Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Talk about musical instrument construction, setup and repair.

Moderators: kiwigeo, Jeremy D

Post Reply
User avatar
demonx
Blackwood
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: Ballarat Victoria
Contact:

Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by demonx » Wed Jun 25, 2014 12:13 pm

So I have decided to build a Dreadnought.

I picked out some pieces of the timber I had laying around, cut up some Vic Blackwood for the Back & Sides, using pieces from the same board for the neck and then a slice of plain Tassy Blackwood for the headstock cap.

I didn't have anything suitable for the top, so I ordered in some Bunya Pine and Bunya Bracing.

Still deciding on how I'll finish up the binding and other finishing touches. I want this one to be a very plain looking guitar, a no "jewellery" build, so I'm leaning towards black plastic binding, but I also really like the look of Tiger Myrtle paired with Blackwood, so I'll have to decide really fast before I can get too far!

Anyway, pic time:

Back and Sides cut from Vic Blackwood:
Image

3 piece Neck blank in clamps:
Image

Starting on the scarf joint:
Image

Headstock cap in clamps:
Image

Bunya top joined:
Image

Headstock rough cut:
Image

Heel stack in clamps:
Image

Back in clamps:
Image

That is where it's at for now, more progress pics to come when I get around to working on it a bit more. This is just a personal project alongside more important builds, so progress will be slow.

User avatar
56nortondomy
Blackwood
Posts: 674
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2012 11:56 pm
Location: Melbourne western suburbs

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by 56nortondomy » Wed Jun 25, 2014 5:40 pm

I'd go with Tiger Myrtle bindings Allan, i think they'd look good, you can get some from Tim.
Wayne

User avatar
demonx
Blackwood
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: Ballarat Victoria
Contact:

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by demonx » Wed Jun 25, 2014 6:27 pm

56nortondomy wrote:I'd go with Tiger Myrtle bindings Allan, i think they'd look good, you can get some from Tim.
Wayne
I have plenty in stock along side many other options.

User avatar
kiwigeo
Admin
Posts: 10583
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 5:57 pm
Location: Adelaide, Sth Australia

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by kiwigeo » Wed Jun 25, 2014 9:18 pm

56nortondomy wrote:I'd go with Tiger Myrtle bindings Allan, i think they'd look good, you can get some from Tim.
Wayne
+1 much nicer than black plastic
Martin

simso
Blackwood
Posts: 1768
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 10:36 pm
Location: Perth WA

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by simso » Wed Jun 25, 2014 9:26 pm

Allan,

I know you build electrics, but is this your first acoustic

Steve
Steve
Master of nothing,

Do your own repairs - http://www.mirwa.com.au/How_to_Series.html

User avatar
demonx
Blackwood
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: Ballarat Victoria
Contact:

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by demonx » Wed Jun 25, 2014 11:28 pm

simso wrote:Allan,

I know you build electrics, but is this your first acoustic

Steve
Sure is.

simso
Blackwood
Posts: 1768
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 10:36 pm
Location: Perth WA

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by simso » Wed Jun 25, 2014 11:31 pm

You will thoroughly love it and hate it at the same time :)

Steve
Steve
Master of nothing,

Do your own repairs - http://www.mirwa.com.au/How_to_Series.html

User avatar
demonx
Blackwood
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: Ballarat Victoria
Contact:

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by demonx » Wed Jun 25, 2014 11:38 pm

Well that has already started!

Building an electric I've done so many times that I can just get stuck into it and get the ball rolling knowing what I have to do pretty much instinctively.

This thing I have to say to myself, the order of processes I use to build an electric won't work here, I have to stop and think and plan and not rush into it.

I'm not exactly running in blind though, I will have a bit if a helping hand in the form if a mentor for this build. It's entirely my build, but I'll get to ask questions and receive guidance and that should get me through it successfully. I hope!

User avatar
demonx
Blackwood
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: Ballarat Victoria
Contact:

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by demonx » Sat Jul 19, 2014 2:23 pm

Not much progress on this one as I've been busy with other more important builds, but I managed to rough cut the top and back, slotted the fingerboard and started on the rosette.

Image

Image

User avatar
rocket
Blackwood
Posts: 1210
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:43 pm
Location: melbourne,, outer east
Contact:

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by rocket » Sat Jul 19, 2014 5:43 pm

Nice clamps :)
Rod.
Like I said before the crash, " Hit the bloody thing, it won't hit ya back

www.octiganguitars.com

User avatar
demonx
Blackwood
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: Ballarat Victoria
Contact:

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by demonx » Sat Jul 19, 2014 6:13 pm

Thanks! I'd be nice if I had another fifty of them, but clamps are just so damn expensive.

I just ordered sixty three more clamps today, 3 bridge clamps and 60 kerf clamps. They're all reasonably cheap though compared to the F clamps I like.

User avatar
demonx
Blackwood
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: Ballarat Victoria
Contact:

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by demonx » Thu Jul 31, 2014 2:41 pm

A little bit more progress on the Acoustic project today.

This pic is of the rosette test fitting.

Image

Wayde Christie

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by Wayde Christie » Thu Jul 31, 2014 4:06 pm

Looking great so far mate :cl

What's the bunya pine like to work with?

