Blackwood and Engleman

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rocket
Blackwood
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Blackwood and Engleman

Post by rocket » Thu Aug 18, 2011 5:36 pm

This is a build i started last year but as been put on the back burner while i concenrated on another build, which is almost complete, so this is back on the bench.
The b/s are blackwood from Tim Spittle, the top is Engleman spruce, i'm just scraping the recurve at the moment [BY HAND, NO CNC INVOLVED HERE !!!! :P :P :P ]
Cheers,,, Rod
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Like I said before the crash, " Hit the bloody thing, it won't hit ya back

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Matt Bach
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Re: Blackwood and Engleman

Post by Matt Bach » Thu Aug 18, 2011 7:44 pm

Whats going on with the nifty end block there?

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Clancy
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Re: Blackwood and Engleman

Post by Clancy » Thu Aug 18, 2011 7:49 pm

Lovely stuff rocket.
How heavy is the blackwood?
My blackwood archie ended up quite weighty, but then it was my first build so it was left a bit thick.
Craig
I'm not the sharpest tool in my shed

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rocket
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Re: Blackwood and Engleman

Post by rocket » Thu Aug 18, 2011 8:03 pm

The tail inlay is to compliment an art deco style tail piece i'll be using on this archie Matt.
Craig,, This one is quite light compared to some of my earlier efforts, a bit of experience does help in this caper, i'm getting my plates much thinner, i don't mind the blackwood, i find it quite easy to work, has a nice smell too.
Cheers,,,
Rod.
Like I said before the crash, " Hit the bloody thing, it won't hit ya back

www.octiganguitars.com

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graham mcdonald
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Re: Blackwood and Engleman

Post by graham mcdonald » Thu Aug 18, 2011 8:49 pm

Do a little investigation into curtate cycloid curves. It is an approach to the shape of arched plates which might lead to some benefits :wink:

cheers

graham
Graham McDonald
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ozziebluesman
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Re: Blackwood and Engleman

Post by ozziebluesman » Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:43 pm

Very nice Rod.

The blackwood is going to look spectacular as does the end graft.

Looking forward to seeing this one finished.

Cheers

Alan
"Play to express, not to impress"

Alan Hamley

http://www.hamleyfineguitars.com/

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Mark McLean
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Re: Blackwood and Engleman

Post by Mark McLean » Fri Aug 19, 2011 5:53 am

Beutiful stuff Rod. That combination of woods is great.

We definitely need to know a bit more about how you did the checkerboard-style end graft.............(please).

Mark

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Nick
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Re: Blackwood and Engleman

Post by Nick » Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:06 am

You are certainly getting the hang of these things now Rod, it's looking all class & I'd love to see a close up of the tail graft too! How do you find working the Englemann as opposed to Sitka?

Thanks for your comment Graham, I must look into those also, I think you are the second person I've heard mention the benefits of curtate cycloids.
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Craig
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Re: Blackwood and Engleman

Post by Craig » Fri Aug 19, 2011 8:01 am

Wow Rod .!! Incredible work . Like others, I like the look of that tail graft and look forward to seeing it with your Art Deco type tail piece . All very tasty indeed . Great work mate .
Rod don't need no stinkin CNC :D
Craig Lawrence

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kiwigeo
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Re: Blackwood and Engleman

Post by kiwigeo » Fri Aug 19, 2011 8:21 am

Nice work Rod.....I do love that Blackwood. Did you find the Engleman a bit furry to work with?
Martin

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Mike Thomas
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Re: Blackwood and Engleman

Post by Mike Thomas » Fri Aug 19, 2011 10:02 am

This is a very useful programme for generating curtate cycloids. It's called CCycloid, and is designed for stringed instrument makers. It will also generate catenary curves, which some makers argue is the basis for the internal shape, whilst the cycloid is the basis for the external shape.

http://www.cgl.uwaterloo.ca/~smann/ccycloid/
Mike Thomas


"There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness is the true method"

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rocket
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Re: Blackwood and Engleman

Post by rocket » Fri Aug 19, 2011 2:20 pm

Thanks for the thumbs up you lot, Martin, the Engleman is definitely different to Sitka to work with but not in a negative way, if you were to use the word "fury" i'd say that the shavings come off a little bit fury maybe. But it planes and scrapes quite well,
Cheers,,,
Rod.
Like I said before the crash, " Hit the bloody thing, it won't hit ya back

www.octiganguitars.com

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Kim
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Re: Blackwood and Engleman

Post by Kim » Fri Aug 19, 2011 2:33 pm

Beautiful work Rod, looking forward to seeing the completed instrument in full detail it should be a real beauty.

Cheers

Kim

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kiwigeo
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Re: Blackwood and Engleman

Post by kiwigeo » Fri Aug 19, 2011 2:37 pm

rocket wrote:Thanks for the thumbs up you lot, Martin, the Engleman is definitely different to Sitka to work with but not in a negative way, if you were to use the word "fury" i'd say that the shavings come off a little bit fury maybe. But it planes and scrapes quite well,
Cheers,,,
Rod.
I found french polishing Engleman a bit of a challenge.....took some time to tame some nibs that kept poking through the shellac. I ended up doing a couple of egg white sizing sessions followed by a light sand back.
Martin

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