What's on your bench? - October 2009

[Bob Connor]

Haven't had one of these threads for a while and i haven't built anything since February due to wet weather and building a climate controlled room in the shed.

I started this yesterday. It's bound for Britton Brothers (sawmillers in Tasmania) and is supposedly to hang in their office. I'm reliably informed by one of the blokes in the mill that this'll probably end up at the bosses house.

It's a OOO with Blackwood and King Billy that'll end up with Cheesewood bindings (all the wood is from Britton's of course)

The sides are doubled (laminated). Each layer .060" for a total of a little over .120".

Because they are so thin when I bent them I didn't bother to spritz with water, just wrapped them in butchers paper and bent them dry. I think they tend to warp less with no water.





They hold their shape pretty well.

I glued them with Titebond and just strapped them into the Fox bender. I'm looking forward to getting hold of a vacuum setup in the next couple of weeks.

[Hesh1956]

That's some beautiful Blackwood Bob my friend!!

So you used Titebond to laminate the sides - interesting. The main thing that has been holding me back from double sides is that I was not looking forward to using a large quantity of epoxy and I thought that I needed to build a gluing form (solid) to do this. Your method eliminates both of these things.

Thanks for sharing.

I actually was productive yesterday for the first time in a while.... Here are some braces destined for this stinkin dreadn*ught. These days when ever I do an operation I try to make extras for at least one other guitar. I have bracing bundles for OMs and SJs and now I am starting to build a back stock of dreadn*ught braces.

At least for me there is something very relaxing about repetitive tasks so I was enjoying myself.

[Cam]

Something a bit different to what you guys usually do but I've got a mini electric and a les paul acoustic build going on at the moment:



I've done a bit more progress on both, but unfortunately no pictures. Maybe some tomorrow

[Paul B]

I've been doing nothing but wait for the RH to come up. It's been around 27% for the last couple days (ever since I was ready to close up the box). Had some rain last night so today might be the day.

[pat foster]

Bob,

That's some gorgeous zoot!

I just finished up a repair on a plywood cheapo dread for a friend who is pretty broke. It was bellying up pretty badly, and caving near the soundhole. Split bridge plate, separated x-brace, peeling bridge, the works. Got it all patched up, put in a JLD Bridge system and it seems stable. Action's not too bad and it actually sounds pretty good. I think the bridge system helped stiffen things up to get rid of the tubby sound along with keeping the top from pulling up more. I suspect a new 'one-piece' bridge plate, securely glued bridge and x-braces helped the sound too.

Pat

[Arnt]

I am making a 000 12 fret, here is what the inside of the top looks like






The back and sides are Madagascan rosewood, linings are willow.

[Dennis Leahy]

Three cutaway guitars just started:

Cocobolo, Osage Orange (to be "ebonized" black using quebracho bark tea and ferrous acetate), and Claro Walnut.

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Dennis

[Clancy]

Had another crack at resawing some tassie myrtle after modifying the farme saw. the saw looks more like a "proto-type" than a real tool, but it did the job.

[woodrat]

I am working on an OM with AAA sitka top and Brazilian Mahogany back and sides. The binding will be figured blackwood and ebony bridge and fingerboard.
Its nice to see others work. Arnt your 12 fretter looks like its nice and light, should be very responsive, let us know how it turns out. Its about time I built another 12 fret too.
Hesh, I do the same thing, make a lot of braces at the same time it gives me a head start into each successive build. Good thinkin!




Thanks for showing everyone!

[Rick Turner]

There's an interesting reason to build putting the back onto the sides first...

When people look inside the guitar, the glue joints they'll see will not be top to sides...they'll be back to sides. OK, if you've ever looked inside a "golden era vintage Martin or Gibson) you'll see a ton of glue squeeze-out, and it doesn't mean shite. The guitars still sound great. But we're in an era of anal-retentive witch-hunting clients...and fellow luthiers. If it doesn't look as perfect on the inside as on the outside, it must not sound any good...once again a load of shite...but a load of shite that can cost you, the luthier, several hundreds...or thousands of dollars worth of "perceived value".

If you put the back on first, you can clean the interior up to truly stupid levels. You can spend days getting it to look like a surgeon could work in there. Of course, it won't make the guitar sound like that '34 OM...

All bets are off, of course, once you cut in that side port. It's got to stun at 100 meters and kill at 25.

[Steve]

Getting closer to finishing a kids-sized classical. Put on the fret wire, attached the fret board & shaped the neck this weekend.


Steve

[woodrat]

There's an interesting reason to build putting the back onto the sides first...

