New to the group and guitar building

[Cal]

I think I’ve got rotten fruit Will be sure too load pics on another browser first next time.

[56nortondomy]

I'm using IE and the pics are upside down, tried on google chrome and still up the wrong way. Wayne

[colburge]

Hi

I just had a look at the metadata of the first photo in your post and it says to rotate 180 degrees, that is why it's upside down! This was actually a big issue with the iPad in the early days when developers forgot to account for Lefties. The normal orientation for taking a photo with an iPad is to have the home button at the top or the right, but lefties were turning it 180 degrees to have the button on the left, so the photo was upside down, but was seen normally. They did fix that issue, so I am not sure what is going on with yours, maybe an after market app or setting, nothing to do with browsers.

Col

[Cal]

Thanks for that Col, they were taken with the iPhone and transferred to the iPad. Your explanation makes sense as I sometimes take photos horizontally with the button in my left hand, I have never given it a thought. No third party apps involved, but I have not been tempted to update either device lately. Will be sure to hold the phone the other way in future and check in preview on chrome or something else before posting.
Cheers Cal

[Cal]

Ok, let’s see if these are up the right way, added kerfing and bracing to both lots of sides. I am now struggling with the thought of how best to do set up the soundboard and backs for these, do I leave them flat or will I need to add radius to them? I need to work out what the neck angle will be and how best to get it all set out....

[Cal]

Made up a pair of radius dishes today, turned out well I think. Next up a go-bar deck to use them with!

[kiwigeo]

Nice work Cal. Something I do with my dishes - I glue two dishes back to back or glue on a 20mm MDF backing plate to keep them rigid. The added weight is also handy if your using a dish to sand sides to back/top profiles.

[Cal]

Point taken, makes a lot of sense to add another layer or two to them. I will have to sort out where to store them when not in use, ideally laying flat rather than on end. MDF has a mind of its own!

[kiwigeo]

With the bracing layer added you can store them on their end.

Point taken, makes a lot of sense to add another layer or two to them. I will have to sort out where to store them when not in use, ideally laying flat rather than on end. MDF has a mind of its own!

[Cal]

Ok, it’s been a while since I last posted. Some progress has occurred all be it slowly.

[56nortondomy]

Hi Cal, I was just wondering how you were going to clamp the bridge when you glue it ( vacuum or something else? ). Looks good so far.
Wayne

[Cal]

The bridge will have to go on prior to closing the back up, I have no other way of clamping it otherwise. Which means I have to start the binding channel for the back at the neck before I glue the neck on. I know it’s all a bit arse about but it’s all I can do without a sound hole.

[simso]

Vacuum clamp would be perfect

Steve

[56nortondomy]

The reason I asked is because I built a tenor uke ( viewtopic.php?f=25&t=7327 ) with no s/hole and I had trouble gluing the bridge and it ended up lifting, it came back for a repair and I made a long clamp and slipped it through the sound port, worked out ok in the end, I was lucky I had the s/port there for access, too bad you don't have a vacuum clamp, like Steve said it'd be perfect. Wayne

[Cal]

Thanks Wayne and Steve for your input. No vacuum clamp, to be honest I don’t even know what one looks like
What do you think of my method of fitting the bridge before I glue the back on? Do either of you see any issues arising from it? Cheers Cal

[simso]

Make your bridge without saddle slot, that way you can intonate and cut said saddle slot afterwards..

Steve

[Cal]

Hmm, I can see myself making a dogs breakfast of it. What method would you use to create the slot? I have a dremmel with a home made aluminium router base and a makita laminate trimmer, which would be the pick to use and is there a 3mm bit available for either of them? I have used the table saw to create saddle slots previously.

[simso]

What method would you use to create the slot? I have a dremmel with a home made aluminium router base and a makita laminate trimmer

How I do it

http://www.mirwa.com.au/HTS_Saddle_Slotting.html

Steve

[Cal]

That has just become an agh hah moment for me! That looks doable with the gear I have aside from the bit you are using, is it a dremmel branded bit or another brand? What size is the bit please. Thanks for your help with this too! Cheers Cal

[simso]

Just an end mill bit suitable for a dremel

Steve

[kiwigeo]

Cal, I have the slotting jig featured in Steve's tute...and I should have some cutters that will do the job. I just need to fish them out of my packed up workshop. Let me have a search and I'll see if I can find the gear. Stay posted.

[Cal]

Thanks Martin, don’t go to too much trouble, I could rig something up to do the job. I’m not in a rush at the moment either. Cheers Cal

[Cal]

Just to add to my difficulty level I forgot about the fact that this will have an under saddle piezo in it so I can’t close the back up until the bridge is on and saddle slot cut otherwise I can’t connect and route the wire for the piezo. I guess I can get the saddle slot in the right place still without closing the back up???

[simso]

Just to add to my difficulty level I forgot about the fact that this will have an under saddle piezo in it so I can’t close the back up until the bridge is on and saddle slot cut otherwise I can’t connect and route the wire for the piezo. I guess I can get the saddle slot in the right place still without closing the back up???

1/2 a mm out for a saddle string will make it play like a dog for the rest of its life.

Alternatively, you can make an mdf false back and screw it into your neck and tail block and tape the edges to the sides for strength, then string it up and tune and get the saddle exactly where it needs to be. Then close the box with a nice back.

Fitting a piezo lead is really not that difficult even with what you have there, you have an f hole that’s heaps

Steve

[kiwigeo]

Steve's solution will work. Another possible work around:

1. Install jack and run wiring from same through F hole.
2. Install back.
3. Install bridge. Cut saddle slot and install pickup.
4. Fish wire from pickup through F hole. Solder up to wires from jack and then push them back through F hole into body.