Where'd you get it from?

User avatar
demonx
Blackwood
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: Ballarat Victoria
Contact:

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by demonx » Thu Jul 31, 2014 4:57 pm

Wayde Christie wrote:What's the bunya pine like to work with?

Where'd you get it from?
The Bunya...

First impression was when I went to joint it. I ran it over the jointer several times and couldn't get a nice dry join, should have happened in a few seconds, but no. I ended out doing it by hand.

It cut easily, it glued quite and it sanded quite easily.

To be honest I cannot compare it to anything as I always build electrics. I have worked with Huon and Celery Top and I'd say its closer to the Celery Top than Huon, but I worked with those timbers in thicker gauge and different manner so it's not a fair comparison.
Wayde Christie wrote:Where'd you get it from?
It came from ALS in QLD - pricey, but I couldn't be bothered shopping around.

http://luthierssupplies.com.au/product_ ... cts_id=322

Wayde Christie

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by Wayde Christie » Thu Jul 31, 2014 5:02 pm

Good stuff - thanks.

I'm keen to make an all Aussie classical next ;)

User avatar
demonx
Blackwood
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: Ballarat Victoria
Contact:

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by demonx » Tue Aug 05, 2014 5:53 pm

Bridge plate in clamps and starting to look at the bracing and center strips

Image

User avatar
demonx
Blackwood
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: Ballarat Victoria
Contact:

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by demonx » Tue Aug 05, 2014 5:56 pm

Also took the rosette back a bit to see what it turned out like:

Image

User avatar
demonx
Blackwood
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: Ballarat Victoria
Contact:

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by demonx » Wed Aug 06, 2014 1:45 pm

I had a bit of time free this morning so I cut the back strip for the Back Bracing to sit flush.

Image

I've also come to the realization that out of my 100+ clamps, none of them are long enough to clamp all the bracing how I'd like, so it's a job postponed until the twenty new clamps I just ordered arrive.

Clamps. Can never own enough.

Image

User avatar
kiwigeo
Admin
Posts: 10583
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 5:57 pm
Location: Adelaide, Sth Australia

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by kiwigeo » Wed Aug 06, 2014 2:43 pm

Go Bar Deck :)
Martin

User avatar
kiwigeo
Admin
Posts: 10583
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 5:57 pm
Location: Adelaide, Sth Australia

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by kiwigeo » Wed Aug 06, 2014 2:45 pm

demonx wrote:Also took the rosette back a bit to see what it turned out like:

Image
That looks nice....
Martin

User avatar
demonx
Blackwood
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: Ballarat Victoria
Contact:

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by demonx » Wed Aug 06, 2014 4:37 pm

kiwigeo wrote:Go Bar Deck :)
I've never used one and having never used one I was sceptical of the amount of pressure they can apply.

I don't mind buying the deep throat clamps as I've been wanting a set for a while for other purposes anyway

User avatar
kiwigeo
Admin
Posts: 10583
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 5:57 pm
Location: Adelaide, Sth Australia

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by kiwigeo » Wed Aug 06, 2014 6:21 pm

demonx wrote:
kiwigeo wrote:Go Bar Deck :)
I've never used one and having never used one I was sceptical of the amount of pressure they can apply.

I don't mind buying the deep throat clamps as I've been wanting a set for a while for other purposes anyway
I use a go bar deck for pretty much all my bracing glue in work. It's especially useful for clamping small finger braces and in my case the tiny braces that go under a lute top.
Martin

User avatar
colburge
Blackwood
Posts: 344
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:14 am
Location: Upper Caboolture

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by colburge » Thu Aug 07, 2014 6:22 pm

The rosette actually looks pretty good, I normally don't like the look of segmented rosettes, but it works. I like that little saw you have, I'll have to get one of those too.

Cheers

Col

User avatar
woodrat
Blackwood
Posts: 1155
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:31 am
Location: Hastings River, NSW.
Contact:

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by woodrat » Thu Aug 07, 2014 6:32 pm

demonx wrote: Image

That tool is Too Cool for School Allan!....must get one! :lol:
"It's never too late to be what you might have been " - George Eliot

User avatar
demonx
Blackwood
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: Ballarat Victoria
Contact:

Re: Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

Post by demonx » Fri Aug 08, 2014 9:55 am

The saw is just another one of those gimmicky Stewmac things that we don't "need", but since I bought it the thing gets used for all sorts of purposes.

Initially I got it just for fret slots, which it is great for, but so many other times it has come in handy. It's light, sharp and has plenty of clearance. It's just a great little tool to have.
colburge wrote:The rosette actually looks pretty good, I normally don't like the look of segmented rosettes, but it works. I like that little saw you have, I'll have to get one of those too.

Cheers

Col
I'm usually not a fan of segmented rosettes either, however I had this image in my head and I knew I could make it work using an offcuts from the neck blank.

I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out, I am afraid that most of the grain will get lost when it's painted, as Blackwood end grain tends to darken up quite a bit which means the highlight curves I spent so long matching up will disappear and only be slightly visible. However I'll know it's there!

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 132 guests