Build thread - Blackwood & Bunya Dreadnought

[demonx]

Top binding started.

I really should have paid attention to the reviews that the elcheapo stew mac binding jig is rubbish, as it is. Thing was wobbling around and not giving a straight line.

Will be shopping around for a better binding jig before I do the back. Hopefully a bit of superglue and sanding will make it passable.

I managed to file the bunya join so it should be ok, but there's a couple spots in the blackwood that will need a glue and sand, I just have a gut feeling. Fingers crossed it doesn't, but it probably will.

[Nick]

I really should have paid attention to the reviews that the elcheapo stew mac binding jig is rubbish, as it is. Thing was wobbling around and not giving a straight line.

Will be shopping around for a better binding jig before I do the back. Hopefully a bit of superglue and sanding will make it passable.

Are you referring to the binding router guide (the one that screws on the nose of a Dremel) Allan or the "true Channel" binding jig? if its the guide then yeah I'm not sure why they are still selling that! For a start the dremel hasn't got enough torque to drive the larger bit! It doesn't do tight internal bends that well either. I got one years ago, tried it on a bit of scrap first, even making lighter cuts it sort of cut something resembling 50mm of binding channel then threw it into a dark corner of a draw, never to be used again!

I much rather prefer their router bit with multiple sized bearings that you can mount into a 1/4" router. I made my own version of the 'true channel', I cut the channel in one cut and it always comes out great. It wouldn't be a waste of money investing in a set up like that as even electrics can be bound using it.

[demonx]

I really should have paid attention to the reviews that the elcheapo stew mac binding jig is rubbish, as it is. Thing was wobbling around and not giving a straight line.

Will be shopping around for a better binding jig before I do the back. Hopefully a bit of superglue and sanding will make it passable.

Yes, the dremel mount one. I read the reviews and thought to myself there are a lot of stupid people out there and stewmac wouldn't sell it if it was that bad. Well... I guess I'm one of the stupid ones as I bought it!

I ran some test cuts on some curved mahogany offcuts I had and thought I had the hang of it, but I guess cutting a couple inches of mahogany is different to cutting around a whole guitar.

It's not like I tried to do it all in one pass either, I did it in multiple passes, but with the flex it was just making a mess in spots which I left and went back to file by hand.

It took me a minute to work out why it was cutting so crap, then I noticed that it was flexing. There was at least a millimeter of flex! That's a bloody lot when it comes to a binding channel.

I won't be buying a fancy jig for quite some time as my funds are all going elsewhere at the moment and this acoustic is only a side project, so unless I brainstorm something this build may get shelved for a while.

[kiwigeo]

Not everything at Stewmac is the bees knees. When youre buying this stuff put up a post and you'll soon get some good reviews from members in here......it's part of the reason this forum exists. I used the Stewmac rossette jig once and then ditched it. I now use either a laminate trimmer or a Trend T5 router for all my rosette and binding channel work.

A handy tip for cutting binding channels. Run around the cuts first with a Schneider style binding cutter before doing the router/lam trimming cuts......the end cut will be much cleaner on the edges.

[demonx]

I just went with the cheapest option at the time (probably my first mistake) as all my time/funds are going towards this thing at the moment, which should be finished in a few weeks.

The acoustic has just been something I've been tinkering with on the side to give my mind a break from "real work" if that makes sense. Sitting down at a computer and drawing CAD models all day is very brain draining and it just helps to go to the workshop and put an hour into the acoustic before getting back to either CAD work or finishing up the last couple electric builds I have in the workshop at the moment.

[demonx]

It's amazing what you can hide with a bit of glue and dust.

[demonx]

I've been too busy to touch this project the last couple days, but this morning while I was waiting for software to install on the workshop computer I fixed the last bit of the top binding.

I left this part until last as it's the bit I was most worried about making invisible.

I used a heat gun to heat the plastic with my right hand and with my left hand I dropped a bit of weld on into the crack the second I pulled my right hand away, then quickly came back with the right hand, pushing the softened binding into the gap before applying the tape.

It has come up pretty good. When I do the finish sanding I'll scrape the binding back a tad so it follows a natural line and doesn't look like it widens, so it should be an invisible repair

[demonx]

Made a quick binding jig. It works much better than the stew mac one.

[kiwigeo]

Looks like an expanded upside down version of what I use:

wpa7fc7f82_05_06.jpg (28.58 KiB) Viewed 19826 times

[demonx]

It pretty much is, except I made it from stuff in my scrap/firewood pile, so it cost me zero in materials and about twenty minutes of time.

I was going to buy one like what you pictured, then I saw the price and thought "bugger that". If I was to make it again id do it a tad thinner and deeper. Might just throw this in the fire and build another one for the next guitar.

In reality I'll prob use this for years and put making a new one on "the list"!

[demonx]

Youre making good progress there but that butt strip bothers me.....

Watching with great interest

Back binding on and levelled.

Butt stirip:

[demonx]

Moving onto the neck:

[kiwigeo]

Youre making good progress there but that butt strip bothers me.....

