Just sharing.....Progress shots....

[nnickusa]

Working on my next, and just finished sanding the top and back flush with the sides. Dropped a coat of blonde shellac on to seal it all up before doing the binding, and thought it was worth taking a few shots.....Bought StewMac's attachment for the dremel to see if I can do a proper binding on this one ....

Anyway, the top is my first set from the group buy from Brent Cole Sr, with a Jarrah Burl rosette. The back and sides are Rimu from Christian, also the neck, which I haven't started on yet....Love the Rimu, and want ot use more in the future...Thanks Christian!

NorthSouth 006 (Medium).JPG (84.4 KiB) Viewed 21978 times

NorthSouth 001 (Medium).JPG (103.61 KiB) Viewed 21978 times

[GregL]

Hi Nick,

Lookin' good! I like that shape with the cutaway.

GregL.

[kiwigeo]

Looking good there Nick.

Good luck with the binding using the Dremel. You may find like I did that the Dremel is a bit underpowered for such work and end up going to a laminate trimmer. My Dremel hasnt had any use for around 10 years now.

[Jeremy D]

Looks awesome Nick,

Love the woods and that top is amazing.

I have one of these from stewmac and it seemed to work very well http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Tools ... g_Jig.html.

It will be ages until I am at the point of using it again (I am very slow). If you don't mind driving you are welcome to come up and give it a try.

[nnickusa]

Cheers,

Tried out the StewMac guide today, and though I had one F-up, it seems to do the trick, but the trick is to use it more, I reckon. Took a bit to get a grasp--literally--on it. Could use a longer bearing section to run against the sides, but I worked it out before too long. I tried it on some flat stock to set the depth of cut, but a guitar is a different animal. Anyway, this guitar will now have a bwb purfling front and back, but that oughtn't hurt...or maybe a jarrrah purf. Not sure yet.

Anyway, for much less than re-kitting with big stuff---plenty time for that down the road---it's more or less ready for the bindings. I would not use this to cut the purfling channels, as it's a bit too wobbly, but I have a jig I made for the dremel that I'll use. The only other issue was that the Carbide bit left a few spots a bit ragged. I've been using the milling type bit that I got with the dremel, and it leaves much cleaner cut, so I'll use that for the purfling channels.

This is the one I got. Needed a big sheet of pickguard for a restore, and thought I'd throw this in, too.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bindings,_t ... Guide.html

Jeremy, thanks for the offer. I'll likely take you up on it. Always good to try out new gadgets

[christian]

Hey Nick,

The guitar is looking fantastic!!! thanks for posting, I'm glad you like the Rimu, looking at that cutaway you had no problems bending it at all.
it's gonna be a beauty !!!!

Cheers,

Christian.

[Mark McLean]

Lovely Nick. That is some pretty impressive bearclaw figure in that top!
cheers
Mark

[charangohabsburg]

I agree with Mark.

This must have been one gorgeous bear sharpening his claws on this piece of wood!

[kiwigeo]

I agree with Mark.

This must have been one gorgeous bear sharpening his claws on this piece of wood!

In some parts of Canada the bears do other things with the spruce

[auscab]

Looks real good Nick,
you must have got the humidity sorted?

[nnickusa]

Thanks again,

Rob, got the humidity sorted, and we've had a couple days of @25% lately while I' ve been working on it and the top, kept most of it's dome even then, so I reckon it'll be OK. I was a bit worried, but it's cool.

Christian, the Rimu is really lovely to work with. Bent very nicely on the pipe. I got one little "delamination" in a grain line, but, oddly, not on the cutaway, but the lower bout, and it sanded right out. I just took my time on the cutaway, and it was sweet.

And the bear claw is even more than the pix show. the main of the soundboard has some nice markings, but they didn't pop in the picture, like the one's on the upper bout. I even took my time and planned the one "ray" running into the cutaway. The Rimu bookmatched so nicely that I decided to omit a back strip again. I'll save backstrips for backs that don't match up so well.

Sounds very nice when I tap it, so I'm a happy chappy so far

[nnickusa]

Bit further along now. Used Lacewood bindings. What a bitch. Bloody things are as brittle as ice. Had to stick it back together in a few spots, but the Lacewood is so busy that you can't see it. I really like the way the Rimu and Lacewood have the same colour. Very earthy.....

I thought about Jarrah when I broke the first bit, but I wanted a bit of a monochrome look to the body....

[Kim]

Cheers,

The only other issue was that the Carbide bit left a few spots a bit ragged.

Looking great Nick. Next time you could try using a gramil to scribe the binding channel cut a little before you hit it with the dremmel/router.

I use the Schneider from LMI and find it to be a very good tool. You still seal with blonde shellac of course but the scribe cut of the single edge blade eliminates any surface fuzz, it also provides a clear reference line to assist in setting up the dremel/router when hogging out the channel.



http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproduc ... der+Gramil

Cheers

Kim

[nnickusa]

Looks like a good idea, Kim. And, thanks. I was out at Michael Connor's when he was working on his version, but I haven't seen anything about the gramil for a while. Thiought I'd get one of his if he had them done...

