francis
C.O.G. 
Posts: 2,482 
My main instrument is: Whatever I'm building...
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Post by francis on May 16, 2016 13:48:28 GMT
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R the F
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 1,135
My main instrument is: bandsaw
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Post by R the F on May 16, 2016 15:14:13 GMT
Funnily enough, that's exactly where I bought my end caps for my neck jig - also avoiding Stewmac!
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Post by seren on May 16, 2016 16:16:29 GMT
Yes, I suffered the same symptoms with Stewmac. The last time I bought from them was in the good 'ole days where the dollar was two to the pound.  Thank you for the heads up regarding the fiberglass rods; I might try a go bar deck again this time round, especially with the added space in the workshop. |
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Post by nkforster on May 16, 2016 16:48:22 GMT
I use garden cane from the discount shop on Shields road, Byker. £1 for 10 with felt bits on the end (that come in a pack of 50 or so from same shop). No expense spared at NK Forster Guitars HQ! For the deck itself I just upgraded to a doubler - two bits of kitchen work top about 1.5m long, six threaded M8 rods, and six legs make of pine with a slot down the middle for the M8 rod. You can do a top and a back at the same time. I made it so when me first student comes in a couple of weeks we can work side by side. nigel www.nkforsterguitars.com |
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R the F
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 1,135
My main instrument is: bandsaw
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Post by R the F on May 16, 2016 17:52:01 GMT
I use garden cane from the discount shop on Shields road, Byker. £1 for 10 with felt bits on the end (that come in a pack of 50 or so from same shop). No expense spared at NK Forster Guitars HQ! For the deck itself I just upgraded to a doubler - two bits of kitchen work top about 1.5m long, six threaded M8 rods, and six legs make of pine with a slot down the middle for the M8 rod. You can do a top and a back at the same time. I made it so when me first student comes in a couple of weeks we can work side by side. nigel www.nkforsterguitars.comGlad to hear your "build a guitar with me" has taken off, nkforster. In German or English? |
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Post by nkforster on May 16, 2016 18:53:00 GMT
I use garden cane from the discount shop on Shields road, Byker. £1 for 10 with felt bits on the end (that come in a pack of 50 or so from same shop). No expense spared at NK Forster Guitars HQ! For the deck itself I just upgraded to a doubler - two bits of kitchen work top about 1.5m long, six threaded M8 rods, and six legs make of pine with a slot down the middle for the M8 rod. You can do a top and a back at the same time. I made it so when me first student comes in a couple of weeks we can work side by side. nigel www.nkforsterguitars.comGlad to hear your "build a guitar with me" has taken off, nkforster . In German or English? Geordie. |
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Post by seren on May 16, 2016 19:13:32 GMT
wye-aye man!  |
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colins
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 2,397
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Post by colins on May 16, 2016 21:54:16 GMT
My main advice when building a go-bar deck is if possible avoid having support rods to hold up the top board. My deck consists of angle iron brackets supporting 1.5" plywood top with the bottom being my work bench, I then have a 4" thick base that the radius dish sits when bracing plates, this is removed when gluing back or top to the rims, when I just have the radius dish on the worktop. I did have a standard style go-bar press, but found the two front support rods were a nuisance as I like to carve braces etc with the plate in the dish and secured by a few bars. My fibre glass go bars are 5mm thick and were bought from a kite shop, who also supplied the end caps.  Colin |
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R the F
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 1,135
My main instrument is: bandsaw
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Post by R the F on May 17, 2016 6:32:29 GMT
Very good point, colins ; I find getting pressure on glued parts quickly always raises the heart-rate to some extent and those front supports don't help at all. May have to look into finding some brackets to fix the top to the ceiling and I suspect I've read somewhere old furniture restorers often used the ceiling itself - with long bars? with a low ceiling? You haven't got a photo of your "angle iron brackets", have you? Like a big upside-down shelf, I imagine. |
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Post by seren on May 17, 2016 10:24:39 GMT
I am planning to use the space between my self-built workshop bench surface and the lower shelf.
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colins
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 2,397
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Post by colins on May 17, 2016 10:40:31 GMT
Very good point, colins ; I find getting pressure on glued parts quickly always raises the heart-rate to some extent and those front supports don't help at all. May have to look into finding some brackets to fix the top to the ceiling and I suspect I've read somewhere old furniture restorers often used the ceiling itself - with long bars? with a low ceiling? You haven't got a photo of your "angle iron brackets", have you? Like a big upside-down shelf, I imagine. Here is a picture of the go-bar, the brackets were made for me by an engineer friend. I had planned on making a double width one so he made me four brackets, I have the other two spare if you'd like them, the paint is a bit flaky on them so they'd need a good wire brushing and re-paint, but you are welcome to them for the price of the postage. They are bolted to the wall with 4 rawlbolts, as 30 or so go-bars can apply quite a bit of pressure.
Yes piano makers used to use long rods between the floor and ceiling to glue up piano plates.
Colin
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R the F
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 1,135
My main instrument is: bandsaw
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Post by R the F on May 17, 2016 11:02:26 GMT
Very generous, colins , but it would probably be more economical all round for me to buy a pair of big support brackets from Screwfix - and a lot less trouble for you. If they are not up to the job, I'll just pop some extra weight on top when it's in use. Here, by the way, is a further development of the idea which I discovered in an old furniture restoration book:  I'd be afraid that it might just lift the roof off! |
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Post by scripsit on May 17, 2016 12:39:52 GMT
This is one of the photographs Jack Spira sent through when he was building a guitar for me. I think he studied at the London School of Furniture, originally. Hefty (and long) go bar rods.  Kym |
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R the F
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 1,135
My main instrument is: bandsaw
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Post by R the F on May 17, 2016 12:46:30 GMT
I can feel a competition for 'who's got the longest go-bars' coming on.
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richm
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 47
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Post by richm on May 18, 2016 15:07:01 GMT
I just use bits of 8x8mm ash. Nice and bendy and cheap!
I have a stash of ash I bought when I thought I would make electric guitars but now I have seen sense the pile is slowly getting turned into go bars. I have about 40 or 50 in different lengths for different jobs- long for gluing braces and short for gluing on tops and backs.
Rich
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Jo whoever he is.
