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Post by ashley on Nov 8, 2016 23:57:30 GMT
Hi, Just thought I would post a few pics of my current build, this is my 2nd attempt at building a guitar. The first attempt did not go as smoothly as I hoped and as I wouldn't be happy with it I decided to start again with a much better knowledge and some proper tools. Most of the wood came in a job lot very cheaply off ebay, it's more than good enough for my first build and hopefully it will make a decent guitar. I decided to buy a set of plans for this build but hopefully once I have a few under my belt I can start designing my own. I started by making the moulds  The neck is Honduran mahogany, I made the blank up during my first attempt and never got past making the stacked neck blank. I squared off the top and sides, routed the truss rod channel, cut the tennon by hand and then started to shape the neck.    The fretboard is indian ebony, I bought this pre slotted but for future builds I will be cutting the slots myself. The fretboard was thicknessed to 6.5mm and the excess cut off ready to install.   I decided to go with purpleheart bindings and backstrip   Sides were thicknessed, scraped and preshaped before bending. On my first build I bent the sides by hand on a home made hot pipe but I decided that I would make a side bending machine using light bulbs as the heat source. It worked well for the indian rosewood sides but I struggled bending solid mahogany linings and ended up cracking a couple. In the end I used kerfed linings which came with the ebay wood job lot.  Mahogany back braces installed and roughly carved with a purple heart centre strip. Still quite a bit to come off these, I also decided the internals would be sealed so I gave it a quick coat of shellac.  Sitka spruce sounboard, joined and thicknessed by hand using hand planes and scrapers.  For the rossette I have used spalted birch, I bought a lump of it and really quite like it, the only thing is the colour has changed massively since gluing it in with CA.  Starting to brace the sounboard  Bracings installed and carved  That's pretty much as far as I have got so far, I won't be updating for a while as work will be getting in the way for the next few weeks. |
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Nov 9, 2016 0:20:40 GMT
Looks to be coming on nicely! Love the purpley bits!
Keith
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Post by ashley on Nov 9, 2016 7:49:00 GMT
Cheers, it seems to be going well enough and I'm really happy with the soundboard. I think Purple Heart is a stunning wood, I'm sure it's not to everyone's taste though
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R the F
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Post by R the F on Nov 9, 2016 8:27:08 GMT
You seem to have hit the ground galloping. Great work! And Axminster have done quite well out it, too, I imagine.
You probably don't need me to tell you that, if you do want solid bindings, you'll probably need to laminate them since it's so dicey trying to bend wood at that thickness.
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Post by ashley on Nov 9, 2016 14:21:52 GMT
Yeah I'll laminate them for the next one. I love the look of solid linings so it's definetely something I want to get right.
Axminster did ok, a bandsaw a couple of years ago, couple of hand planes and some other bits and pieces. It certainly isn't cheap getting tools etc. but I think it's a worthwhile investment.
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francis
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Post by francis on Nov 9, 2016 14:27:45 GMT
Looking good - I bend my sides, linings and bindings in a Fox style bender first (individually not together  ) good luck with the rest of the build |
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Nov 9, 2016 19:49:16 GMT
I love that rosette, ashley (I think I have a thing for interesting soundhole adornments!) This is your second guitar? It all looks rather neat and tidy. You must be doing something wrong  |
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Post by ashley on Nov 10, 2016 9:31:53 GMT
Thanks Leo, the wood looked better before it was glued in, I need to find some way of preserving the colours. I think some builders use stabilising resin for spalted wood so maybe I'll look into that in future. It is indeed my 2nd attempt, I'm hoping to turn out a decent guitar so I'm taking my time and trying not to make too many mistakes.
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leoroberts
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My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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Post by leoroberts on Nov 10, 2016 9:43:34 GMT
trying not to make too many mistakes. Mistakes (and what you do about them) are the absolutely best bit about build threads! LOL |
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Post by ashley on Nov 10, 2016 10:26:43 GMT
Don't worry Leo, I'm sure I won't disappoint you haha
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Nov 10, 2016 10:30:08 GMT
Looking fabulous, ashley  The rosette is amazing, and those braces are very neatly done, with the lovely purple cap too. |
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Post by ashley on Nov 10, 2016 11:53:38 GMT
Thanks very much Martin š
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Post by gavdav on Nov 10, 2016 16:11:45 GMT
Looks great and nice to see a local builder popping up! Look forward to seeing how it unfolds.
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Post by ashley on Nov 11, 2016 14:26:25 GMT
Thanks gavdav, are you a fellow woolly?
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Post by gavdav on Nov 11, 2016 14:28:28 GMT
Thanks gavdav, are you a fellow woolly? Not quite - a recent returner to South Liverpool but not far away (Gateacre) |
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) good luck with the rest of the build
Jo whoever he is.