As for me, it's baby steps. Each guitar I make, I learn more about what NOT to do than I do about what to do.

Oi! Much todo about nothing....

Anyway, most of the binding is nice and even. one thin spot in the rear cutaway, but it's not too noticable, with the colouring being similar. Neck's almost done, and am ready to make the joint, dovetail again, and finish up shaping, etc....

Next challenge is a quality finish. I want this one to speak, well a little, for me when the friend I'm making it for goes to Tamworth next.......

[christian]

Nick it's looking fantastic !!!
If I had known you were gonna go for lacewood bindings I would have given you some !!! as we have a similar version called Rewarewa (Honeysuckle).... ah well next time.
thanks for posting!!!

Cheers,

Christian.

[nnickusa]

thanks Christian. Coming from a builder of your calibre, that's high praise indeed. In looking at the photos, I wonder if this one wouldn't look really good with a satin back and gloss top. Just gotta figure out how to do it. Would you just rub the Mirotone on the back sides and neck down to 0000 steelwool, and then bufff the top?

I'd need to practise a bit, but the low-sheen really apeals to me with those timbers....

[christian]

I'm with you on the satin finish on these natives, I experimented for ages and this is what works for me. I use Mirothane PU 5545 yip it contains isosynates so may not be suitable if you don't have the right gear. But it's a fantastic high build sealer with great clarity. I then cut it back with 600g and then wax it, with a natural carnauba/beeswax oil blend, it gives you a low sheen but its natural looking and brings out the real depth of colour in the timber.
best to seal up some offcuts and practice.

Cheers,

Christian.

thanks Christian. Coming from a builder of your calibre, that's high praise indeed. In looking at the photos, I wonder if this one wouldn't look really good with a satin back and gloss top. Just gotta figure out how to do it. Would you just rub the Mirotone on the back sides and neck down to 0000 steelwool, and then bufff the top?

I'd need to practise a bit, but the low-sheen really apeals to me with those timbers....

[nnickusa]

Been moving ahead slowly, but have gotten to the point of dry-fitting the neck. Fretboard is mostly done. Gonna be glueing the neck in this Sunday, but this will give you an idea....

Top: Bearclaw
B/S/Neck: Rimu
Bindings on body and neck: Lacewood
Rosette/Headstock/Fretboard: Jarrah

This is the second fretboard. I made the first out of Lacewood, with Jarrah bindings, but found that i VERY carefully measured and cut the fretslots perfectly---EXCEPT the second, which was 73.9mm instead of 70.39---DOH. I'll find some use for it in the future, I'm sure, even if it is just to hang in front of me as a reminder to do it right the first time

[steve roberts]

Hi Nick
Looking fantastic love the timber combination
Regds Steve

[ozziebluesman]

G'day Nick,

Looks the goods mate! I like Rimu too! Might just have to see if I can buy some when Christian offers some more sets in he future.

I have used the same Stew Mac hand held dremel router guide for all my binding needs so far. It works well but you sure need a steady hand. I have just finished setting up the TrueBinding jig so I hope it will take away some tress out of cutting binding channels. I had sme issues with the laminate trimmer base but cheapy I picked up from eBay has sorted the problem.

Great work mate.

Cheers

Alan

[nnickusa]

Thanks Steve, Alan.
Had some time today, so the heel cap is on and the neck is glued up. I love that part. I piked on the bolt-on, since I didn't feel like making a new jig....

Fits nice, and tried something new for my heel cap. Ought to look nice, I hope....

Now comes the bloody sanding and finishing, which I need to pay more attention to....

[nnickusa]

After many days of sanding for finish, I whacked a coat of tru-oil on this one. Watching stuff from deadedith(thanks Dave) and reading about Kim's work, among many others, I had a go today and got coat 1 on....I'm planning of burnishing the top to as high a shine as I can, and leaving the back, sides and neck satiny......

One question. I bought the Brichwood-Casey finishing kit. I didn't use the stain, but there is a "Stock Sheen and Conditioner." included in the kit. Described as a more satin appearance, while providing a waxed finish... has anyone tried this product? and if so, did you like the result?

Thanks, and a few pix

[Tod Gilding]

Can't help with the finish Nick, But that guitar looks like it's coming along well.

Also is that a LP solid body under construction that I spy hanging over the bench ?

[nnickusa]

Thanks Tod. Did a second yesterday, and will try two more today. Builds very nicely. I'm running a test piece alongside to try out the Stock Sheen before touching the guitar with it.

The one on the wall is an SG that I'll get to one day...

[ozwood]

Hi Nick,

Looking good mate , I love that minamilist Look , it just relies on good craftsmanship and stunning timbers , and that one ticks all the boxes.

Well done.

Cheers,