah. My childhood was spent with a father building a clinker-built boat out of jarrah, and it is a tough, but beautiful, timber.

That looks very nice. I recently bought a mandolin to help me learn a bit about them, as I would also like to make one. Inspiring!

My instinct is that a sparse lattice or double x are going to be over braced for a small body. Also the more frets to the body, the more neckward the bridge location is going and less efficient the sound board. If you want a 15 fret, you might also be consider moving the soundhole north and also po...

Morning I am wanting to build a small body acoustic, primarily for unamplified use. As an old fellow with a bad back, I find the small bodied guitars much easier to handle. I built a Martin Style 5 type guitar, based on the Scott Antes plans, that I am pretty happy with, as long as I use G to G tuni...

Nice bit of coverage - well done! And well deserved - that is a really nice (and interesting) build.

Thanks Mike - it is the sort of thing I was thinking about - being SA based, I might have to pop in and check them out

Thanks Martin. I prefer to stand and I'm not too bad if I can keep moving around the shop or the bench. It's the detailed work where you are stuck in one spot (eg filing fret ends, gluing in tentalones) that really tests me!

I bought one out of China nearly two years ago - much cheaper than Stew Mac / LMI but seems to be built solidly enough - heats quickly and, in my view, much more convenient than many of the home made solutions seen around.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32867952406.html

Howdy - I have problems with arthritis and other degenerative conditions in my legs. feet, knees and lower back, causing significant pain after relatively short periods of standing and creating real challenges in maintaining patience and focus in completing certain tasks. I am looking for a workshop...

How much instrument building do you plan to do? ..... We are all very jealous looking at that shed! Thanks for the advice Mark - I'm not a professional, nor every likely to develop the skills to worry any existing professionals! That said, I am retired and if I can get my life sufficiently organise...

Having a small, sealed, dehumidified room for assembly and pre assembly storage is a must IMHO. All the other things like insulation, ventilation and Air con will make the place more comfortable for you but not necessarily reduce the Relative humidity to accepted levels. Thanks Jeff - will look at ...

I have shed envy - that would be room for my entire car collection and a bigger workshop :D Thanks. Making good use of a big space presents challenges, but it is a good starting point :) Keen to get good advice on approaches and then find myself a carpenter to help - getting a bit long in the tooth...

nkforster wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 04, 2022 9:53 pm

Nice shed mate.

Thanks - I got lucky - it was the house we wanted, in the location we wanted, and it had a huge, well built shed (the previous owner built sheds for a living!).

WJ Guitars wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 03, 2022 3:44 pm

I converted my old fibro double garage into a guitar workshop. I stripped back to the frame and insulated the roof, walls and floor. See youtube link.

A lot of great information there - I will take some time to look closely at what you have done.

Thanks, Bob

Howdy - I'm lucky to have ended up with a great shed at my new house in rural South Australia. It is divided into two halves and I am setting up the right hand end (12m x 7.5m) as a workshop for instrument building and general woodworking. This part of the shed also has a mezzanine floor 210 cm high...

Hi, I am one of the developers of Luthier Lab. There are two of us. I'd like to address some of the questions you have. Thanks Mike - I find this sort of feedback is very important, and I'm glad you became aware of the discussion and were able to clarify. May be worth including a summary of this on...

SKB 1SKB-300 Baby Taylor / Martin LX Guitar Hardshell Case from Manny's Music

Pretty snug fit, but certainly secure - better than I imagined I could get.

You could consider a SKB Baby Taylor... http://www.skbcases.com/music/products/proddetail.php?f=&id=20&offset=4&c=75&s=75 Not the perfect dimensions for your build, but may work all the same. I've used this case before on my own design of Terz and Octave Mandolins (guitar body Irish Bouzouki) previ...

Thanks Yakka - i've got the books, so I will have a read. Always nice to hear from someone who has successfully applied a technique that you are reading about, so thanks again!

They are both looking very fine. Excellent finishing job. But you had better tell us what is going on with the bridge pins. could not find the pins I had bought so scavenged up some, found bought ones later, son liked black and white They both look great! Nice finishes. Thank you both for complimen...