scotch
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Post by scotch on Oct 1, 2014 14:11:01 GMT
Wow this is looking amazing Colin.
I think I'll need to have a few late nights to get a piece together.
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Post by alexkirtley on Oct 1, 2014 14:21:10 GMT
Ooh!!  |
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Post by vikingblues on Oct 1, 2014 18:44:40 GMT
A fascinating blend of the guitar taking shape in what seems a surprisingly rapid way, but also I'm seeing so much attention to detail and care being taken in the build.  Bit of a paradox. The whole thing seems like a black art to me, not just the plate tuning.  I also find it fascinating that what is a practical process in the building of a guitar manages to turn itself into what appears to be a work of art at the end of the process. I reckon that's black arts too! Mark |
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colins
Luthier / Guitar Maker
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Post by colins on Oct 1, 2014 19:49:12 GMT
A fascinating blend of the guitar taking shape in what seems a surprisingly rapid way, but also I'm seeing so much attention to detail and care being taken in the build. Bit of a paradox. The whole thing seems like a black art to me, not just the plate tuning. I also find it fascinating that what is a practical process in the building of a guitar manages to turn itself into what appears to be a work of art at the end of the process. I reckon that's black arts too! Mark Mark, I would say there is about 40-50 hours of work in the guitar so far, by the time it's finished and the strings are on it'll be more than 150 hours all together. As a piece of woodwork, you have to be quite anal about joint fit on a guitar. So for instance just joining the two pieces of wood that form the top or back is time consuming, as planing the joint perfect is critical. On the top for instance I have to mark the joint at the ends as, when the top is glued up, it should be impossible to see where the two are joined. So not really a black art, just a painstaking attention to detail even on parts that will never be seen, because even if no one else will ever see it, I'll know if there is something not right. Ask Dave he'll tell you the same, we build them for our own satisfaction as artisans, if someone else likes them, that's a bonus. Colin |
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colins
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Post by colins on Oct 2, 2014 11:53:01 GMT
Today it's gluing on the soundboard, but first I need to put a label in. I don't put my label under the soundhole, but more 'discretely' on the bass side of the upper bout so it can be seen through the soundhole.  Then with the back in the 15' dish I put fish glue on to the rims and put the top in place with my usual forest of go-bars.  Colin |
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Post by bobcarter on Oct 4, 2014 17:58:59 GMT
Looks lovely, that's for sure Colin. But progress is seeming to be pretty quick - any chance you could slow down a bit as I only have the seed of an idea for a competition tune so far!!   Keith Quick indeed! I agree, Keith, I think I may need to take next week off work....! ;-) |
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scotch
Cheerfully Optimistic
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Post by scotch on Oct 4, 2014 18:13:18 GMT
Looks lovely, that's for sure Colin. But progress is seeming to be pretty quick - any chance you could slow down a bit as I only have the seed of an idea for a competition tune so far!! Keith Quick indeed! I agree, Keith, I think I may need to take next week off work....! ;-) Only a week!!! |
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colins
Luthier / Guitar Maker
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Post by colins on Oct 7, 2014 14:55:20 GMT
Now that the box is closed, comes the last of the 'sweaty' moments where something can go disastrously wrong, cutting the binding and purfling channels. This one of those jobs that needs very careful set-up and checking before starting the cuts. I do find that this is one job where you seem to have your tongue just sticking out of the corner of your mouth in concentration. Now before you all start panicking all went well!  To cut the channels I use a downcut spiral bit in a laminate trimmer set up in a jig that keeps everything vertical. First cut is for the binding channels top and back, these are the same on both.   Next I cut the purfling channel on the back, this will be a simple b/pear/b purfling.  Finally the wider purfling channel is cut on the top, this will have a BRW strip with a b/pear/b purfling.  Next step will be to cut the channel for the end graft and then to glue it and the binding/purfling in place. Colin |
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Oct 7, 2014 16:52:33 GMT
Beautifully clean, neat and sharp! Hope your tongue survived. Keith |
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Post by bobcarter on Oct 8, 2014 12:42:47 GMT
Looks amazing! Very exciting to see it coming along...
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Phil Taylor
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Post by Phil Taylor on Oct 8, 2014 19:14:09 GMT
Just looking at this from a bar in Spain - please slow down Colin!!!! How long have we got? (he says panicking slightly) it looks superb!!
Phil
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colins
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Post by colins on Oct 8, 2014 19:17:57 GMT
Don't worry Phil, there's weeks and weeks of work left to do, not halfway done yet. When I start to apply the finish there'll still be a couple of weeks left to enter.
Colin
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colins
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Post by colins on Oct 9, 2014 14:47:19 GMT
Time to glue the bindings and purfling into the channels. I use fish glue for this process, the bindings are curly maple and the back has just a b/pear/b purfling, the top also has b/pear/b purfling but also has a wide Brazilian rosewood purfling, these are pre bent at the same time as the bindings. Side purflings are again b/pear/b.
I do a dry run checking the fit before taking them all off and starting with the glue, they are held in place by a couple of kilometres of brown tape while I am sustained through the process by cups of tea.
Next day the tape is all removed and the bindings are scraped level with the sides, or rather I scrape the sides level with the bindings, this ensures that the bindings are even in thickness all of the way around the guitar.
Then the bindings/purflings are leveled with the back and top, I use a small plane then move on to a scraper.
Repeat on the top and give everything a quick initial sanding.
I like to bring all of the elements of the design together, so the BRW purfling picks up the wood used for the fingerboard and bridge, and the binding and rosette match the neck wood, you'll see that the lamination in the neck will match the b/pear/b purfling. Hopefully all will become clear.
Next it'll be on to the neck.
Colin
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davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Oct 9, 2014 15:02:57 GMT
Sweet  |
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walkingdecay
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Post by walkingdecay on Oct 11, 2014 14:57:53 GMT
Sweet The exact word I was going to use. I'll say "prime" instead. |
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Bit of a paradox.
Jo whoever he is.
