francis
C.O.G. 
Posts: 2,485 
My main instrument is: Whatever I'm building...
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Post by francis on Dec 19, 2015 16:20:26 GMT
Started building a dreadnought with a rounded (Venetian) cutaway using Lutz Spruce for the soundboard, Amazique/Ovangkol for the back and sides and mahogany for the neck, with 14 fret neck/body join, a two-way truss rod adjustable from the headstock and Grover 18:1 in a solid head. Here’s a mock-up in Photoshop of the guitar, this has been generated from a set of digital plans from Georgia Luthier Supply:  The rosette decoration has changed but still built-up from eight Santos rosewood sections plus W-B-W and B-W-B-W line rings. Santos veneers bonded to a maple veneer substrate plus a second mahogany veneer before being routed to shape.   Sides bent and placed in a former, cutaway insert added. The sides are ready to be profiled to a 20 foot radius on the front edge and a 15 foot radius on the back edge.  Mahogany linings to be attached along with the end blocks.  Lutz spruce soundboard cut roughly to shape and the rosette fitted. Main braces have been fitted and the smaller tone bars and bridge plate will be fitted.   All for now TBC... |
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leoroberts
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Posts: 26,185
My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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Post by leoroberts on Dec 19, 2015 16:29:48 GMT
Looking good! I do love a good build thread...
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francis
C.O.G.
Posts: 2,485
My main instrument is: Whatever I'm building...
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Post by francis on Dec 20, 2015 17:01:23 GMT
I've been using water-transfer decals for my guitars so far but I'm looking at changing to oil based finishes so oil/transfers are not going to mix! So I'm playing at routing/filling options for the headstock. I've made some special shapes in MOP for a fretboard but Not sure about the letters for the headstock so I'm thinking about coloured epoxy? I cut the letters out below with a Dremel and 1mm bit on a homemade pantograph. The pattern was a bit flimsy so I will remake that in 4mm mdf. The pattern is 6x larger than the finished routing... The infill is a mock-up in Photoshop to get a idea of the final outcome.  The fretboard inlays for an earlier D28:  |
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francis
C.O.G.
Posts: 2,485
My main instrument is: Whatever I'm building...
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Post by francis on Dec 30, 2015 11:46:46 GMT
Not been entirely wasted over the festive season - managed to get braces on the soundboard and then put the body together with some homemade spool clamps   |
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Dec 30, 2015 11:59:25 GMT
Neat work, and a neat idea for the clamps!  Keith |
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francis
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Posts: 2,485
My main instrument is: Whatever I'm building...
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Post by francis on Dec 30, 2015 14:53:56 GMT
Thanks Keith, The slots in the clamp 'jaws' are there for a different reason. When I bond the front to the ribs I do it inside a body mould to keep things squared up. So at this point I have a set of holes drilled in the mould (in this case 5mm diameter) just outside the guitar outline and I insert short pieces of threaded rod (6mm metric) into these with a cordless drill and thread a wing nut onto each (24 around the outline on this dread). With the ribs held in the mould I can spread the glue and lower the top onto the ribs. Then I slip the slotted jaws under the wing nuts and tighten down. I clamp down at the brace/rib junctions first then fill in the spaces between.  Should have taken a photo - the threaded rod cuts its own thread in the body mould MDF/plywood etc |
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Dec 30, 2015 18:14:27 GMT
...even neater than I thought!
Keith
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francis
C.O.G.
Posts: 2,485
My main instrument is: Whatever I'm building...
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Post by francis on Dec 31, 2015 16:46:07 GMT
Bindings and purflings fitted today:   Hand scraped and light sanding so far |
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leoroberts
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Posts: 26,185
My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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Post by leoroberts on Dec 31, 2015 20:35:05 GMT
Great progress there. I really like the wood rosette.
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R the F
Luthier / Guitar Maker
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My main instrument is: bandsaw
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Post by R the F on Jan 1, 2016 17:16:04 GMT
So little fuss, such neat work.
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francis
C.O.G.
Posts: 2,485
My main instrument is: Whatever I'm building...
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Post by francis on Jan 8, 2016 16:22:00 GMT
Body inlay added and a simple head logo. Made a pantograph to produce the logo using a x6 reduction.   Next the neck profile Francis |
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Post by dobro on Jan 10, 2016 17:06:29 GMT
That looks to bescome a beautiful guitar. It never stops amazing me that people actually build guitars like that.  |
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francis
C.O.G.
Posts: 2,485
My main instrument is: Whatever I'm building...
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Post by francis on Jan 10, 2016 17:49:59 GMT
That looks to bescome a beautiful guitar. It never stops amazing me that people actually build guitars like that. Many thanks for the comments Dobro |
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francis
C.O.G.
Posts: 2,485
My main instrument is: Whatever I'm building...
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Post by francis on Jan 14, 2016 8:57:32 GMT
The neck has been fitted now. Working on the fretboard and bridge at the moment. TBC.
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francis
C.O.G.
Posts: 2,485
My main instrument is: Whatever I'm building...
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Post by francis on Jan 18, 2016 10:08:27 GMT
Fretboard and bridge now fitted.
Heel cap needs some work to bring it flush with the neck heel, check it all over, some light sanding and think about applying some finish...
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