"Falling leaves" 000 build.

christian · Post by **christian** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 8:28 am

Hi,

I am documenting this build on AGF and thought might as well post closer to home.
Its a 000 featuring all NZ natives
Kauri top
Ancient Kauri back/sides
puriri fretboard/ bridge
matai neck
A vine and "falling leaf" design inlayed in paua thankfully I've done this one before
so no laborious drawing and refining, just sent the top and fretboard down to my laser engravers in CHCH.
The head veneer has my trademark koru and the initials of the customer which are also laser engraved.
love to hear your thoughts.

Cheers,

Christian.

auscab · Post by **auscab** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 5:58 pm

Great

a build thread , I like them. I Like your guitars to Christian, I'm still getting over the beauty shock

I got from when I first saw " Roreka " in the gallery section here.
cheers Rob

vandenboom · Post by **vandenboom** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 6:11 pm

Apologies if this is a dumb question, but what on earth is the red rubbery looking thing in 'havercroft10.jpg '?
Frank

Clancy · Post by **Clancy** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 7:19 pm

Frank, I took it to be a vacuum clamp setup & the red stuff is the membrane.

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 9:53 pm

G'day Christian ,

I'll have to get me some of them " laser engravers " . All very cool work as usual mate.That's a hell of a rosette. Looking forward to seeing more progress !

vandenboom · Post by **vandenboom** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 9:57 pm

Clancy wrote:Frank, I took it to be a vacuum clamp setup & the red stuff is the membrane.

ok, I have had no experience with that technology at all. So in this pic, is it being used in the brace gluing process in place of go bars or clamps?

Mark McLean · Post by **Mark McLean** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 10:31 pm

You have got it Frank. Cover the whole lot to be clamped with the red rubbery mask and then suck it all down. Fourteen lbs per sq. inch of clamping pressure. I am jealous of the whole device.

Nice work Christian. You put that fancy kit to really good use.
cheers
Mark

woodrat · Post by **woodrat** » Fri Nov 04, 2011 6:35 am

Nice quoins too Christian. Aren't they great things! The three on a tree ones look like they are great. Mine are all singles but are great.

John

christian · Post by **christian** » Fri Nov 04, 2011 1:42 pm

Sorry for the slow reply guys the bloody computer is giving me grief today.
thanks for the comments,
yip as mentioned the vacuum press is a gem, I built it about 10yrs ago after getting very annoyed with go bars slipping
I cant remember where or who I got the idea from, I can highly recommend them though the biggest problem was finding a suitable vacuum pump I ended up buying an american made "Gast" pump.
Laser engravers are awesome!!! if you can draw it it can be cut out, worth investigating if you have some fine inlay work to do. I'm definetely not gonna buy one though, they seem to be a bit of a money pit, in regards to parts and gas tubes etc.
your right John quoins are the best !!!! there just no end to their uses, I was very lucky and found a bulk lot on trade me for cheap.
right, computer willing i'll upload a heap of new pics shortly.

Cheers,

Christian.

christian · Post by **christian** » Fri Nov 04, 2011 1:54 pm

double X top bracing, bending sides, linings ,gluing back
Cheers,

Christian.

greg · Post by **greg** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 7:24 am

Hi christian. Awesome looking stuff.

Couple of questions if you don't mind.

1. Should a person get a chance to experiment with engraving machines and paua inlay, what type of glue would they use to put it together?

2. When you have your bracing in the vacuum press, what stops it from moving around or out of position while the membrane is being pulled down?

greg

christian · Post by **christian** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 8:01 am

Hi Greg,

I use super glue gel to glue my paua down.

Thats the great thing about the vacuum press nothing moves around when the membrane is pulled down, because the pressure is spread over the bracing and it happens slowly.
I've never had a problem but if you were worried you could tape the brace in place.

hope that helps,

Cheers,

Christian.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 9:57 am

Awesome as always Christian, nice neat & tidy work

Is that Oregon you are using for your braces? May just be the colour reproduction on my lappy but they look quite "warm" and honey coloured rather than the whitey colour of Spruce, that's what made me ask.

Bruce McC · Post by **Bruce McC** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 10:13 am

Hey Christian, another lovely piece of work.

How long do you leave the pieces in the vacuum press
and how do you clean up any squeeze out?

christian · Post by **christian** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 10:59 am

Hey Nick and Bruce,

Its kauri bracing for the back and I used western red cedar for the top.

Generally if I was vacuuming bracing a top I would only leave it in there for 15-20mins the vacuum sucks the moisture out as well so things dry quite quick. Once out I remove any squeeze out, which is easily pared away because the glue isn't fully cured.

Cheers,

Christian.

christian · Post by **christian** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 9:17 am

Routing out the soundport and the neck process, quoins everywhere !!!
Cheers,

Christian

charangohabsburg · Post by **charangohabsburg** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 1:50 pm

I am most impressed by the falling leaves - rosette!

I also like your quoins applications with the table saw jigs where available space is an issue.

christian · Post by **christian** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 11:11 am

Thanks Markus,

Now for all the other inlays first the headstock my trade mark Koru and then the customers intials,
then the fretboard inlays, I've skipped a few steps including gluing on the veneers, fretboard and the fretting, and gone straight to routing the neck shape making the trussrod cover and final sanding of the neck.

Cheers,

Christian.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 1:42 pm

I'm not usually one for alot going on on the fingerboard/ headstock area but you've carried this one off superbly Christian, I'd almost say "I like it"

It's going to be an absolute pearler when it's finished & one happy customer I'd say.

willcall · Post by **willcall** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 4:04 pm

Your craftmanship is superb and very neat, clinical like.

Will

christian · Post by **christian** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 8:08 am

Thanks Nick and Will,

I'm the same Nick with the ornate fingerboard, especially in paua which can look so cheesy if your not careful, hopefully I've been careful hahaha.
Anyway more pics, the purfling binding end graft process, the green veneer really sets off the warm honey colour of the Kauri and the darker cognac of the Ancient kauri.
The next sequence are the lining up the fretboard with the rosette and then marking the position of the bridge.

Cheers,

Christian.

christian · Post by **christian** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 8:19 am

The pics.

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 3:46 pm

I oohed and ahhed over this at the AGF, but somehow it looks even better here.
(How is that possible, Bob?) Is it because it's closer to home?
Anyway Christian, most impressive, and the unity of the design is quite pleasing!

Steve

christian · Post by **christian** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 8:57 am

Thanks Steve for the kind words,
The last few photos to catch right up to the present day.
certainly comes alive with the finish.
cheers,

Christian.

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 3:06 pm

Looking better and better.
I love the look of that top...wow!

Steve

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