When people look inside the guitar, the glue joints they'll see will not be top to sides...they'll be back to sides. OK, if you've ever looked inside a "golden era vintage Martin or Gibson) you'll see a ton of glue squeeze-out, and it doesn't mean shite. The guitars still sound great. But we're in an era of anal-retentive witch-hunting clients...and fellow luthiers. If it doesn't look as perfect on the inside as on the outside, it must not sound any good...once again a load of shite...but a load of shite that can cost you, the luthier, several hundreds...or thousands of dollars worth of "perceived value".

If you put the back on first, you can clean the interior up to truly stupid levels. You can spend days getting it to look like a surgeon could work in there. Of course, it won't make the guitar sound like that '34 OM...

All bets are off, of course, once you cut in that side port. It's got to stun at 100 meters and kill at 25.

I've done it both ways Rick and I understand that reason for putting the back on very well but I prefer to be able to tweak the bracing after its glued to the rims and although its more difficult to do I can get a clean finish. Yes its a superficial world but some of us get by despite it! I'd rather try to get that 34 OM sound anyday! Thanks for commenting!

[kiwigeo]

I am making a 000 12 fret, here is what the inside of the top looks like

I just looooove neat and tidy bracing. Pity its all going to be hidden once the top goes on.

Oh and that self propelled block plane is really nifty too.

Cheers Martin

[kiwigeo]

Getting closer to finishing a kids-sized classical. Put on the fret wire, attached the fret board & shaped the neck this weekend.


Steve

Interesting look there Steve.....its very blonde

What are the woods?

[Steve]

Interesting look there Steve.....its very blonde

What are the woods?

WA Sheaoak, Engleman Spruce, silky oak neck, gidgee fretboard & some maple bindings. I've been looking for a local equivalent to maple for bindings - any suggestions? I saw some silver ash (?) in some marquetry once that looked similar.

[Localele]

Silver Ash , the one from north QLD is beautiful wood. (Botanical is Flidersia Bourjotiana ) Very fine pores and is quite white.It does yellow with the lacquer and age but still great wood.

[Bob Connor]

Cheesewood.

viewtopic.php?t=87

[Joe Sustaire]

Boy Craig, I'm impressed!!!
That's really getting to know your wood, sure turned out nice!
What are you using for the blade in your saw? I don't have a large enough bandsaw for re-sawing backs either, may have to give this a go.

Joe

[Dave Anderson]

Hi fellow wood monkeys,
I'm wet sanding /buffing this same cherry "Concert Jumbo" I've been farting around with for the last few Months!
And I made the mold and bend pattern for my next - Grand Concert.
Nice work everyone !

[Lillian]

Steve, I'd second the cheesewood. Tim Spittle sent along a sample of it with an order. It reminds me of old ivory under finish. Its great stuff.

[Steve]

Thanks for the tips on silver ash & cheesewood folks.
Nice looking Cherry, Dave.
Steve

[Paul B]

I got the back on yesterday! After waiting forever for the RH, the rain the night before did the job. And since I'm currently employment challenged, I'll close it up today, I'll try to take a pic.

Craig, those frame saws really give you a great upper body workout don't they? I built one and resawed a set of jarrah backs. Never again! I went out and bought a 18" Jet bandsaw after that.

[matthew]

nothing to show for the moment but i have two projects going on.

The huon pine bass - the rib stock once resawn has several resin pockets which won't look that great so I've cut out little lozenge-shapes around the crumbly bits and filled with rib stock from the edges of the plate. Glued with hide glue; not sure how this will stand up when bending, but we'll see.

The other project on the repairs bench is a german double bass with carved back. The centre joint has opened up due to shrinkage. I've removed the back entirely - not without some damage to the edges of the plate that will have to be replaced. Some idiot had use white glue, then araldite, to attempt repairs in the past.

The big challenge of this job - and it looks to be the most challenging repair i've done to date - is to re-shoot the centre seam and glue back together, keeping the preimeter edges of the plate flat. Complicating the issue is that the uppeer shoulder of the back, as per standard practice in basses, is not flat, but curves inwards a little. So I think I'm going to have to make a frame for each half plate and tack the halves to the frame, so that I can place these on a flat workbench and align the edges of the plate exactly. Then and only then can I improvise a shooting board arrangement to redo the center seam one side at a time.

Unless someone has a better suggestion?

yeah I'll post pics eventually

[Paul B]

Blistered sapele OLF SJ with a lutz top that will probably go on today.

[Ron Wisdom]

Some nice looking stuff here. I finished up three rosettes and a bridge this weekend.

Ron

Bloodwood



Snakewood



Blingwood (in macassar)



Macassar bridge