Watching with great interest

Back binding on and levelled.

Butt stirip:

Touche....but I knew you'd nail it

[demonx]

Touche....but I knew you'd nail it

To be honest, I wasn't sure id made the right choice with the bunya, my mind was bouncing both ways, but now it's together I have no regrets, looks just like it did in my head, nice and simple but the contrast of the top and back timbers all pulled together.

[demonx]

It's been quite a while since I've updated this thread, simply because it's been quite a while since I've touched this project!

Paying customer builds take priority, but the other day I just wanted to do something different, so I made this bridge out of Queens Ebony. The slot is cut to accommodate a compensated Tusq saddle and Tusq pins with a 3 degree taper.

Now I have a bridge made I can measure the neck angle, so next step is cutting the neck join. I'll probably get around to it in another month or so!

[demonx]

Had a spare moment today so I attempted the tenon and started the heel carve.

I ran out of time, however the heel carve needs a lot more contour before I'm happy with it and the tenon needs the slightest bit more work before it is gap free.

[demonx]

Neck carve started and more work done on the heel join.

I must admit, it is a lot easier to carve an acoustic neck than an electric! The heel is far less complicated to the heels I usually carve and you don't have the cutaway horns in the way on the acoustic, it's also about half the length as well!

[demonx]

It's been a long time coming, but I finally got the neck glued to the body today.

The Bolt on neck made it pretty easy, just spread the glue, bolt it up and a couple clamps on the fingerboard!

[kiwigeo]

It's been quite a while since I've updated this thread, simply because it's been quite a while since I've touched this project!

Paying customer builds take priority, but the other day I just wanted to do something different, so I made this bridge out of Queens Ebony. The slot is cut to accommodate a compensated Tusq saddle and Tusq pins with a 3 degree taper.

Now I have a bridge made I can measure the neck angle, so next step is cutting the neck join. I'll probably get around to it in another month or so!

What are the two holes at rear of bridge??

[demonx]

What are the two holes at rear of bridge??

They are for two small bolts to hold the bridge down. The holes will be plugged and won't be seen.

[kiwigeo]

What are the two holes at rear of bridge??

They are for two small bolts to hold the bridge down. The holes will be plugged and won't be seen.

Are you going to rely on just the bolts to hold the bridge to the top? Why bolts rather than glue? Seems you're going against normal practice here which means you must have a reason. The guitar looks good BTW...

[demonx]

What are the two holes at rear of bridge??

They are for two small bolts to hold the bridge down. The holes will be plugged and won't be seen.

Are you going to rely on just the bolts to hold the bridge to the top? Why bolts rather than glue? Seems you're going against normal practice here which means you must have a reason. The guitar looks good BTW...

From what I understand it IS normal practice these days to bolt the bridge and it's only the traditionalists that refuse to? Maybe I'm wrong. I'm new to the acoustic scene.

Yes it will be glued as well.

This pic is the bridge on my Churchill, I'll be using the same bolts as he does. As you can see the caps hide the bolts quite nicely and you won't have to worry about the bridge popping off.

[kiwigeo]

From what I understand it IS normal practice these days to bolt the bridge and it's only the traditionalists that refuse to? Maybe I'm wrong. I'm new to the acoustic scene.

Yes it will be glued as well.

This pic is the bridge on my Churchill, I'll be using the same bolts as he does. As you can see the caps hide the bolts quite nicely and you won't have to worry about the bridge popping off.

I've only seen it done mainly on cheap &&&&e mass produced factory instruments and on Matons with that wanky looking saddle pickup arrangement.

My thoughts.....I can't think of any valid reasons off hand why you cant do this but Ive never had a hide glued bridge move so I don't see any need for bolts. I think you'll find that causes of bridges coming loose are poor construction, poor glue job or abuse of the guitar (eg left for hours on a car seat on a hot day).

[demonx]

My thoughts.....I can't think of any valid reasons off hand why you cant do this but Ive never had a hide glued bridge move so I don't see any need for bolts. I think you'll find that causes of bridges coming loose are poor construction, poor glue job or abuse of the guitar (eg left for hours on a car seat on a hot day).

Well, David has built hundreds more acoustics than I have (being this is my first), the majority of his guitars sold to international touring artists and he has a solid reputation as one of Australia's most respected luthiers, which is built on building top quality instruments over a 40+ years career, so if he tells me the bolts are how he does it, then I listen.

You may be correct when you say "abused" instrument. I've seen some of the guitars in his workshop after they've been on tour and come back for repairs. One in particular that stood out looked like it'd been dragged behind a car for a few kilometres. I asked if it was an old one and he laughed, replying it was a year old. Structurally it was found, cosmetically it looked like it's taken a beating.

[kiwigeo]

One negative to bolts in the bridge is the mass it adds to the bridge. I bust my nuts to keep bridge mass as low as possible (walnut sandwiched with CF ala Gore and Gilet) so a couple of bolts would be going backwards for me.